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ICEFA 2008 prize awards - Latvia, Riga
3. 3. 2009
On 4 December 2008 the diplomatic corps in Riga prepared a ceremony for Latvian laureates of the 36th edition of ICEFA Lidice 2008 where medals and certificates were awarded by the counsellor of the Embassy B. Dolejší. After the awards, a short programme and a modest banquet were prepared for the children. The diplomatic mission gave Latvian translations of Czech books to children, namely Říkadla našeho Kadla (Rhymes by our Charlie) by J. Lada and Matematické pohádky (Mathematical fairytales) by M. Veselý.
As has become a tradition, Latvian children were placed in one of the top positions among 48 countries of all over the world as to the number of winners of the 36th edition. They gained 24 prizes out of which 22 certificates and 2 medals. More than a thousand entries from all over Latvia were sent in this year’s competition, out of which the 258 best were selected by the local panel of judges for the actual Lidice competition (we informed about the exhibition of the selected entries in the foyer of the Riga City Hall in KI, ref. no. 110/2008-RIGA). The child winners from 6 to 16 years of age come from state schools and child centres, out of which 9 are regional and 6 are in Riga.
It was already the ninth year that awards took place, this time in the ceremonial room of the embassy in Riga. With exceptions, children from all regional schools, even the most remote ones, came to receive their prizes. A speech was given and prizes and then gifts were bestowed by the counsellor of the Embassy B. Dolejší. Other figures who attended and gave speeches were: the director of the State Youth Initiative Centre, A. Bérziňa (our long-term partner in organizing the competition in Latvia), the secretary general of the Latvian Commission of UNESCO, D. Baltiňa, the representative of the Riga municipality, the board for children and youth affairs, department of education, youth and sports. Then a surprise was prepared for the children – St. Nicholas’s presents. It was for the first time when Latvian children could get acquainted at first hand with the figures of the peculiar Czech custom. St. Nicholas accompanied by the devil and the angel distributed sweets among the children exactly as the tradition dictates. After a modest banquet the Czech filmed fairy tale Tři veteráni (Three Veterans) was shown to the children. On leaving, the teachers and parents present thanked for the dignified prize awards and for the novelty of the prepared programme. The children themselves gained an unforgettable experience.
The popularity of the Lidice exhibition manifested itself in organized trips of Latvian children to Lidice to see the final exhibition – this year it was already the third one. The high quality of the entries is shown in the final catalogues of the individual editions, where entries from Latvia have also been reproduced – two entries were used this year.
Mgr. Bc. Michal Korecký
