On Sunday, 23 May, the winners of the Saeima-organised photo contest My Secure Latvia will have a chance to sail on the warship of the Latvian Naval Forces in the Bay of Riga.

Ten photographers will be invited to sail on the staff and logistics ship Varonis. Among the contest winners are schoolchildren not only from Riga and Jūrmala but also from Rēzekne, Talsi, Aknīste, Dagda, Zilupe, Dundaga, and Limbaži.  

The awards ceremony will take place on board the ship. The crew will give the students a tour of the ship, tell them about its functions, and describe the life and duties of the warship crew.

This contest has been organised by the Saeima Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, which is preparing for the Spring Session of the NATO PA 2010 to be held in Riga. Students submitted their digital photos showing how they perceive the security of their family, friends, school, and the entire country. Along with the photo, they included a short description of their idea.

Alise Sala, a 12^th-grade schoolgirl at Talsi Secondary School No. 2, wrote in the essay accompanying her photograph: “I can feel safe in Latvia because we have a future – our young people. They prove this by their voluntary participation in the National Guard and in the Young Guard. Because I have quite often encountered such pure patriotism specifically among young people, I can really be sure about our land, I can feel safe in Latvia.”

Mr. Juris Dalbiņš, Chairman of the Defence Committee, who headed the panel of contest judges, points out: “The works we received show that our youth have a good understanding of national security. Although the majority of the works were related to external security, the photo contest proves that young people are thinking about security both in military terms and in its broadest sense, namely, security at school, at home, in the street.”

Mr. Ilmārs Znotiņš, a professional photographer and another member of the contest panel, is pleased with the high level of professionalism in several works. He notes: “Some photos evidenced a good balance between the idea expressed and the form. Not all photographers succeed in achieving that. Furthermore, some photographers have tried to use symbolism, and that is particularly pleasing to me.”

Information for the media:
Departure for the Naval Base on Sunday, 23 May, at 11:30 from the Saeima building, Jēkaba iela 11. The number of passengers is limited. The media can register for the event until 14:00 on 21 May by phone 67087266.


Saeima Press Service
Phone: +371 67087218, mobile phone: +371 26136160
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