Igors Tipāns, Deputy Vice-Rector of Studies, International Engagement at Riga Technical University (RTU), has been awarded the «Bene Merito» Medal of Honour by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs in recognition of his contribution to strengthening Poland's position in the international arena.
The Medal of Honour was presented to I.Tipāns on 14 May by Mr Łukasz Cudny, Head of the Political and Economic Affairs Section of the Polish Embassy, on behalf of the Polish Ambassador to Latvia, Monika Michalyszyn.
The «Bene Merito» Medal of Honour, established in 2009, can be translated from Latin as «well deserved» or «valuable».
RTU has long had close ties with Poland. Since its foundation in 1862, RTU (then Riga Polytechnic and later Riga Polytechnic Institute) has educated many students from Poland. Today, RTU continues its close cooperation with Polish universities, with Polish students and staff in Riga.
In 2022, to celebrate RTU's 160th birthday, the Polish Ambassador to Latvia Monika Mihališina unveiled an honourary plaque at RTU for Polish professors and students who have studied and worked at RTU and have significantly influenced the development of science and technology, as well as political and social life.
In addition to I. Tipāns, the «Bene Merito» honour was also awarded to Inese Baranovska, Head of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Father of the Jesuit Order, «Ave Maria» parish in Marupe and St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, Father Tadeusz Czeslak, Director of the Academic Library of the University of Latvia, Venta Kocere, entrepreneur and photographer Alfrēds Platacis, as well as journalists Ina Strazdiņa and Elita Veidemane.
