Government honours: Former Bauska Castle Museum director Māris Skanis receives Cabinet Certificate of Appreciation
Latvia's government decided at its Tuesday meeting to award a Cabinet Certificate of Appreciation to Māris Skanis, former director of the Bauska Castle Museum, along with other honours in culture, sport, science and other fields. Raimonds Pauls will receive a Cabinet Prize for lifetime achievement.
At its Tuesday meeting, the Latvian government backed a decision to award the Cabinet of Ministers' Certificate of Appreciation to Māris Skanis, the former director of the Bauska Castle Museum. The award recognises his significant contribution to the museum's development and to preserving, researching and promoting Latvia's cultural and historical heritage. In total, the government decided to grant 37 Certificates of Appreciation and several Cabinet Prizes.
Head of the museum from its founding
Skanis was appointed director in the museum's founding period, on 1 July 1989, and served as its director from its establishment on 1 February 1990. His last working day was 31 August this year. From 1979 he had headed the Bauska Local History and Art Museum, under which Bauska Castle was then administered.
At a Bauska municipal council meeting on 25 June, Skanis's request was approved and several deputies delivered words of thanks. Deputy Bruno Bahs compared him to Imants Lancmanis, who built Rundāle Palace, and thanked him for his personal commitment.
Cabinet Prizes
The Cabinet Prize is the government's highest award, ranking just below the Order of the Three Stars. Laureates receive an Honorary Diploma, a breast badge and a cash prize of €10,000. The prize was granted to:
- Raimonds Pauls – for lifetime contribution to Latvian music and culture;
- writer, translator and diplomat Anna Žīgure – for strengthening cultural and diplomatic ties between Latvia, Finland and Estonia;
- Daiga Dadzīte, former president of the Latvian Paralympic Committee – for contribution to sport and the inclusion of people with disabilities;
- agronomist Edgars Ruža – for attracting foreign investment;
- Professor Mārcis Leja – for contribution to oncology and cancer prevention;
- Professor Sandra Lejniece – for lifetime contribution to medical science and modernising healthcare.
Other Certificates of Appreciation
Certificates will also go to the Latvian National Library's "Latviešu grāmatai 500" (500 years of the Latvian book) team, writer Rudīte Kalpiņa, teacher Inta Udodova, art historian Rūta Kaminska, film producer Andrejs Ēķis and architect Juris Dambis. The culture minister will present them to cultural figures at a ceremony.
The Cabinet established the Certificate of Appreciation in April 1995.
