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A brief history of The Latvian Youth
Association of Australia
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| The Latvian
Youth Association of Australia was formed in 1969 on the
18th of May in Sydney, New South Wales. There was actual
talk of forming the Association in the late fifty's, but
it was decided that the Assocation wasnt needed. The Association
was formed in 1969 not long after the first World Latvian
Youth Congress (VLJK). The World Latvian Youth
Congress was organised by the Latvian youth organisations
of the world, ie. The American Latvian Youth Association
(ALJA), the European Latvian Youth Association
(ELJA) and the Youth Association of Canada (LNJAK). |
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| The first
Association meeting was held on the 18th of May, 1969
during the 8th Latvian Youth Festival in Sydney.
The foundation meeting elected a central board that would
oversee all of Australia, and two vice-presidents were
elected in Adelaide and Sydney to act as consultants for
those states. Maris Lakis was elected President, with
other board members Maruta Delins, Agnis Rozitis and Juris
Rozitis. These members all lived in Melbourne. Mikelis
Svilans was elected Association representative for Adelaide,
and Gudars Liepins for Sydney. |
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| The following
year, the Association regulations (statutes) were written
and accepted at the LJAA annual general meeting. Branch
committees were formed in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney
and representatives appointed in Brisbane, Canberra and
Perth. A branch commitee was formed in Perth in 1980.
In 1981 the inaugural LJAA Congress occured. |
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| Since its
inception, the Latvian Youth Association of Australia
has organised many cultural events, financially supported
many Latvian projects, folklore groups and ensembles,
and been a fantastic help to the Latvian youth of Australia.
Let the tradition continue! |
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