Canadians Andrejs Vītols, Rita Jozuus, Kristīne Runģe, Aija Zichmane and Kristīne Stivriņa receive PBLA KF&P Certificates of Recognition

LNAK warmly congratulates the award recipients. Thank you for your selfless contribution to the life of Latvian culture in Canada!

The PBLA Cultural Foundation and Council has awarded Certificates of Recognition to the following Canadian Latvians:

Andrejs Vitols for his long-standing and significant contribution to the management of the Montreal Latvian Community Centre.

Andrejs Vītols has been actively involved in the Montreal Latvian Community Centre for more than two decades, managing its activities and taking care of its maintenance, renewal and development. As the conductor of the “Atbalss” choir, his enthusiasm and passion strengthen the cohesion of the Latvian community and cultural life in Canada.

Rita Jozuus for her long and exceptionally successful work and participation in the Association of Baltic Artists in Montreal.

Rita Jozuus is active in the Association of Baltic Artists in Montreal, and has been an important organiser and supporter of the Atbalss choir. Her contribution has also been essential to the existence of the Latvian cultural community “Tērvete” and the preservation of Latvian culture in Canada.

Kristīne Ruņģis for her long, hard-working, caring and selfless dedication to the Montreal and Ottawa choirs “Atbalss” through her administrative work.

Thanks to Kristīne’s work, the choir has successfully participated in several Song and Dance Festivals in Latvia and Canada. Kristīne’s hard work has built a good foundation for the choir. Her ability to coordinate members, manage logistics and foster a positive environment has made the choir a part of the everyday life of the Latvian community, both in Ottawa and Montreal. Her contribution in the administrative field is not only practical but also inspiring, reflecting a deep commitment and love for Latvian culture and music.

Aija Zichmane for her tremendous contribution to the community as the head of the Toronto Latvian Centre Library and her important work in promoting access to culture.

Aija Zichmane’s contributions to the Latvian Canadian community have been substantial. She manages the Toronto Centre Library and promotes access to culture for the general public. Her work in library development and event organisation greatly enriches the cultural life of the community and promotes education and literacy.

Kristīne Stivrīņa for many years of organizing and maintaining the Saulaine Book Cellar. Thanks to her diligent work, books are saved from destruction. Instead they end up in the hands of readers and promote the accessibility of Latvian literature, while providing financial support for the Saulaine camp in Canada. Her work serves the interests of the Latvian community in Canada and strengthens its ties with Latvians in Latvia.