| Volunteers help to prepare gifts for guests of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (13.05.2010) |
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With the help of volunteers, 350 such gift boxes will be prepared. This time the young people wrapped the black pottery mugs, tea and honey; the freshly baked bread will be added shortly before the start of the Session at the end of May. By savouring herbal tea from a black pottery mug and tasting a slice of rye bread, along with heather-blossom honey, guests of the NATO PA Riga Session will have an opportunity to experience something characteristic of the various regions of Latvia. This gift box will be presented to the spouses of the delegates of the Riga Session, the staff of the delegations, the staff of the NATO PA International Secretariat and other guests of the Session. The black pottery mugs have been made in Rēzekne County by craftsmen representing the Latgale potters’ group Pūdnīku skūla (Pottery School). As a gift from the Zemgale region, guests of the Session will receive Rūķīšu tēja – a selection of chamomile, marjoram, mint and melissa teas. All herbs are ecologically cultivated in Latvia’s southern meadows, handpicked and dried in a particular manner. The gift will also include ecologically clean heather-blossom honey (also known as the king of honey) prepared by Latvian bee-keeper Jānis from Daugmale, as well as Latvian rye bread made by the Lāči bakery, which uses traditional Latvian bread-baking recipes. Volunteers will be involved in welcoming guests at the airport and at the hotels; they will also accompany guests during their transfer to Session venues and during excursions. Some of the young people will provide assistance to the NATO PA Secretariat during standing committee meetings and the plenary session while others will provide other necessary support and assist in technical tasks, such as copying, handing out and collecting documents. Forty persons, mainly students from Rīga Stradiņš University, who have sufficient language proficiency, excellent communication skills, as well as the desire and commitment to get involved in helping the Session to run smoothly, have applied to work as volunteers at the NATO PA Riga Session. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/sets/72157624052836000/ |
On Thursday, 13 May, in the Saeima building, volunteers helped to wrap gifts which will be given to guests of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s (PA) Spring Session as a memento of their visit to Latvia.