Conversation Festival "Lampa" Kicks Off in Cēsis with Diverse Discussion Program
The 12th edition of the conversation festival "Lampa" began in Cēsis on July 10 and continues on July 11, featuring around 400 events at 66 venues, focusing on public safety, mental health, and democracy.
The 12th conversation festival "Lampa" started in Cēsis on July 10 and will run through July 11. This year, the festival offers approximately 400 events across 66 locations, with a central theme of "What must not be talked about?". The program emphasizes societal resilience and crisis preparedness, as well as safety, mental health, and democracy.
In the Ministry of Defense's "Safe Tent," discussions will cover Latvia's security, allied presence, cybersecurity, and drone technologies. The State Border Guard's tent will allow visitors to learn about border guards' daily work and equipment. The Artificial Intelligence Center (MIC) tent will host discussions, workshops, and expert sessions on AI's impact on education, work, and business.
A significant part of the program is dedicated to deepfakes – a discussion titled "Deepfakes – (Un)reality of Elections" will analyze how AI-generated fakes can be used for information manipulation during election campaigns. Talks will also address the future of the Latvian language in the AI era and digital inequality.
Mental health discussions will cover loneliness, sexual violence, addictions, burnout, as well as oncology, organ donation, and dementia. The "Death Café" will encourage open conversations about death, loss, and end-of-life planning.
Ahead of the 15th Saeima elections, the festival will feature public political debates and discussions on distinguishing facts from manipulation and the influence of social media. Evening events include the popular "Politicians' Disco" and "Politicians' Roast." The visual identity was created by artist Krišs Salmanis. Admission is free. The detailed program is available on the festival's website.
