The concept of the proposed exhibition focuses on the military defence of the Latvian state from the perspectives of architecture, landscape and urban planning.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, increased attention has been paid to all European Union and NATO member states bordering Russia. Strategies are being developed to protect Europe's external borders in the event of military aggression.

Military defence measures in Latvia include public information and training on how to deal with crises and war, as well as large-scale military mobilisation - the activation of reservists and the National Guard, and the reintroduction of compulsory military service. In parallel, work is underway to strengthen the country's physical borders to prevent a massive military attack by land, as happened in Ukraine. To this end, a 30km-wide strip is being created along the country's eastern external border, where various defence elements, each with a specific location and function, will be deployed in a coherent system. These include barbed wire, fences, anti-tank "hedgehogs", concrete "dragon's teeth", anti-tank trenches and mines.

Both the 30-kilometre strip and various other activities related to military defence - such as shelters, adaptation of buildings for warfare, evacuation - are issues of spatial planning and architecture. In the National Exhibition of the Venice Architecture Biennale, we want to highlight the specific conditions of our geographical situation, which force us to live under the constant threat of attack.

The exhibition aims to offer the international architectural discourse a study of the relationship between military defence and spatial planning in the Latvian context. We want to invite architects to evaluate their role in the defence of the country and to draw attention to the impact of defence measures on the environment and landscape identity. On the other hand, we plan to involve policy makers and military defence specialists in the conversation, inviting them to pay attention to the physical footprint of defence strategies on Latvian territory and the emotional impact on the country's population.

National defence is an ongoing process that we must learn to accept and acknowledge. It should not make us fear the proximity of war, but reassure us that we are safe.