EU – Baltic States, Forum, Latvia, Legislation

Calitis was honored at a ceremony yesterday in Riga for his work as founder and director of the Zvanninieku House – a Christian-based communal sanctuary for young people from broken homes and problem families.

When speaking of Calitis, one always mentions his unbridled devotion to humanity; his words matching his deeds perfectly.

A nominee this year, volleyball star Aleksandrs Samoilovs, delivered a speech at the ceremony, lauding the winner. Calitis commented that there are times when "one must accept kind words from others."

Misread as a renegade by the conservative church leadership, local newspapers regularly reported back in 2005 the scandal involving Calitis ("Diena": Lutheran Reverend and University of Latvia Dean Juris Calitis, shut out of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in November for participating in the gay and lesbian church service this past summer and a Moon church ritual).

Calitis was nominated this year along with such luminaries as PM Laimdota Straujuma, the Teterevs (patrons of the arts), opera diva Inese Galante, former Ambassador to the EU Ilze Juhansone, vocalist and "Eurovision" contender Aminata.

This was the 18th time the award was presented.