Researchers Skeptical of Renaming Victory Park to Sun Park in Riga

A petition on the public initiative portal "Manabalss.lv" is collecting signatures to rename Victory Park (Uzvaras parks) to Sun Park (Saules parks). To be considered by the Riga City Council, at least 2,000 signatures are needed, but this threshold has not yet been reached.

Initiative author Jolanta Stricka believes that after reconstruction, the park has become a place for families, athletes, and cultural events, so its name should reflect this new identity.

However, researchers Vita Zelče and Kaspars Zellis from the University of Latvia are critical. They point out that the name "Victory Park" is not connected to the Soviet monument, as is often mistakenly thought, but rather to the Latvian army's victory over the Bermondt forces during the War of Independence. The park received this name as early as 1923.

The researchers emphasize that the name is part of the site's historical identity and collective memory. In their view, the proposed "Sun Park" does not reflect the park's history and creates no clear link to the location.

Zellis notes that historically, renaming public places has often occurred as a result of political changes to consolidate the symbolic influence of the new power, rather than to promote public understanding of history.

Both researchers also stress that the value of significant places is not derived solely from historical facts—public emotions, experience, and the meaning people assign to the place are equally important. Discussions about the name change continue, but for now, the initiative lacks sufficient support for municipal consideration.