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Description
DOTS Foundation for an Open Society is an NGO that works to strengthen participatory democracy in Latvia, promotes democratic culture of conversations, incites people''s interest and involvement in societal and political processes, and creates an inclusive environment for conversations, discussions and intellectual curiosity. DOTS is the founder and co-organizer of the open-air LAMPA Conversation festival - democracy festival accessible to everyone free of charge and organized since 2015. ACF support to LAMPA festival will contribute towards the goals of the Festival: strengthen democracy and democratic conversation culture in Latvia, foster civic engagement, and encourage a desire for lifelong learning in an ever-changing world. Democracy is fragile – easily lost, easily damaged. It is dependent not only on the institutions designed to uphold, it but also on everyday communication, decision-making culture and interactions among citizens and decision-makers. We must continuously invest our resources in nourishing democracy and create spaces and platforms where people can get together, talk to each other, listen, get inspired, exchange opinions, and form a single national conversation that would allow democratic debate culture to become LAMPA festival appeals to every inhabitant of Latvia, disregarding his/her ethnicity, social status, age, or citizenship.
Direct beneficiaries are:
1) Everyone involved in co-creating and organizing festival’s program: over 250 event organizers –NGOS, academia, media, embassies, international org., and many others. Also the speakers taking part at festival – around 900 people.
2)Attendees of the LAMPA (around 20 000), who will have access to high quality relevant information on topical issues for Latvia, Europe and the world. More education and quality information guarantees more resilience to fake news and any kind of manipulation
3)Everyone will be able to access live stream and later on the digital archive of the festival.
Summary of project results
Foundation DOTS aims to strengthen the quality of democracy and foster a culture of respectful dialogue in Latvia. It believes democracy is not just a governance system but a way of life characterized by open, respectful, and informed communication. One of the main events organised by foundation is festival LAMPA - a dynamic platform in Latvia that inspires public participation in civic activities. It brings together diverse voices through discussions, debates, and cultural events, addressing societal and political issues. Engaging over 40,000 attendees annually, it fosters open communication, critical thinking, and a sense of empowerment among participants, promoting a culture of active citizenship and democratic values.
Organisation faces a variety of challenges:
- Complex financial sustainability. Fonds DOTS relies on diverse funding sources, including grants, sponsorships, and donations, but managing these is highly time- and resource-intensive. Individual donation campaigns have not performed as expected, highlighting the need for new strategies to increase public contributions. Additionally, the organization’s reserve fund is limited and used only as a last resort, making long-term financial sustainability a continuous challenge.
- Resource-intensive event organization. The large-scale festivals like LAMPA demand significant human and financial resources and managing volunteer teams (80–100 youth annually) for smooth operations adds complexity.
- Community engagement: Bridging societal divides in a fragmented and polarized public space remains a challenge, requiring effective strategies to foster dialogue, respectful communication, and broader public participation. Encouraging individuals to believe in their ability to influence societal processes is an ongoing effort.
- Support for civic initiatives: Ensuring inclusivity while providing a platform for 180–200 organizations to promote their priorities and engage with policymakers presents logistical and operational challenges. Expanding access to event content further adds to the complexity.
- Impact measurement and sustainability. Maintaining public access to event archives and facilitating knowledge sharing requires consistent effort. Additionally, monitoring the long-term impact of initiatives like Sarunu LAMPA on civic engagement and critical thinking is resource-intensive and essential for evaluating success.
Festival LAMPA 2023. The eighth conversation festival LAMPA in 2022 was held in Cēsis with in-person attendance and live streaming available globally. The initiative to establish viewing locations across Latvia, involving 19 organizations, continued. The festival engaged a wide audience, including 19,000 attendees, 80,000 online views, and 89,000 TV views. Over 269 events were organized by 273 hosts, featuring 964 speakers and 80 volunteers, predominantly students. The program covered diverse topics, including sustainability, culture, finance, education, and technology.
Festival LAMPA 2023. The ninth festival in 2023 attracted 23,000 attendees and 140,000 online views. Special efforts ensured accessibility for individuals with disabilities, along with eco-friendly initiatives like deposit cup systems and waste sorting. Digital archives and regular TV broadcasts extended content reach.
Dialogue Circles initiative. Initiated in 2022, this initiative focused on fostering dialogue using Finland''s "TimeOut" method. The materials were translated into Latvian, 18 facilitators were trained, and seven dialogue circles with 140 participants were held across Latvia. The initiative expanded in autumn 2022 and 2023, facilitating dialogues with high-level officials and through international collaborations.
Lectures and youth engagement. Four sessions were held in schools on democracy and constitutional principles, alongside democracy hackathons in various cities. Activities encouraged practical learning through games and workshops under the DemokrātiJĀ project.
Ukrainian-Latvian dialogue club. Launched in collaboration with Dobrodij Foundation, this club hosted bilingual events discussing integration, adaptation, and collaboration. Topics were explored through expert-led discussions with diverse community members.
Training and recognition. The foundation trained facilitators in dialogue methods for various organizations and hosted international and national dialogues. Leadership training strengthened facilitation and advisory skills. Recognitions included the European Citizen’s Prize and an award for supporting individuals with disabilities.
International collaboration. Foundation DOTS partnered with Baltic and Nordic democracy festivals, sharing expertise and providing guidance to global and local democracy initiatives, including in Turkey, the USA, and Italy.
Enhancing civic engagement and democracy in Latvia. The Foundation DOTS has played a pivotal role in advancing civic engagement and strengthening democracy in Latvia through its impactful initiatives in 2022-2023, most notably the LAMPA festivals. These events have been instrumental in fostering a culture of democratic dialogue, sparking public interest in civic and political processes, and creating an inclusive environment for addressing critical societal issues.
Bridging the gap between decision-makers and civil society/ The active involvement of high-level politicians and other key decision-makers at the LAMPA festivals has helped narrow the distance between political leaders and the public. This engagement has significantly improved collaboration, particularly between state institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), fostering greater transparency and mutual understanding.
Catalyst for aivic activism. Both festivals have acted as a powerful catalyst for civic activism, providing a dynamic platform for networking and the exchange of ideas among various stakeholders. It has empowered individuals and organizations to take an active role in shaping their communities and influencing societal change.
Inspiring regional democracy festivals. The success of the LAMPA festival has inspired the organization of similar democracy-focused events across Latvia’s regions, contributing to a wider movement of democratic engagement and public dialogue throughout the country.
Promoting critical thinking and respectful dialogue.. By encouraging open discussions on a variety of issues, the festivals have helped individuals develop critical thinking skills, broaden their perspectives, and embrace diverse viewpoints. This has led to a culture of respectful dialogue, where differing opinions are valued and constructive conversations thrive.
Generating new solutions. The festivals have served as a breeding ground for innovative solutions to society''s most pressing challenges. Thought-provoking discussions between diverse participants have led to the generation of new ideas, many of which have already been put into practice to address current societal needs.
Strengthening organizational capacity. The organisational support from ACF has been instrumental in enabling the DOTS Foundation to successfully implement the LAMPA festival as a public-benefit, non-commercial initiative. This collaboration has also supported the launch of new projects, such as the dialogue circles initiative, which includes adapting the Finnish "TimeOut" method, training facilitators, and piloting dialogue circles for long-term use in fostering civic discourse.
Expanding the foundation’s reach. Flexible funding has allowed the DOTS Foundation to concentrate on its core values while expanding its activities in innovative ways. These initiatives include collaboration with the Ukrainian community, forging international partnerships, and pursuing projects beyond the scope of traditional, project-based funding, thus broadening the foundation’s impact and ensuring its continued growth.