According to the public vote, the title of the „European of the Year 2011 in Latvia” was awarded to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan see of Riga Zbigņevs Stankevičs. The vote was organized by the European Movement – Latvia already 14th year in a row.
Prof. Skaidrīte Lasmane, the leading researcher of the Advanced Social and Political Research Institute, Social Sciences Faculty of the University of Latvia, in her laudation for the European of the Year 2011 in Latvia:
“The correspondence of Zbigņevs Stankevičs is proved by his comprehensive education, broadness of his thought, openness and responsibility. He can encourage people in favour of self-development and changing the society in accordance with the high intellectual and moral fundamental values of Europe.”
The voters, who nominated Zbigņevs Stankevičs as the „European of the Year 2011 in Latvia”, are writing:
• „With his European stance and attitude, he gave a refreshingly clear, modern and at the same time deep take-off for the Church, the faithful and society in general.”
• „A modern head of the Church, whose work facilitates positive processes, interconfessional cordiality, makes the society more cohesive.”
• „This person is truthful, he speaks truthfully and acts truthfully. He is intelligent and with a kind heart, he bespeaks very different contemporaries!”
This year, voters nominated more than 35 candidates for the title of the European of the Year in Latvia, each of whom during the year stood out and gave their own input in the promotion of European ideas and values. The president of the European Movement – Latvia, Andris Gobiņš, notes that “It is interesting, that towards the end of the crisis there are particularly many votes for people not related to politics, but who have made a great contribution to the integration of Latvia into Europe and of Europe into Latvia. Doubtless, each of the nominated candidates would have deserved a broader acknowledgment for their deeds.”
The vote for the European of the Year in Latvia was organized already for 14th year in a row. The purpose of the event is to honour the person who, in the public opinion, with his or her deeds during the last year has most contributed to the integration of Latvia into Europe and of Europe into Latvia.
The event was organized by the European Movement – Latvia with the support of the European Commission Representation in Latvia!
Broader information: Andris Gobiņš, president of the European Movement – Latvia, tel. +371-29626646, info[at]inmedia.lv/ekl
* In the picture: European of the Year 2011 in Latvia – Archbishop of the Metropolitan see of Riga Zbigņevs Stankevičs (author: European Movement – Latvia)