The traditional Riga City Council award, Riga Citizen of the Year 2025, has been awarded to Aigars Nords for his outstanding success in organising international running festivals for 35 years, promoting a healthy lifestyle and the name of Riga in the world.
“Aigars Nords’ work is a vivid proof of how one man’s passion can put Riga’s name on the world map. Thanks to his perseverance, running and an active lifestyle have become a tradition in our city, bringing people together and inspiring them to move more. We can be proud that Riga can call him our own,” said Viesturs Kleinbergs, Chairman of the Riga City Council.
“The recognition from the Riga City Council is a great honour for me and my team. Our mission in organising both the Rimi Riga Marathon, the most important national sports and marathon-tourism event in the region, and wine culture and music events in the capital, has always been to move Riga, to move Latvia. So far, we’ve done pretty well. And the recognition of the City Council is yet another confirmation that we are on the right track to keep moving Riga forward and to make its name heard further and wider,” says Aigars Nords.
Aigars Nords is one of Latvia’s most prominent sports event organisers, who for more than thirty years has been building the Riga Marathon into an internationally renowned running festival. His work not only advances a healthy lifestyle but also brings Riga’s name to the world.
During the meeting, three Riga City Council Certificates of Recognition were awarded to:
- Dzintars Dreibergs – for his purposeful work on reviving the city’s legend by creating an art film about the Riga basketball club TTT.
Dzintars Dreibergs is a Latvian film director, screenwriter and producer, who gained wide recognition with the feature film Blizzard of Souls, proving himself as an author who bravely and thoroughly deals with the most important stories of Latvian history. He is known for his ability to combine emotional depth, visual scope and historical accuracy, bringing Latvian stories to a broad audience. Working on a film about the Riga basketball club TTT, Dreibergs continues this mission to highlight the achievements of women’s sport with determination and great respect for the past, and to revive a legend that deserves to remain in the cultural memory of the city and the country.
- Andris Kreislers – for his business success and for organising the world-class Old Town Christmas Market for many years.
Andris Kreislers is an entrepreneur with many years of experience and a clear vision of how to create a high-quality and internationally attractive urban event. Under his leadership, the Old Town Christmas Market has become one of the most recognisable and highly regarded festive markets in the region, attracting both locals and visitors from all over the world. Kreislers is a shining example of how entrepreneurship can shape Riga’s image and strengthen its festive traditions.
- Inga Šķestere – for her perseverance and significant contribution to building a more compassionate and inclusive Riga society.
Inga Šķestere is a socially active resident of Riga whose work and personal convictions have long been focused on strengthening compassion and inclusion in the city. Through her perseverance, initiatives and daily work, she helps make Riga a place where everyone feels they belong and are heard. Šķestere’s social contribution is an important step towards a more human and cohesive community.
A person of any nationality and ethnicity who has reached the age of 18 years and who has contributed to the recognition of Riga and drawn public attention to the capital of Latvia through their talent and work may apply for the municipal award Riga Citizen of the Year. Any resident of Riga could nominate a candidate.
The delivered applications were evaluated by a jury chaired by the Chairman of the Riga City Council, Viesturs Kleinbergs. This year, the jury includes sociologist Arnis Kaktiņš, Director of SIA SKDS, Rūta Dimanta, Head of the Ziedot.lv Foundation, Māra Lāce, Director of the Latvian National Museum of Art, Vilis Daudziņš, actor at the New Riga Theatre, Jānis Domburs, journalist at the Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs, and the heads of the Riga Deputy Mayors’ Offices.
So far, the award Riga Citizen of the Year has been conferred on well-known scientists, musicians, athletes, artists and other professionals.
Information was prepared by Sintija Lukjanska, Project Coordinator of the External Communication Division of the Riga City Council, e-mail sintija.lukjanska@riga.lv
