Commemorative Medal for Advancing Latvia’s Accession to NATO () is an award of the Minister of Defence of Latvia. It was established on 19 March 2004 due to the admission of the

Republic of Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

to the

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two Nor ...

. The medal is awarded to express gratitude for the person's contribution to the development of the Latvian defence by advancing Latvia's membership to NATO. The medal is a round-shaped medal made in bronze – diameter: 38 mm; depth: 3 mm. The medal's averse contains a carved image of the NATO's symbol - the four-pointed star - surrounded by decorative beams. There is a 2 mm belt around the medal's perimeter on its both sides – averse and reverse. There is an inscription – SEKMĒJOT LATVIJAS DALĪBU NATO (for Advancing Latvia’s Accession to NATO) – in the centre of the medal's reverse, and a circular inscription – AIZSARDZĪBAS MINISTRA APBALVOJUMS (Minister of Defence Award) – at the edge of the medal's reverse. The medal is suspended on a 32 mm wide and 50 mm long ribbon, which is formed of a 15 mm belt in the red colour of the Latvian flag (carmine) symbolizing Latvia, a 15 mm belt in the colour of blue symbolising NATO and a 2 mm wide silver stripe in the middle symbolising justice, fairness and loyalty. The by-law on the commemorative medal stipulates that the medal, when worn, should be placed after the awards of the state and the Minister of Defence. Military personnel wear a 10 mm ribbon on their daily uniforms, or a 15 mm wide and a 3 mm high tack-ribbon in the bow-tie shape on their civil clothes. Civilians wear only the tack-ribbon in the bow-tie shape on their everyday clothes. Currently, there are 740 persons awarded with the medal being Latvian and foreign officials, staff of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NAF soldiers, foreign military personnel, public organisation representatives and others.

Recipients

Hans Jesper Helsø Hans Jesper Helsø (born July 9, 1948), is a former Danish Chief of Defence. Helsø served his conscription in 1968 and initially became sergeant and officer of the reserve. In 1974 he becomes lieutenant and served the following four years at Ki ...

* Timothy A. Kinnan *

Benk Korthals Albert Hendrik "Benk" Korthals (born 5 October 1944) is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and jurist. Korthals attended the Gymnasium Leiden from June 1957 until June 1963 and applied at the Leid ...

Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis (born 19 February 1962, in Ventspils) is a Latvian politician. He is a member of the centre-right Unity party. Kristovskis served in several previous Latvian governments as the Minister for the Interior from 3 August 19 ...

Dzintars Rasnačs Dzintars Rasnačs (born 17 July 1963) is a Latvian politician. He is a member of the National Alliance Party and a deputy of the 11th Saeima (Latvian Parliament). He began his current term in parliament on 17 October 2011. He has graduated from t ...

Edgars Rinkēvičs Edgars Rinkēvičs (born 21 September 1973 in Jūrmala) is a Latvian public official and politician, currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, a role he has held since 2011. Before beginning in this role, he served as head o ...

* Robert A. Wright

References

* {{Reflist Orders, decorations, and medals of Latvia

Recipients

See also

References