Articles

Song Festival Without Photos

Song and Dance Festival is the entire nation's national holiday, organized with Latvian taxpayers' money. The prohibition
to photograph at the 2008 General Latvian Song and Dance Festival venues has put photographers
outside of the rest of society. Photographers perform essential work in the intangible culture fixation process, including documentation of Song and Dance Festival. The contribution of photographers in fixing and preserving for future generations the Song and Dance Festival is invaluable.
 

Prohibition

We believe that the prohibition to photograph at the 2008 General Latvian Song and Dance Festival, implemented by the Ministry of Culture, is unlawful and restricted photographers' rights and interests.
The prohibition is contrary to the purposes and tasks of the Song and Dance Festival law, and violates the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Support

Dear colleagues and friends!

I'm turning to you for help. I'll try to briefly explain the essence of the matter.
Many know, though I suppose not everyone, that since 2008 I've been trying to fight in court instances against the Ministry of Culture's prohibition to photograph at the 2008 General Latvian Song and Dance Festival venues.
Currently court proceedings are in the second instance and the court session is scheduled for January 2012.

The problem is that the opposing side is trying to portray me as an individual person, almost a terrorist, who has positioned himself against the interests of all society.

I'm trying to prove that I represent not only my private interests, but through Latvian creative photographers, a large part of society, however I still lack documentary evidence that it really is so.

As we know, 2013 with the next General Latvian Song and Dance Festival is approaching. Many of us choose a camera as the family's only device to immortalize life's moments, therefore an invitation to influence this prohibition so that at the next song festival we could all enjoy and immortalize these holidays. With a favorable court decision, such a precedent would be prevented from repeating.

So, my request is to read the attached letter and if you agree, then sign it. In this case I'm interested in maximum support, i.e. maximum large number of signatures. Introduce it and also give the opportunity to sign to your colleagues and friends.

If anyone is interested in the case materials, I've uploaded them to the internet at the addresses below.

If any questions or ideas arise, feel free to write to me.
 

How Can You Influence?!

So, my request is to read the attached letter and if you agree, then sign it. In this case I'm interested in maximum support, i.e. maximum large number of signatures. Introduce it and also give the opportunity to sign to your colleagues and friends.

Signatures need to be collected by December 11!!!!, because on Dec 12 I need to submit them to court. You can send them by mail, or give notice and we'll meet in person.

1. Print out the attached letter, read and sign.
2. Involve friends and acquaintances to sign.
3. Give the signed paper to Gatis. If it's not a pity to spend money on stamps, you can send by mail, or call and arrange how to hand over the signed paper.

Or thanks to the Latvian Photography Museum's support, there's also an opportunity to sign at the museum. There will be another reason to stop by Latvian Photography Museum.

Many thanks for support!

Gatis:
Eizenšteina 45-140, LV1079, Rīga
GSM 29222367
[email protected]

Document for Signing

http://www.upload.ee/files/1837876/parakstu_lapa.pdf.html

Additional mirror links: http://failiem.lv/u/vyhscst https://rapidshare.com/files/3289626474/parakstu_lapa.pdf

Court Materials

http://www.upload.ee/files/1837879/tiesas_dokumenti.zip.html

Additional mirror links: http://www.fotobuda.lv/tiesa/ http://www.upload.ee/files/1837879/tiesas_dokumenti.zip.html https://rapidshare.com/files/3554864491/tiesas_dokumenti.zip



Comments

10.Noma  2014-12-16 19:07:00
I agree with Janis, if you can't, then you can't, not invent a new America :/#|95.68.68.157
9.chaussures nike shox R5  2012-03-06 11:25:21
Graphisme de cette manière peut être plié à des formes diverses, très créatifs, mais aussi de très nouveau, il se sont tous
8.Ingeezzy  2011-12-21 18:21:47
Commendable initiative, we will all as photographers put our hand to make it happen by the next song festival to break this law
7.toms  2011-12-06 12:58:25
Probably the ban is mainly because they don't want someone to hide a bomb in the large bag or something like that. But surely could allow non-media photographers to get accredited too. Or warn that those who have photo bags need to go through detector, for example.
6.Ieva  2011-12-01 18:34:08
A relatively good article about this topic is in today's Fotokvartals
5.pivciks  2011-11-25 17:48:26
nja, then that's sad. at least they explained why such requirement that one must be under some media?
4.andre  2011-11-25 15:45:54
True representative said that anyone could accredit themselves, really accreditation was only for those who were under media. :( for example I as a professional photographer cannot accredit myself because I don't represent any media.
3.pivciks  2011-11-25 15:12:26
...I suppose the organizers' story is about "family moments" capturers' attitude towards surrounding viewers... if you're a Photographer, then get accredited, if you're a grandma, then similarly with soap dish from the podium you won't capture anything historically, but if they didn't allow to get accredited then that is indeed sad
2.Jānis  2011-11-25 11:56:18
In civilized world, e.g. USA using tripod and lights is considered professional photography, even in Metropolitan Museum in NY you may photograph handheld and it doesn't matter if camera has removable lens or not, if photographing is forbidden then it's also forbidden with phone....
1.Aleksis  2011-11-25 11:36:52
Of course it's cultural heritage, in my opinion they should even invite to photograph to capture the holidays. After all, it's not some regular private officials' party.

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