Every year on 14 September, the birthday of Jānis Čakste, the first President of the Republic of Latvia, is commemorated. In tribute to the President, flowers are laid at his monument in Jelgava and the certificate of the scholarship named after J. Čakste is presented to one student of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) at his family home “Auči”. This year marks the 165th anniversary of J. Čakste's birth, and the recipient of the scholarship bearing his name was Jānis Platacis, who also celebrates his birthday on 14 September.
The scholarship named after J. Čakste has now been awarded at the university for the 18th time, and this year it went to Jānis Platacis, a student on the professional bachelor's study programme “Forest Engineer” at the LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences (MVZF). To win the scholarship, J. Platacis wrote a research paper reflecting on the President's address to young people, encouraging them to take part in the recent European Parliament elections.
In his paper he writes: “Expressing an opinion at the ballot box is the minimum we can do for the shaping of our society, and it takes only a few minutes. Let us not let this opportunity slip by, let us not be afraid to stand up for our ideals! Elections are a process of great responsibility. Every vote cast into the ballot box shapes our future. Ballot papers hold great power, and so we cannot content ourselves with turning up to vote and making a thoughtless choice — we cannot put our trust in gullible delusions or vote for mediocrity. We need steadfast and incorruptible people of action, so that we need not feel ashamed of what they achieve. We must root out dishonesty among politicians, and tolerance of it. It neither strengthens faith in democracy nor advances the development of our country.”
“As a nation we have lived through many different times, which have hardened us and made us who we are today. For 20 years now we have belonged to the world we have always felt part of, but which our enemies denied us. For 20 years we have been part of the Western world as a member state of the European Union and NATO. In that time we have changed, and so has the environment around us — beginning with economic support and security guarantees, and going on to everyday conveniences such as travel and the free movement of goods. We can say with confidence that we have never been so developed, so secure, or enjoyed such a high standard of living. Right now it seems self-evident to us, yet it can easily be lost, so let us not allow ill-wishers to destroy what has been achieved in these years by sowing the seed of apathy in our minds! An unwillingness to take part in shaping one's own society is precisely what hostile powers want to plant in us. We can see that they have poisoned many of their own people with this plague of indifference, because an indifferent nation is easy to manipulate — it submits to anything and is like waterweed in a river, bending with every current,” J. Platacis adds.
Since beginning his studies, Jānis Platacis has been actively involved in activities run by both the university and the faculty, and is an active member of the student society “Šalkone”. In his application he writes that these ideals — democracy, unity and statehood — are also the core values of his own life.
LBTU associate professor Baiba Jansone, Ph. D., describes the scholarship winner as follows: “Over these years of study, Jānis has shown and proved himself to be a purposeful, conscientious, enterprising and disciplined young man. Jānis is a student who both wants and is able to fulfil his potential in the study process and in extracurricular activities alike. His marks in forestry study courses are very good and excellent, which testifies to his successful mastery of forestry subjects and his desire to learn. Jānis has also broadened his knowledge through international experience. Representing the student society “Šalkone” and the faculty, he has become acquainted with the forestry approach in Poland, spending time at Mendel University in Brno on the “Erasmus+” exchange programme, as well as with Czech experience in forest management. His ability to balance the time needed for his studies with other activities testifies to Jānis's strong sense of responsibility and his skill in setting priorities. Jānis has never refused his help either to the faculty — for example, helping to organise activities for events such as “Mežs ienāk Jelgavā”, “Latvijas Meža dienas” in Tērvete and events run by AS “Latvijas Finieris” as part of the schools project “Zaļā klase” — or to the university, working at its information stand at the “Skola 2024” education exhibition in Rīga. He also represents the student view on the faculty council and in the LBTU Convention.”
Jānis Platacis received the scholarship certificate at the Čakste family home “Auči” in Jelgava municipality, in the presence of J. Čakste's family, acting Dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences (MVZF) Vivita Puķīte, Chairman of the Board of the LBTU Development Fund Mārtiņš Šabovics and other guests. The ceremony is an annual tradition, always held on the former President's birthday, honouring both his contribution to the Latvian state and the new scholarship holder's work in reflecting on and promoting historical events.
The J. Čakste scholarship was established within the LBTU Development Fund in 2006 to provide financial support for students' research and creative work. The scholarship of 224 euros is paid for 10 months to one student, chosen as the best by a committee set up by the university together with representatives of the Čakste family.
https://www.lbtu.lv/lv/raksts/2024-09-16/sveikts-jana-cakstes-stipendijas-ieguvejs-janis-platacis