Cold soup war
The Cold Soup War: How We (Accidentally) Started a Battle Between Riga and Vilnius
In June 2024, we accidentally kicked off a war between Riga and Vilnius—“The Cold Soup War.” This time, it wasn’t about diplomacy or sports, but about something far more serious… beet soup.
It all started in Vilnius, where the “Pink Soup Fest” celebrated Lithuania’s national pride—šaltibarščiai. But Riga wasn’t about to stay silent. The Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA) fired back with a rap video, proudly declaring cold soup as Latvia’s own and suggesting that perhaps their neighbors weren’t just borrowing the dish—but a whole slice of culinary history.
Lithuania didn’t back down. Their response video made it clear—Vilnius never sleeps, and šaltibarščiai is 99% theirs.
Both videos blew up social media, radio, and TV, sparking heated debates over who truly owns this iconic dish. But the most unexpected part? Both cities came out as winners. Riga and Vilnius gained new fans, and the internet agreed on one thing:
If every international conflict were settled with a rap battle, the world would be a much better place.
In the comments, this was hailed as the ultimate way for neighboring countries to “fight”—with humor, rhymes, and a healthy dose of national pride.
