Andris Berzins
The President of Ministers of Republic of Latvia

The aim of the Riga Forum is to bring together those urban development specialists from all over the world in order to find solutions related to the most vital aspects of city development. There is a proverb – “all of us are smarter than any of us”. Indeed, the problems of the other cityies in focus, forceis possible involuntarily us to to find the solutions that perfectly fit to the needs of our own. That is why I invite all the participants of the Forum toto actively use these wide possibilities offered byof the Riga Forum. I’m convinced thatmeeting of people coming to meet each other from different worldthe cities with the  with different backgrounds political and cultural environment, who allstill are concerned about the same issues, which altogether give a fresh launch to valuable ideas. The forum is a great possibility to develop new contacts, and gain positive emotions, creating a real chance to find  solutions, simultaneously turning those into great experience.

It was historically proven; the urban environment was the one swiftly developing, while the countryside always stayed more conservative. Nevertheless, altogether it helped to create the balanced system. Modern cities, following this tradition of the thought generation centre, turned the issues of the urban development and the intellectual resources into a state policy.

Me, being proud of Riga, the capital of Latvia, taking the chance during these two days to serve a thought generation center, wherein all those interested in the city sustainable development make a circle of co-thinkers from all over the world. I hope that all the delegates of Riga Forum shall absorb many new and interesting ideas before they leave the event. But still, as the President of Ministers of Republic of Latvia, I am very much interested the innovative ideas to be voiced and then applied to Latvian cities environment. This should be a challenge to force the Latvian urban development. I believe the specialists should be able to work out the concept along with the realistic development perspectives, proving the province has its own potential. We have gradually to eliminate the situation when Latvia is associated just to Riga, making it a country within a country. The meaning of Latvia should be broader than that of Riga. I strongly believe the well-balanced regional development policy should lead not only to the direct consequences (such as growth of tourists and the related income), but also to have indirect positive results (improving the living standard, growth of well-educated people in the regions). The good ideas shall be the best aid for development of regions.

Any city is a body with the particular rhythm and dynamics. It is very important for the sake of development to consider each city a unique and special.

I wish you successfully to combine the practical needs with the implementation of ideas.

Gundars Bojars
Chairman of the Riga City Council

The inhabitants of towns and cities make up the major part of the global community. In this context the modern city must be regarded as one of the basic elements of any state or society with respect to its social, economic, political and environmental development.

Today’s cities, governed by municipalities with sound planning and development strategies, have to be viable urban environments not only for the present, but also for future generations.

City planning is a creative on-going process, and the new ideas grow out of discussions, enabling at the same time successful exchange of information and experience as a result. Riga opens the doors to all those interested to mutually discuss the cooperation possibilities, tendencies and trends of modern urban development.

It is just an uncompromising and continuous way toward the key to success. The development of any city is an endless process. Altogether this lays a sound basis to the future.

I wish good luck to all the Riga Forum participants.