The content and design of this online exhibition has been based on a large-format exhibition titled “NYET, NYET SOVIET! Political protests and demonstrations outside Latvia 1945–1991”, by the “Latvians Abroad – Museum and Research Centre”, which was open to the public at the Latvian Railway History Museum in Riga in summer 2022.

The creation of this large-format exhibit was following on from the museum’s research project on the political activity of exiled Latvians, which earlier has resulted in a book “Nyet, Nyet, Soviet. Stories about Latvian Political Demonstrations in Exile” (2018) and the full-length documentary “VALIANT! A Car, a cause, and the Cold War” (2021).

The slogan popular during the Cold war: “NYET, NYET, SOVIET!” was written on countless protest placards and t-shirts, and imaginatively characterizes the convictions of exiled Latvians during the occupation of Latvia. Sadly, in light of the current geopolitical situation, this slogan has become meaningful again. This is why the exhibition has been created as a handbook, which summarizes the experience of exiled Latvians and gives tips to contemporary participants in political demonstrations.

In the large-format exhibition, museum objects helped to reveal the stories of exiled Latvians who participated in political demonstrations, including: demonstration placards, slogans, clothing, props, and also the largest object from the museum’s collection – a ‘71 Plymouth Valiant used as a demonstration car in North America.

Visitors to the exhibition had an opportunity to paint their own slogan on the “Freedom Wall” – a large wall built for graffiti. By the close of the exhibition, this empty space was full with various moving and powerful words, images and sentiments – attesting to the personal and civic concerns of the visitors at that time. The museum has preserved this wall, which was scrawled upon by a wide range of people: from the President of Latvia, to school students from Latvia and abroad, to Ukranian refugees, who had recently arrived in Latvia in search of refuge.

The exhibition attracted media interest and a large number of visitors, and was nominated as one of the best museum projects in Latvia for the Latvian museum awards in 2022. The award jury described the significance of the exhibition: “An exhibition as an inspiration, as an invitation, as a plea for courage. It concerns a very current issue, which we must speak about. The Award jury hopes that we will not tire of reminding the world that there are countries that attack and occupy, and no one should ever call this act “saving”. The past is nearer than we wish it to be.”