US Embassy Riga, Latvia, congratulates Balva Cilvēka izaugsmei and Latvijas Pilsoniskā alliance

The United States Embassy in Riga, Latvia, extended its heartfelt greetings and congratulated recipients of the Balva Cilvēka izaugsmei, a project organized by the Latvijas Pilsoniskā alliance/ Civic Alliance-Latvia for contributing their efforts to the Human Development.

The Embassy supports the Participants to recognize inspirational individuals and socially responsible practices of Latvia’s businesses and non-profit organizations.

“The last couple of years have shown us the importance of working together and lifting one another. It also has shown how much resilience and strength we have, and how important it is to support those in need – both at home and those close to us like Ukraine,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Julia Jacoby, who helped present the awards.

The honorees are Invisible World Project, neredzamā pasaule (for social responsibility and philanthropy); Māris Ločmelis (education); Lyme Disease Society Laimas slimības slimnieku biedrība (health); Edijs Klaišis and NGO OPEN Radošais Centrs (wellbeing); A special HDA was presented to the NGO Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem (I Want to Help Refugees) to recognize their assistance for Ukrainian refugees.

As every year, this time at the ceremony, the winners received the sculpture “Blood”, created by the sculptor Olga Šilova, which is a stylized figure of a young woman that symbolizes the blood awakened by the spring sun – fragile but at the same time filled with energy, reaching up to the sun.

The ceremony was available to watch on RETV 21. in October at 22:00 and 22:00 at 12:30

The award is given to people, organizations and companies whose world perceptions and work are based on spreading good, developing something new, promoting the people around them and the growth of Latvia.

Awardees of the Year 2023 were:

The social enterprise neredzamā pasaule and its founder, Maxim Miheyevs, received the category of social responsibility and philanthropy.

Maris Lochmelis received the award for outstanding contribution to the education category.

Elina Prikule, the founder of the association Laimas slimības slimness biedrība, received the award for outstanding health and wellbeing contributions.

Edijs Klaisis and OPEN Radošais Centres received the prize in the category for contribution to the future of Latvia.

The event was made possible by partners, sponsors and supporters: Hamid Ladjevardi and his family, Simon Boddy, SEB Bank and the Ministry of Culture co-financing under a cooperation agreement.