CIVIC AF

We’re taught that more stuff = more happiness.
But so much of it ends up forgotten… or thrown away.

Stuff ≠ happiness.
— Maija Krastiņa

In today’s world, AI subtly reshapes the way we perceive reality, often without our awareness. Time moves so quickly that within this fast-paced life, clarity becomes increasingly difficult to hold onto.🌏⚡️

Community. Patience. Persistence.
That’s how change actually happens. 🚀⚡️

As our journey through the project continues to grow, we will be sharing more wisdom from our lecturers along the way. ⚡️

Wise words of wisdom from lecturer Maija Krastiņa.

Thank you for this beginning

As we close the year and look back at the residency, one thing feels clear - what we experienced together was a starting point, something that will continue in different forms and directions.

18 experts, 19 participants, 10 online residency workshops, and a full week together in Latgale. Time for conversations and focused work, for laughter and tiredness, for slowing down and being present. A rosols workshop, cold dip swimming, sauna, and space to breathe. Time spent getting to know and appreciating Mark Rothko, reflecting on art and place.

Discussions on wellbeing, mental health, sustainability, crafts, media literacy, creativity, storytelling, civic activism, creative entrepreneurship, music, humour and politics. Along the way, there were personal discoveries, new friendships and connections that will carry on beyond the residency.

The residency brought together people from Belarus, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, the Faroe Islands, Ukraine, Norway and Estonia, as well as participants who currently live across the Nordic and Baltic region and beyond, coming from South Africa, the Philippines and France. Different backgrounds, shared curiosity, and a strong willingness to listen, learn and create together.

Our alumni, thank you for being part of this journey:
Daminik Davydau
Jens Yago Bundgaard-Raundal
Koketso P.T. Khule
Evelina Anna Pitane
Frida Garcia Vivant
Linnea la Cour Brag
Simone Broni Kallehauge
Khrystyna Sivachenko
Svitlana Yaroschuk
Viktorija Gilberte
Elīna Barone
Daniela Blumane
Katrīna Ziemele
Lotta Vaher
Mariam Huliieva
Freddy Navarro
Mykyta Kalinin
Petur Asano

Thank you to all the experts who shared their knowledge, time and openness with the group:
Mārtiņš Eņģelis, Jonas Büchel, Maija Krastiņa, Linda Curika, Una Rozenbauma, Pedro Ferreira, Ansis Stabingis, Diāna Kiščenko, Maija Laizāne, Evika Muizniece, Kaspars Eglītis, Ģirts Ozoliņš, Māris Čačka, Ieva Zemīte.

Thank you to the team who made this possible and kept everything together throughout the process:
Eva Johansone: moderator of the online residency
Žanete Eglīte: project manager
Mitya Savelau: creative director
Betija Adriana Luhaera: social media

Thank you to our consultants Maija Kāle, Sofia Savelava, Galina Aizvakara and Lizaveta Dubinka-Hushcha, and to everyone who helped along the way: Andris Taškāns, Mārtiņš Kiščenko, Jekaterina Viļuma, Daina Skudra, Dzintra Iliško and Līga Bērziņa.

Thank you to the places in Latgale that hosted us and shaped the experience: Lūznava Manor, Svilpaunieki and the Rothko Museum.

And thank you to those who made it all possible:
Embassy of Denmark in Latvia;
the Nordic Council of Ministers office in Latvia;
Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;
Embassy of Sweden in Riga
the Latvian Academy of Culture,
Daugavpils University,
and all others who supported this work.

This was a beginning. We will continue.

Stay tuned on social media and follow us at www.civic-af.org

Civic AF | Day 4 – Thursday, Oct 23 ✨

Today’s focus: awareness, perception, and the art of mindful living.

🧘‍♂️ Can happiness be learned?
A mindful look at life satisfaction with Ansis Jurģis Stabingis – mindfulness trainer & psychotherapist.

👁️ The obsessive eye
Curiosity, observation & the art of seeing with Pedro Ferreira – creative director & culture strategist.

Both talks remind us to slow down, notice more, and live with intention — happiness and creativity start with awareness. 🌿

Free registration & attendance: https://civic-af.org/civic-af-online-residency-five-days-of-inspiration-reflection-and-dialogue/

⚡️ WE START IN TWO HOURS! ⚡️

📅 20–24 October 2025 | 17:00–19:00 Riga (16:00–18:00 CET)

The Civic AF Online Residency is almost here — five evenings of inspiring talks and real conversations bringing together voices from psychology, anthropology, design, media, and urban culture 🌍

Over five days, we’ll dive into:
✨ What it means to belong
💪 How we stay resilient and grow
💚 Caring for ourselves and the planet
🎨 Creativity in uncertain times

🎙️ Guided by Eva Johansone, moderating every talk with curiosity and connection.

💻 All sessions live on Zoom — exclusive to registered participants.

🚀 The residency kicks off the Civic AF journey — don’t miss it!

🔗 Register now at civic-affairs.org/register