Liepāja Municipality Hands Out Titles Like Oscars, Just Without the Red Carpet and Hollywood

Liepāja Municipality has decided it's time to hand out honorary titles like cards on a table - just with more ceremony and less gambling. 82 applications were received for the 'Honorary and Person of the Year Liepāja 2025' competition, which by Liepāja standards is almost like a Eurovision final - just with more local identity and fewer sparkly dresses.

The Honorary Liepāja Woman title this year went to Ināra Kalnarāja, who through her work at Liepāja People's Theater has proven that culture can be just as enduring as our tram tracks. 'I always say theater is like a second home,' says Gunārs from Grobiņas Street, 'just with more drama and better costumes.'

Among the People of the Year we find representatives from various fields - from winter swimmers to educators, from restaurateurs to cultural workers. Special mention goes to Inga Krivcova from 'VeloRonis,' who organized the winter swimming championship. 'In Riga they think they're brave when they enter the Daugava in summer,' comments Aivars from Karosta, 'but here in Liepāja we swim in winter and even get awards for it!'

The committee that evaluated the applications worked like true professionals - without drama and scandals, which would be very un-Liepāja-like. After all, we are a city that knows how to appreciate real doers, not just loud talkers like in other Latvian cities that don't need to be named, but whose name starts with 'R' and ends with 'iga.'