The official opening of the European Cultural Heritage Days will take place in Riga on September 7

The official opening of the European Cultural Heritage Days will take place in Riga on September 7, reported Juris Dambis, head of the State Cultural Monument Protection Inspection. Dambis said that the Council of Europe had granted the rights to the event in Latvia back in 1998 following the active work of Latvian cultural heritage specialists. Latvia will be the first post-Soviet country to open the ten year old, European scale event. The opening is expected to draw around 100 visitors from 47 countries and another 200 Baltic state representatives, including cultural heritage specialists, ministers of culture, representatives of the Council of Europe, and national coordinators of the European Cultural Heritage Days. Between September 7 and 9 participants will be taken through the historical centers of 42 Latvian cities, the main topic of this year`s event. Emphasis will be drawn on the cleaning up and putting order to the historical city centers. Discussions, presentations and exhibitions are set for the event, as well as a cultural heritage celebration named Riga at Night, gathering music performances in Dom Square on the evening of September 8.