RIGA, June 1 (RIA Novosti) - A blonde parade will be held annually in the Latvian capital at the end of May, the country's Chas news website reported on Monday.

Some 1,000 people participated in the first blonde parade held on Sunday under the motto: Make the world a brighter place.

"People need positive emotions, especially in hard times. We held this event for the first time and will make it a tradition and hold it annually at the end of May," the website quoted Marika Gederte, the head of the Latvian Blondes Association, as saying.

Sunday's parade was followed by a ball and a competition to find the best "blonde lawyer," "blonde journalist," and others.

Latvia has been one of the hardest hit of all EU states by the global financial crisis. The ex-Soviet republic's government resigned in February after a wave of street protests against a planned increase in VAT and other unpopular measures to curb the economic decline.

International financial organizations are due to grant Latvia 7.5 billion euros in a rescue package before 2011.