WHEREAS, People throughout the State of California, the United States, and the Republic of Latvia commemorated the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations throughout 2022, celebrating a relationship built on mutual commitments to freedom, democracy, security, prosperity, and the rule of law; and

WHEREAS, While sharing a great deal in common, California and the Republic of Latvia are also sufficiently different, and over the past century, both entities have benefited immensely from efforts to increase trade, investment, and tourism, as well as cultural, educational, and scientific exchanges; and

WHEREAS, Both California and the Republic of Latvia serve as commercial, tourism, entertainment, and shipping and logistical industry centers of their respective regions, positioning California as a gateway to the markets of the United States for Latvian commerce, and the Republic of Latvia as the gateway to the Baltic and northern European markets for Californian commerce; and

WHEREAS, There have been numerous efforts to expand California and the Republic of Latvia’s bilateral relationship in the areas of health, climate change, environmental sustainability, information technology, and other areas of common interest and to facilitate the exchange of environmental protection, clean energy research, and development; now, therefore, be it