On November 17th Ambassador Maris Riekstins hosted a National Day reception at the Embassy. This is the first year the National Holiday reception was held at the Embassy's new building on Embassy Row. Guests included foreign diplomats, representatives from the US Administration, leaders of the local Latvian community. On November 18th, Ambassador Riekstins addressed the local Latvian community, at an event commemorating Latvia's national day held at the Latvian Center in Rockville, Maryland. The following day - November 19 - Ambassador Riekstins was in Los Angeles, where he was invited as the main speaker at a National Day event at the Latvian Community Center. On November 11th Latvian diplomats participated in the "Lacplesis" Day commemoration at the Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, DC. In rememberance of those who have dedicated their lives to Latvia, representatives of the Embassy laid flowers at the gravesites of Latvia's diplomats, as well as recipients of the "Lacplesis" order.