Earlier this month, the new Play Hub in set up in Daugavpils, Latvia was visited by representatives of Ministry of Culture, Society Integration Department of Jelgava municipality and the head of Education Department of the Daugavpils municipality.

Alongside the representatives discussed the TOY for Inclusion approach and the practices of Play Hubs and their impact on social integration and cohesion. Representatives from both the Ministry and the municipality were positive about the efforts being made by the Play Hub in Daugavpils as well as the one in Jelgava

“The practice of CEI – the creation and operation of the Play Hubs in Jelgava Social Integration department and in Daugavpils Raina secondary school No.6 – is very welcome and appreciated, as it promotes social cohesion, intergenerational communication and intercultural dialogue among children of different groups and their families. In particular, this practice is very well suited to the active involvement of Roma parents and their children in social life and quality socialization of children; it helps Roma and non-Roma parents ensure better quality of childhood for their children by using services and facilities offered by Play Hubs. Further development of such practices in other Latvian municipalities should be considered,” Deniss Kretalovs, Senior Officer at the Department of Society Integration, Division of Society Integration and Civil Society Development, Ministry of Culture, said.

The visit highlights the interest of the country’s policymakers in the TOY for Inclusion project and its approach to creating better inclusion and cohesion within communities.