Sand sculptors from various countries around the world have arrived in Jelgava to begin work on their compositions for the 20th International Sand Sculpture Festival. Pasta Island is buzzing with activity – 15 artists from Turkey, the USA, Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are transforming sand into impressive works of art step-by-step. The sculptors will be working on their sculptures until Thursday, the 21st of May.

On 19 February, the Ambassador of the French Republic to Latvia, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, paid an introductory visit to Jelgava together with representatives of the French Embassy and the French Institute. During the visit, the Ambassador met with the leadership of the City of Jelgava and became acquainted with the city’s business, education, and cultural environment, discussing opportunities for future cooperation. The Ambassador highly praised Jelgava’s long-standing and successful cooperation with its twin city Rueil-Malmaison in France.

Nikolas Deičmans, a student of the Jelgava Specialized Swimming School, has been awarded a scholarship under the World Aquatics Scholarship Programme of the World Aquatics Federation. The scholarship is intended for the 100 most promising young swimmers in the world aged 18 to 27.