€1.3 Million Invested in the Digital Development of the Latvian Language 0 10

The Ministry of Education and Science has submitted for approval a draft state program titled "Digital Humanities and Social Sciences." Over the next four years, more than €1.3 million is planned to be allocated for it.

The main goal is the development of the Latvian language and cultural resources in the digital environment. This involves creating a modern research infrastructure and its use in science, education, and technological developments.

The ministry emphasizes that this is not only a cultural issue but also a strategic one.

"Without targeted state support, there is a risk that these resources will be insufficiently represented in the global digital environment," the project annotation states.

The program provides for the creation and development of digital language resources, including dictionaries, as well as their long-term preservation. A separate focus will be on analyzing information flows: how messages that influence public opinion and security are formed.

Particular attention will be given to the Latgalian written language and the dialects of the eastern border region. The development of new tools, including solutions for machine translation, is also planned.

The context of the program is the growing risks of disinformation and societal polarization. The ministry believes that the humanities and social sciences should play a more active role in strengthening society's resilience to such threats.

At the same time, funding for such research in Latvia is almost entirely dependent on the state. European funds, including Horizon Europe, rarely support projects focused on local languages and culture.

The implementation of the program will begin after its approval — through a project competition involving research institutions. The main part of the funding is planned for 2027 and 2028 — €439,000 annually, while €300,000 is allocated for 2026 and about €131,000 for 2029.

If there are insufficient applications or they do not meet the requirements, the competition will be held again.

Ultimately, the program aims to strengthen the presence of the Latvian language and culture in the digital space and reduce the associated long-term risks.