The “Baltic Schools for Victory” Campaign Launched in Support of the Ukrainian Army

Students from Āgenskalns State Gymnasium have launched the “Schools for Victory” campaign for the third time, calling for donations to support Ukrainian army soldiers. This year, schools across the Baltics are invited to participate, collecting essential items for soldiers until February 28. The campaign is organized in cooperation with the charity organization “Tavi draugi,” which will sort the collected donations and gradually deliver them to soldiers on the front lines.

Last year, during the “Schools for Victory” campaign, over 100 schools in Latvia managed to collect 10,549 kilograms of donations for Ukrainian soldiers within a month. This year, the goal is to unite students from all Baltic countries to continue supporting Ukraine’s defenders in their fight for freedom, says Emīlija Kļaviņa, the campaign’s initiator and a 12th-grade student at Āgenskalns State Gymnasium.
“Just as 30 years ago the people of all Baltic countries joined hands during the Baltic Way, we want to unite students from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to provide practical support to the Ukrainian army. Inspired by the results of last year’s campaign, we are confident that together we can achieve even more!”

The charity organization “Tavi draugi” is the partner for cooperation and logistics in the “Baltic Schools for Victory” campaign. The items donated by students will be delivered to soldiers on the front lines with the help of the organization’s volunteers and Ukrainian partners.

“The energy and passion of the younger generation restore faith in goodness. We are honored to cooperate and contribute our resources to ensure that the items donated by the youth of the Baltic countries, based on requests from Ukrainian military units, reach exactly where they are most needed. ‘Schools for Victory’ is a large-scale donation campaign, and it’s touching that this support comes from young people and their parents, who, alongside their studies, exams, and future career choices, can think beyond themselves and contribute to bringing Ukraine closer to victory,” said Ulvis Noviks, head of the organization “Tavi draugi.”

Students in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are invited to donate instant food, canned goods, cookies, dried fruits and nuts, tea, coffee, hygiene products, chemical hand and foot warmers, cold medicine, and other essential items for soldiers. In Latvia, schools are encouraged to deliver donations to the charity organization “Tavi draugi” at Ventspils Street 50 in Riga, from January 27 to February 28, with prior registration.

In addition to collecting donations, students of all ages in Latvia can participate in a creative contest until February 7, inspired by a line from rapper Wiesulis’s song “Raudu mūris”:
“But the mountain of victory will always stand before me, and I hear it calling us.”
Students are encouraged to depict their personal interpretation of the “mountain of victory” – a symbol representing not only global victory but also individual goals achieved through courage, patience, and determination. The works will be evaluated by a jury of experts and campaign organizers, led by artist Dainis Rudens. Contest guidelines are available here.

The final stage of the “Baltic Schools for Victory” campaign will take place on February 20, 2025, at the Angāra Concert Hall in Riga, where a charity concert will be held, featuring renowned Latvian musicians, including rapper Wiesulis, Artūrs Skutelis, Grēta, DJ Magnus Eriņš, and others. Visitors to the concert will be able to view the winning works of the creative contest and participate in various unifying activities in support of Ukraine.

For more information about the “Baltic Schools for Victory” campaign and updates, visit the Instagram profile Schoolsforvictory, as well as the social media accounts and website of the “Tavi draugi” organization.