Latvia a liberal economy and its re-orientation toward Western Europe, Latvia is one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. In 2014, Riga was the European Capital of Culture, the euro was introduced as the currency of the country and a Latvian was named vice-president of the European Commission. In 2015 Latvia held the presidency of Council of the European Union. Big European events have been celebrated in Riga such as the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 and the European Film Awards 2014. On 1 July 2016, Latvia became a member of the OECD. Latvia lies in Northern Europe, on
Museum of the Occupation of Latvia of Lenin. Until 1991 it served as a museum commemorating the Red Latvian Riflemen. However, planned reconstruction of the building, which began in the summer of 2018 after years of planning and negotiations, means that since November 2012 the museum is temporarily housed in Raiņa bulvāris 7 (Rainis Boulevard), the site of the former US Embassy, nearby the Freedom Monument. It is planned that the renovated museum building, dubbed "House For the Future" by its architect Gunnar Birkerts, will be completed in 2020. Museum of the Occupation of Latvia The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia () is a museum