President of Latvia has decided to present the winners of the 2020/2021 school year creative and scientific competition ‘History around us’ a copy of Romualds Ražuks’ book ‘Popular Front of Latvia on Barricades’ and a book edited and written by professor Dr. hist. Ēriks Jēkabsons and other authors ‘War and society: Latvia 1914–1920’ signed by Egils Levits.
President of Latvia deeply appreciates the role of ‘History around us’ competition in furthering collective memory and highlighting a specific carefully-picked topic every year (this year’s topic was 30th anniversary of Barricades): ‘Barricades of January 1991 became a turning point. Latvia confirmed its desire to regain control over its state and become completely free. We need to continue to honour the memory of Barricades, keep researching those events and revisiting them in our collective memory.’
As Egils Levits emphasised, ‘thorough historical research may help pupils build personal connection with events long before their birth’. That is why the participation of teachers in this competition is vital for enhancing pupils’ understanding of what those events and shifts in the society meant for the Latvian State.
Books signed by the President of Latvia have been presented to Beatrise Silanža and teacher Ineta Amoliņa from Valmiera State Gymnasium, Dana Patrejeva, Agnija Jemeļjanova and teacher Ārija Pudule from Riebiņi Secondary School, Roberta Laurinoviča, Demija Burlakova and teacher Laura Miķelsone from Brocēni Secondary School and Artūrs Miķelsons and teacher Dzintra Liepiņa from Jugla Secondary School in Riga.