Public Affairs Section
U.S. Embassy
Riga, Latvia
July 31, 2007
Riga, July 31, 2007. – On Wednesday, August 1st, Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey will present US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s International Woman of Courage Award to Ilze Jaunalksne for her groundbreaking investigative journalism. Only one winner from Europe was selected for this prestigious award and a total of 10 women worldwide were given this honor. The Woman of Courage Award is given to women who have demonstrated their determination in supporting the progress of freedom and democracy despite great obstacles.Also to present the award will be Andrea Bottner, the Senior Coordinator of International Women’s Issues for the US Department of State and Ambassador Patricia Brister, the United States’ representative to the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women. Ambassador Bailey states, “This is the first year that Secretary Rice is presenting this award and Latvia should be proud of this recognition. It is an honor to highlight an individual such as Ms. Jaunalksne who has demonstrated such great courage in support of transparency and the rule of law. In a ceremony honoring the recipients of the award in Washington DC earlier this year, Secretary Rice stated women are transforming societies and inspiring communities at home and abroad. Congratulations to Ilze Jaunalksne for this high honor.”On the occasion of the presentation of this award, there will also be a high level roundtable discussion on issues unique to women the world over. This discussion will cover such topics as women’s health, employment and wage discrepancies, and domestic violence.
Reporters and photographers interested in covering the award ceremony, which will be held at the Senate Hall of the Riga Graduate School of Law at 13:30, or the roundtable discussion at 13:50, are encouraged to register by calling or sending an e-mail to the Embassy’s media specialists Digne Lubi?a or Signe Dil?ne. U.S. Embassy, Riga, Public Affairs
