American Latvian Association holds its 75th congress in Washington

The American Latvian Association (ALA) is currently holding its 75th congress in Washington, D.C., the organization's regular annual gathering bringing together representatives and members from across the United States.

ALA was established after World War II to unite and strengthen Latvians who had fled into exile in their new host country. Since then, the organization's core mission has remained largely unchanged: preserving Latvian identity and culture among Latvians in the United States, while also staying attentive to Latvia's national security situation.

Focus on parliamentary elections

This year's congress has placed particular emphasis on Latvia's upcoming Saeima (parliamentary) elections. This reflects the diaspora's ongoing interest in political developments back home and its desire to remain connected to Latvia's domestic politics, including participation in the electoral process from abroad.

The fact that the organization is holding its 75th congress points to a long-standing and stable diaspora institution — the congress has convened regularly since the first years after the war, when thousands of Latvians were forced to leave their homeland.

The ALA congress remains one of the most significant gatherings of the Latvian diaspora in the United States, addressing both organizational matters and political issues affecting the Latvian community abroad.