Latvian President Awarded Prize Winners in Riga
On 25 May 2019, the President of Latvia, Raimonds Vējonis, awarded the winners and their tutors of the Latvian History Competition »History Around Us« in the grand House of the Riga Latvian Society. More than 130 pupils, as well as their relatives, teachers and tutors from all over the country followed the invitation to the Latvian capital and took part in the magnificent ceremony. With 113 received works on the topic »Putting Together the Puzzle Pieces of Estonian History«, this year’s competition could remarkably exceed the number of contributions received in the last two editions.
»Latvia’s past still is a box filled with so many unsolved riddles, there are so many puzzle pieces missing. Thanks to all participants, who, by investigating in their own family history, by doing local research and by talking to people (…) added another puzzle piece and thereby contributed to solving some riddles of our history«, praised Baiba Atmane, competition organiser of the »History Teachers' Association of Latvia«, in her welcome speech at the beginning of the ceremony.
After he delivered his address, the Latvian President Raimonds Vējonis handed over the prizes to the competition’s finalists and their teachers. Accompanied by musical contributions made by the participants themselves, teachers, as well as pupils from grade 5 to 7 and 8 to 9 were awarded with prizes as well. On top of this, special awards were given out by the Latvian media and the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia.
Initiated in 2001, the Latvian History Competioon has been organised by the »History Teachers’ Association of Latvia (HTAL)«, and is now in its 18th subsequent year.