2×2 Movement: Sixty Years of Bringing Young Latvians Together

Imagine this — you’re standing in a circle, arms crossed, holding hands with the people beside you. Everyone is singing “Kalnā kāpu lūkoties” while the Latvian flag is lowered from the flagpole. It’s the final day of a week-long seminar filled with discussions, new skills, sleepless nights, laughter, dancing, singing, and, most importantly, new friendships. You hug everyone, promise to keep in touch, pack your bags, and brace yourself for PDDD (post 2×2 depression).

That moment captures an important part of the 2×2 (Divreizdivi) movement. 60 years ago, it was a way for young Latvians in exile to strengthen their identity and stay connected to their culture. Today, 2×2 brings together young Latvians from Latvia and abroad and has grown into a vibrant international community where friendships and ideas flourish.

Born in exile

The 2×2 movement began in North America in the 1960s. After the Second World War, Latvian entrepreneur Brunis Rubess, his wife Biruta, and a circle of like-minded colleagues living in exile wanted to create a place where Latvian youth could meet and nurture their heritage. Younger children attended Latvian summer schools and camps, but as they grew older, opportunities to reconnect with their roots and meet peers with similar backgrounds became increasingly rare.

2×2 was created to fill this gap, originally designed for participants aged 16–25, and later adjusted to the 18–30 age group. The goal was straightforward yet vital: to ensure that the thread of Latvian identity would not be lost as young people built their lives far from their ancestral homeland. This vision led to the first Divreizdivi seminar, held in 1964 in the state of Ohio.

In its early years, the programme focused on helping young Latvians in the United States and Canada spend a week immersed in a full Latvian environment and strengthen their love for a homeland many knew only from a distance. As times changed, the programme evolved. Today, 2×2 also emphasizes personal growth and contemporary themes such as politics, entrepreneurship, leadership, and globalisation. Many participants have gone on to become seminar hosts and lecturers or have launched new initiatives together. For participants born and raised in Latvia, 2×2 offers a unique opportunity to connect with Latvians from around the world.

A week of exploration and connection

Every 2×2 camp offers a week-long programme built around curiosity, creativity, and shared responsibility. It usually includes workshops, lectures, discussions, art projects, talent shows, and cultural evenings. Participants explore language, history, traditions, and modern issues. They also develop leadership and communication skills and learn from one another’s perspectives.

Days are full of activity, while evenings bring songs, dancing, deep conversations, and fun games. Each team of hosts adds its own touch — excursions, surprise events, and meaningful moments that strengthen the sense of community. The culmination of every seminar is the so-called Daudzinājums, where participants, often wearing traditional Latvian clothing, gather around a bonfire to celebrate togetherness, honour what they have experienced, and share the most meaningful moments of being Latvian, with folk songs woven throughout. For many, this is the moment when their connection to Latvia becomes real and profound.

A homecoming

For many years, 2×2, similarly to its younger offspring, the 3×3 camp, could only be experienced in the diaspora. After Latvia regained independence in 1990, interest in bringing the movement to Latvia gradually grew. But it wasn’t until 2015 when this finally happened: thanks to the enthusiasm and initiative of Liene Dindone and Jānis Grants, Latvian-American organisers deeply involved in 2×2. The first seminar in Latvia was held in Ratnieki near Līgatne and was hosted by Eva Johansone, a Latvian journalist who had also been active in 2×2 before.

This first Latvian camp opened a new chapter. Since 2015, almost 2,000 participants and around 600 lecturers and project organizers have taken part in 2×2 seminars in Latvia and abroad. The global scope has expanded as well — camps have been held in Ireland, Germany, Venezuela, and other countries. In 2025, 2×2 traveled “Down Under,” taking place in Australia for the very first time. Today, at least one seminar is organised every year, and Latvia has become the heart of the 2×2 calendar. It was also the site of the movement’s 60th-anniversary celebration ball in 2024.

Liene Dindone, who led the 2×2 council and is widely seen as one of the movement’s driving forces, has often spoken about her wish to help young Latvians abroad experience Latvia directly. Through the commitment of her and her team, this hope has become a reality for many participants. Some have visited Latvia for the first time thanks to 2×2, and a number have even decided to make it their home.

Building Latvia’s future together

2×2 continues to evolve, but its core purpose remains the same. In addition to the regular summer seminars, the past decade has brought new initiatives — winter and solstice-themed camps, excursions, and activities focused on social responsibility, such as encouraging blood donation.

The movement has grown beyond its original mission. Every seminar becomes a small community where cooperation, initiative, and shared values shape the experience. Friendships formed at 2×2 often last for years, and many alumni later contribute to cultural, educational, and civic organisations in Latvia and abroad. A significant number of former participants now form the backbone of the NGO Latvian European Youth. Former Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš is also among 2×2 alumni, while former President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga has been deeply involved in the movement, contributing as a seminar host, organiser, and lecturer.

2×2 shows that Latvian identity thrives wherever people nurture it together. For thousands of young Latvians worldwide, the movement has become a meaningful link to their roots and a place where they truly feel at home. It has inspired many to become active citizens, take pride in Latvian traditions, and support the next generation.

As Inga Ulmane, a lecturer at the “Divas saules” (“Two Suns”) seminar in Australia, once said: “The 2×2 movement is like a golden thread woven through the coolest Latvians all over the world.”