Other events in Baltic States

he Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia have announced the annual contest for the Estonian-Latvian and Latvian-Estonian Language Promotion Award (Languages Award), LETA learned from the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

In accordance with the Award Regulations, a translation, a piece of research, or a Latvian language teacher in Estonia, or an Estonian language teacher in Latvia who have contributed to the promotion of the Latvian and Estonian languages in 2016 can be nominated for the Award. The Jury's decision on a winner will be announced in the spring of 2017.

The aim of the Award is to emphasize the importance of knowledge and use of the Estonian and Latvian languages and to recognize the achievements of translators, linguists and teachers for their contribution to the Estonian-Latvian language cooperation.

In 2015, Foreign Ministries of Latvia and Estonia decided to expand the provisions for the well-known Latvian-Estonian and Estonian-Latvian translation award. According to the new Regulations, in addition to translators, language teachers and linguists from schools and universities in Estonia and Latvia who have contributed to promoting Estonian and Latvian in both countries can be nominated for the award.

The monetary value of the award is EUR 3,000 and the Award Fund receives equal contributions from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia. The Jury of the Award consists of representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia, as well as language and literature experts.

In previous years, the award has been granted to Maima Grinberga for the best translation in 2009 and 2012, to Guntars Godins in 2010 and 2013, to Kalev Kalkun in 2011, to Margus Konnula (Contra) in 2014. In 2015, the award went to translator, poet and linguist Valts Ernstreits.