The shortlist of contestants comprises best works created by 20 children from all over Latvia. On 31 March 2017, the little artists will gather at a solemn award presenting event and opening of the exhibition of the submitted designs at Latvijas Banka. With mass media invited to participate, the author of the winning coin design will tell the story of conceiving and implementing her drawing.
The competition recorded the highest attendance ever, with 6 742 children participating and presenting over 10 000 drawings. The contesting works were evaluated by the Coin Design Committee of Latvijas Banka, and the results are announced on Latvijas Banka's website (www.bank.lv and www.naudasskola.lv).
Latvijas Banka announced this children's open coin design contest for the new euro collector coin "My Latvia" with the aim to promote children's creativity and their knowledge of the Latvian historical past and nowadays, and to honour the centenary of the Republic of Latvia. Children under the age of 13 were invited to participate.
The drawing to be incorporated in the design on one side of the coin as a present to Latvia's centenary depicts its authors' individual vision, in its broadest sense, of Latvia and the State of Latvia. The other side of the coin will feature the large coat of arms of the Republic of Latvia.
This is the third coin design contest for children organised by Latvijas Banka. The winner of the first contest was Guna Bārbale, then an 11-year old girl from Ludza, and her drawing was featured on Latvia's coin within the UNICEF Coin Programme "For the Children of the World" in 2000. At the second contest "My Dream Coin" in 2008, the first prize went to then six-year old Emīlija Adumāne from Riga for her drawing "The Piglet", which was incorporated in a collector coin design. The two competitions boasted of 4 000 and almost 6 600 drawings respectively.
Latvijas Banka will actively engage in Latvia's centenary programme by contributing contents consistent with its role. It will ensure research on significant developments in the financial history of Latvia and assessment of the contribution of outstanding personalities. Also, a few commemorative and collector coin series and several individual coins dedicated to the foundation of independent State of Latvia will be created.
The programme for Latvia's centenary celebration is based on the concept of involving the public, each individual and institution in the process of creating the celebration and the associated long-lasting values. Preparations for Latvia's centenary will commence with the tasks and events planned already for 2017, but the festivities and activities celebrating Latvia will continue for five years. Latvijas Banka will conclude Latvia's centenary celebration by marking the 100th anniversary of the national central bank on 1 November 2022.