18.10.2012

Latvijas Pasts holds special cancellation event to mark 100^th birthday of poet Andrejs Eglītis

On October 21, the 100^th birthday of the prominent and patriotic Latvian poet Andrejs Eglītis, Latvijas Pasts will hold a cancellation event for the special envelope dedicated to the poet's anniversary. It will take place in the Riga 50^th post office, 2 Stacijas Square, shopping mall Origo, Riga, from 10 AM to 8 PM.

The special envelope has been designed by artist Ģirts Grīva; a total of 1000 envelopes are available, each priced at LVL 0.35.

Andrejs Eglītis was one of the most remarkable personalities among Latvian poets. He was forced to live in exile for most of his life, so patriotism and love for the fatherland are the main themes in his works. The cantata Dievs, Tava zeme deg! (God, Your Land is Burning!), composed in 1943 by Eglītis and the composer Lūcija Garūta, is among the most historically significant pieces of the Latvian musical heritage. In the May of 1945, Eglītis together with many other Latvian intellectuals emigrated to Sweden in a refugee boat.

Eglītis was an honorary member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and the association Daugavas Vanagi, and received the National Award of the World Federation of Free Latvians, as well as the Literature Award for lifelong contribution to literature. In 1994 he was awarded the Order of the Three Stars. After 53 years spent in foreign countries, the poet moved back to Latvia in 1998. He died in Riga on February 23, 2006.

See the special envelope dedicated to the 100^th birthday of Andrejs Eglītis here.

The next new philatelic release is scheduled for October 25.

About SJSC Latvijas Pasts

Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a fully state-owned company with more than 4,500 employees.

Additional information
Zane Plone
SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Public Relations Specialist
Phone: +371 67608504
E-mail:zane.plone@pasts.lv