A distinguished Latvian diplomat, Aina Nagobads-Ābols, passed away in Paris on 29 September 2021, at the age of 101. A farewell ceremony for the former Ambassador will be held at 14.00 on 16 October, at Riga Cathedral. Following the church service, it will be possible for those present to gather for a brief reflection in the cloister of Riga Cathedral to pay tribute to the diplomat’s vibrant life rich in creative and professional achievement. Entrance to Riga Cathedral as from 13.30.
An embodiment of the century of Latvia’s statehood and diplomacy, Aina Nagobads-Ābols, being one of the first Latvian ambassadors of the restored Republic of Latvia, has provided a significant contribution to the growth of the Latvian foreign service. She was the first Ambassador of Latvia to France, Spain and Portugal, as well as Permanent Representative to UNESCO after the country regained independence.
Aina Nagobads-Ābols is the recipient of national honours including Latvia’s Order of the Three Stars, 3rd class, France’s Legion of Honour, 1st class, and Portugal’s Grand Cross of the Order of Merit. In 2019, launching a new tradition of an award for lifetime contribution to Latvia’s foreign policy, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs conferred the very first award upon Aina Nagobads-Ābols, a diplomat endowed with a sharp mind, courage, intelligence, knowledge of languages, and charisma.
On 9 June this year, to mark the 101st birthday of Aina Nagobads-Ābols, an exhibition, “A Latvian Woman & Her Century”, to honour the Ambassador was unveiled at the National Library of Latvia, and it was on display till the end of October. In November, the exhibition will be shown in Paris, where Aina Nagobads-Ābols spent a large part of her life.