During the first years of Latvian independence in the 1920’s the Russian minority of Latvia (one tenth part of the country’s population) had to put considerable strength into restoring the non-governmental organisations that had existed earlier and creating new ones.  >>

The end of the 1980’s is known as a period of rapid democratic reform in the USSR (Perestroika). This period was marked by a rise in civic engagement. After many years people were able to organise NGOs freely.  >>