Education and Science, Latvia, Lithuania

Photo: lu.lv

"The Balts' Award, as well as joint Balts Unity Day events, brings our nations together, strengthens solidarity and encourages cooperation, and, therefore, we must continue to do so in the future", Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, who was present at the ceremony, said.   

Both Linkevicius and his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, noted that Balode was the only candidate nominated by both Lithuania and Latvia, according to the press release.

The Lithuanian and Latvian foreign ministers established the Balts' Award on September 22, 2017, when the two Baltic nations marked the Day of Baltic Unity. 

The award will be presented annually to a private individual or a legal entity for their "contribution and accomplishment in the promotion of Latvian-Lithuanian and Lithuanian-Latvian translations, teaching and enhancing the use of the Latvian and Lithuanian languages, research on the Latvian and Lithuanian tangible and intangible cultural and historic heritage, as well as investigative journalism on Latvian and Lithuanian history, culture and tourism".