Levits will host an award ceremony at Rīga Castle to present the state honours in three different categories: the Order of Three Stars, Order of Viesturs and Cross of Recognition.
According to the decision of the President of Latvia and Chapter of Orders of 18 October 2019, 31 people are in line for the Three-Star Order, 9 for the Order of Viesturs and 34 for Crosses of Recognition.
The highest state honours are used to recognise merit in terms of professional achievements, lifetime contribution and other notable deeds. The Highest state honours are Latvia's way of paying respect to those who have either worked for the benefit of the state or its reputation.
It was 95 years ago, on 25 March 1924, that the first President of Latvia, Jānis Čakste, issued the law on Three-Star Order which was established to mark the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. Two other orders, the Order of Viesturs and the Cross of Recognition, were introduced in 1938.
On 25 October 1994, the President of Latvia Guntis Ulmanis promulgated the Three-Star Order Law, restoring the award established in 1924. While serving as the Minister for Justice in 1994, the President of Latvia Egils Levits was one of those who supported the initiative for restoration of the Three-Star Order. Two other awards, the Order of Viesturs and the Cross of Recognition, were restored in 2004.
More detailed information about the highest state honours and procedures for awarding of the orders is available on the web-page the Chancery of the President of Latvia.
As usual, the recipients come from a broad spectrum of society with representatives from the worlds of medicine, the arts and sciences, business, the civil service, the military and also includes foreign diplomats with former United States ambassador to Latvia Nancy Bikoff Pettit among the number.
