On 27 May 2025, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the U.S., hosted the screening of a Latvian animated film, Flow, organised by the Permanent Mission of Latvia in association with the UN Movie Society.
The event sought to highlight the importance of solidarity and multilateralism in the face of global challenges, while demonstrating a high-class achievement of Latvian cinema. The screening was attended by diplomats from UN Member States, officials from the UN Secretariat, as well as members of the diaspora and civil society. As a universal language, cinema plays a key role in promoting the fundamental values enshrined in the UN Charter, from advancing peace and development to the protection of human rights, cultural awareness and the dignity and equality of all people.
Ambassador Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes underlined:
“With its crosscutting motif of loss, resilience and coexistence, the Flow animated film becomes a powerful allegory of solidarity in the face of hardship. Very much like the UN-backed principles focused on cooperation and joint action by the UN advocating values such as peace, inclusion, mutual respect, and understanding, the message sent by Flow resonates with the UN’s longstanding commitment to diversity, cooperation and shared responsibility for building a sustainable and harmonious world. Latvia’s priorities on its path to the UN Security Council also include solutions to security, sustainability and development. Latvia’s bid for membership of the UNSC is a clear message to Latvia’s strategic partners about our readiness to contribute to international peace and security, to defend international law even more directly and to promote multilateral cooperation."
The Oscar-winning animated movie Flow is the work of director Gints Zilbalodis and producer Matīss Kaža, who paint a picture of the world after a powerful flood. Various animals that do not interact on a daily basis are forced to do so to survive. The film, with no dialogue but through image and sound, tells a profound story of coexistence, empathy, solidarity, and cooperation – values that reflect the very essence of the UN.
The event sparked interest and evidenced the ability of the film to reach audiences across the globe – regardless of language or culture.
A video reel had also been produced with an address by the Latvian Ambassador to the UN presenting the movie to the UN audiences, which can be viewed on UN YouTube and UN Web TV.
The event was implemented as part of the public diplomacy programme in support of the lobby campaign of Latvia’s candidacy for the United Nations Security Council. The campaign under the motto of “Together for peace and resilience”aims at ensuring that Latvia is elected to the UN Security Council for the 2026–2027 term. Membership of the UNSC will be a key instrument in pursuit of Latvia’s foreign policy interests. The overarching goal of the membership is to safeguard and strengthen the international environment conducive to Latvia’s security, exploit and at the same time enhance the opportunities offered by multilateral diplomacy.