The scholar Regina Kvašytė received the Balts' Award 2021
The Foreign Ministers of Lithuania and Latvia Gabrielius Landsbergis and Edgars Rinkēvičs met in Vilnius on 5 November and presented the Balts' Award 2021 to the Lithuanian scholar, dr philol., dr hum. Regina Kvašytė.
Kvašytė is well known for her activities and achievements in the fields of philology, education and culture in both Latvia and Lithuania. She is a recognised European expert in the Baltic studies. Dr Kvašytė works at the Latvian Language Institute of the University of Latvia and Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy. The winner of the Balts' Award 2021 promotes the Baltic languages and culture not only in Lithuania and Latvia, but also in higher education institutions in Germany, Sweden and Slovakia. Dr Kvašytė is a member of various organisations and associations for the advancement of the Baltic studies. She has translated dozens of academic papers from Latvian into Lithuanian, and vice versa. Dr Kvašytė also has published over 120 academic articles in various languages, dedicated to the Baltic stylistics, terminology, sociolinguistics, and ethnolinguistics.
In 2017, the Balts' Award was established by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries. The aim of the award is to recognise the excellence and achievements related to individual contribution and accomplishment in promotion of Lithuanian-Latvian and Latvian-Lithuanian translations, teaching and enhancing the use of Lithuanian and Latvian languages, research on the Lithuanian and Latvian tangible and intangible cultural and historic heritage, as well as investigative journalism on Lithuanian and Latvian history, culture and tourism.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and Latvia also announced that a new report on perspectives of the Lithuanian–Latvian cooperation was to be prepared by the experienced diplomats of both countries - Petras Vaitiekūnas and Gints Jegermanis.
The first report was presented by the diplomats Neris Germanas (Lithuania) and Alberts Sarkanis (Latvia) in 2012.