40 days since doctor Ārija Lāce went missing in Nepal: loved ones invite public to remember her

Nearly 40 days have passed since doctor Ārija Lāce, also known as Ārija Bušmane, went missing amid devastating floods in Nepal. Her family, friends and colleagues are invited to gather at the House of the Blackheads in Riga on October 5 to remember her together and share memories.

Ārija Lāce has been unaccounted for since August 26, when she was in Nepal traveling with a tourist group. The trip had been organized by the agency "Mighty Himalayas Trek."

Memorial gathering

The event at the House of the Blackheads will run from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM. Everyone who knew Ārija, worked with her, or even met her once is welcome to attend. Participants will be able to share memories, say a few words about her, or simply spend time with others for whom she was meaningful.

Organizers also plan to create a sculpture dedicated to Ārija's memory, which is intended to eventually be placed in a publicly accessible location. Attendees will have the opportunity to make voluntary donations toward its creation during the event.

Scale of the disaster

On August 26, devastating floods and mudslides struck Nepal and the Himalayan region, claiming more than 1,000 lives so far, with thousands still unaccounted for. The disaster has also severely affected Latvia — among those missing are 33 Latvian citizens who were part of two separate travel groups at the time.