Honourable Speaker of the Saeima,
Honourable Prime Minister,
Mr Zatlers, Mr Bērziņš, Mr Levits,
Members of the 4 May Declaration Club,
Current and soon-to-be recipients of the Statehood Award,
Dear audience,
For the second time already during my tenure I have the honour and delight to be with you at the Statehood Award ceremony. This is a special day, because exactly 33 years ago the law on the restoration of the de facto independence of our state was adopted.
Today, as last year, it is my duty to tell you about the recipient of the Statehood Award, without mentioning a name and surname, but rather highlighting the values created by this person.
We, as a society, first heard about the recipient of the Statehood Award about 20 years ago. The world was different back then. We were different. 20 years ago, we looked at sharing and donating completely differently. First of all, we ourselves had less to give. Secondly, we truly have grown. We have become more empathetic. And empathy is actually very rational. We have learned that by giving to others, we gain something ourselves. We share in the name of the common good. And the common good is always also to our own benefit.
The recipient of the Statehood Award has helped us teach and taught us charity. Taught us to not to envy something being given to someone else. Because if the people around us get better, we get better ourselves.
Today’s recipient of the Award teaches us to trust. This is not possible within just a year or two. It is a continuous process; countless doubt-filled faces. I am sure that there have also been countless rejections. Yet with perseverance, precision and high expectations of oneself, it has become a success.
Colleagues have dubbed her a walking Excel sheet, because she has ensured that not a single euro can go unaccounted for. If that euro goes missing, so does the trust. A while ago, we tried in Latvia to ensure that money followed schoolchildren. She has ensured that money follows trustworthiness and honour. Precision and accountability are important. But emotional connection with people is even more important. The ability to make one see that by helping someone else, they themselves lose nothing, but actually become that much richer. Latvia has a hard time with trust. The ability to create something huge and trustworthy – that is something incredible.
In charity, no one is taking anything from anyone by force. It is not compulsory. It comes from the heart. No one is pulling anything from anyone’s hands. You donate what you can. When you can. To whom you can. This year’s recipient of the Statehood Award, as well as last year’s recipient Vilis Vītols both emphasise that, first and foremost, one has to care for oneself and one’s family. And when you yourself are fed, healthy and educated, you can help others. The moment when you want and are able to donate, the moment when you want to and are able to share may come sooner for some and later for others. For some – it may never come. That is normal, too. But the statistics on donations show that we are generous and helpful. Even in times when we have to tighten our own belts.
In the tale “Sprīdītis” by Anna Brigadere, after having made the Miser dance, Sprīdītis and The Old Man discuss whether their hearts are like diamond eggs. They conclude that they are not. Even they have some black spots. But the spots can be cleaned. We, too, have our black spots. Myself included. We all do something slightly untoward from time to time. But we do it all the same. Sometimes it happens by accident. Sometimes – out of tiredness or desperation. But it happens all the same. Then you find yourself sitting there and thinking: “Why did I have to go and do that?” There’s no use crying over spilled milk. But you can do better next time. Donating to charity is a chance to do better. It can be a money donation, a blood donation, volunteer work. Whatever the type of donation, it is always satisfying. And it comes with the silent commitment – I will be a better person.
It is a different story on the other side – the receiving side. A misfortune is a misfortune in itself. And asking for help is difficult. Many are ashamed to do so. But it is nothing to be ashamed of. Every one of us has gone through a time in our lives when those around have given us a helping hand. Every single one of us. The recipient of the Statehood Award not only knows how to convince donors to donate, but also to recognise when you need help. She reminds us that we need not be superhuman, but just human. We are only human. But if we are there for each other, we can do so much.
Dear audience,
The Statehood Award is going to a very strong personality. Together with her colleagues she has helped thousands of people in Latvia. Also people in Ukraine, but right now helping Ukraine is helping Latvia. Peace of mind has been given to thousands of people. Countless people who had lost all hope have been saved. But over the years, there have also been plenty of cases without a happy ending. When it has just been too late. When saving someone was just slightly out of reach. That is incredibly sad. Thank you for not losing faith at times like that, but rather raising your heads high and continuing to work to ensure there is more peace of mind and less sadness in Latvia. Thank you for being able to be happy about successes and not lambast yourselves for failures.
Charity is nothing new. States have been created by people jointly deciding that they are willing to donate some of their own good for the common interest. Our forefathers gave their lives for us to have the Latvia that we have today. And this is our time to give. Give in the way that we can today.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Statehood Award is not a competition for the “Best Person in Latvia”. It is an award for uniting people in the name of an important goal. The recipient has been able to rally thousands around an important goal. That goal is a happier Latvia. This is an award not only for her alone, but the whole of society for what has been achieved together. For having matured. For being willing to think not only about ourselves, but about all of us. But it is this strong woman in whom tenacity and charm have been combined, who will receive this award in just a moment, who was taught us to trust, share and believe in the good. These skills make up the survival kit of the 21st century.
After the restoration of independence, the difficult work of reviving and building our state began. And we are still building it today. The Statehood Award recognises and appreciates those who have built something new and important in Latvia. Those who have made Latvia a better place. Those who have inspired others to do good.
The Statehood Award is not only for what has already been achieved, but also for what is still to come. It is for a happier Latvia in future.
May we all succeed together!
