Youth radio station scoops EU award

Take note – story published 6 years ago

Latvia's dedicated youth-oriented radio station pieci.lv (with which LSM is affiliated) has won a European Union award for its charity fundraising activities. 

Pieci.lv has raised hundreds of thousands of euros for charities over the last three years but just as importantly has raised awareness of issues that are important but are often left unsaid: such as the plight of single pensioners, the needs of oncology patients and their carers and families with children with disabilities.  

Even more impressively, they have managed to raise the money while their own state-funded budget has been put under pressure and with some politicians even calling for the station to be shut down or radically changed.

Each year, the European Parliament awards "The European Citizen's Prize". This prize is intended to be an award for exceptional achievements in activities or actions by citizens, groups, associations or organisations having displayed an outstanding commitment to promoting better mutual understanding and closer integration between citizens of the Member States; or to facilitating cross-border or transnational cooperation within the European Union. This could also include activities or actions by citizens engaged in long-term, cross-border or transnational cultural cooperation contributing to the strengthening of a European spirit. Preference is given to projects linked to the current European Year..

Only Members of the European Parliament have the right to submit nominations - one per Member each year. Backers of pieci.lv included MEPs Artis Pabriks and Krisjanis Karins.

Anna Platpire, editor-in-chief of pieci.lv said the "gimme five" fundraiser was based on an idea from the Netherlands which had been adapted for Latvia.

"Over three years we have talked about single seniors, children with special needs and oncology patients. We will continue in the future as we see it is of critical importance to talk about things that often remain silent. Thank you to the European Parliament for this great honor."

Previous winners of the award include an online charity donation website, a rural library association and a group for women in the countryside.

A presentation ceremony will take place in the Fall.

 

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