By celebrating the 20 th anniversary of the Orphan's court, the awards shall also be received by employees of the Orphan's Court of Rezekne.

An Orphan's court shall be a guardianship and trusteeship institution established by a municipality or a local government of the Republic of Latvia, the main duty of which is to ensure the protection of the interests and rights of children and persons under trusteeship in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations.

On September 1, 1993, the renewed 1937 Civil Law of the Republic of Latvia, which was once again provided by the Orphans' and parish courts, entered into force. The Law on Orphan's and County Courts established that, with effect from 1 March 1996, the establishment of new guardians and trusteeship institutions as authorities established by the municipality, the main task of which is the protection of the personal and property interests of children and other incapacitated persons, was started. In order to ensure a more qualitative settlement of matters within the competence of the Orphan's Court, a new Orphan's Law Law, which entered into force on 1 January 2007, was drawn up after the initiative of the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, giving all guardians and trusteeship institutions a common name – Orphan's courts. At this moment, 142 city and municipality Orphans' courts operate in Latvia. Since 1996, 20 years have passed. By celebrating the 20-year anniversary of the establishment of Latvian Orphan's Courts, on October 14, in Riga, the cultural castle “northern blow”, a solemn event was held, summing up the Orphan's court employees who, with honest and unselfish work, ensure the day-to-day activities of the Orphan's Court, as well as honoured those who participated in the establishment of the Orphan's court system and continue to do so at the moment.

The Welfare Minister Janis Reirs, State Secretary of the Ministry of Welfare, Ingus Allick, Ombudsman of the Minister of Welfare, Janson, Minister of the Minister of Welfare, Lelde Līce-Līcte, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Justice, State Children's Rights Protection Inspectorate, representatives of the local government of Latvia and other state, local government institutions and associations, emphasising the importance of the work of the Orphan's Courts, ensuring the protection of the personal and property interests of children and other incapacitated persons, including expressing the deepest thanks and respect for the work done, often emotional, but also the necessary work of the society. The President of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis sent his special congratulations to all the Orphan's and Celebration Guests, thanks to the accomplishment of the efforts and strength, including calling for further strengthening of the capacity of the Orphan's courts.

In honouring the best, the reports of the Ministry of Welfare and Welfare of the Cabinet of Ministers were presented, as well as the award of the Latvian Orphan's Court Employees Association. With the thanks of the Prime Minister for more than 20 years of professional work and a significant contribution to the development of the activities of the Orphan's court and the strengthening of family values, Aija Meier, President of the Orphan's Court of Rezekne, was awarded the award. Regina Baranova, Vice-President of the Rēzekne District Court, VICE-President of the Orphan's Court, Silvija Kipļuk and Rēzekne District Court, Regina Baranova, received the recognition of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Welfare for permanent, self-proclaimed and unselfish work in the Orphan's court.

Representatives from the Orphans' Courts of Rezekne, who have commenced their courses in the Orphan's Courts and parish courts, also participated in the event. Following the reorganisation of Orphan's courts in connection with the territorial reform of the municipality, on October 1, 2009, a total of five Orphan's courts began work in Rezekne municipality. The Rēzekne municipality council established Maltas Orphan's Court, Kaunatas Orphan's Court, Vērēmu Orphan's Court, Ozolaines Orphan's Court and Gaigalavas Orphan's Court, where each of the Orphan's courts determined a specific activity area – each of five parishes. Employees from parish Orphans' Courts were elected to the Orphan's Court and the work continued to be performed in a new collective. The organisation of the work of the Orphan's Court, a member or vice-chairperson who serves residents in civil parish administrations, shall be available in each of our county parish councils, performing both basic work, implementing measures of the personal interests of the child and trusteeship in accordance with the laws and regulations, and by issuing certifications. The work of Orphan's courts in our municipality is organised so that the people receive the service as closely as possible to their place of residence, in their parish. The Orphan's and Custody Court shall examine all cases of the activities of the Orphan's court together and participate in the taking of collegial decisions, if necessary, by organising meetings of the parish on parish boards.

With each year, the amount of work changes, the categories of cases change, new requirements for the qualification of the Orphan's and Custody Court are present. The obligations of the Orphan's and Custody Courts and, consequently, the responsibility of the Orphan's Courts, and the contribution of the Orphan's Court to work with families in which older children do not provide full conditions for care and education, often make greater efforts to take preventive measures to support, encourage and motivate the environment and create conditions for the needs of children in biological families. Co-operation mechanisms with local government social service and other local government institutions are also developed within the framework of the work, in order to implement measures for the protection of children's rights in local government by co-operation between institutions and the family.

The Orphan's Court employees donate themselves to work, often doing more than their direct job duties. Self-sustaining, heart-burning and loving time is devoted to ensuring the protection of the rights of children and persons under trusteeship even outside the specified working time. Work in the Orphan's court is not easy, it requires not only comprehensive knowledge in the field of the protection of children's rights, but also a very large mental effort, as well as the return of the psychological resources of the person. The contribution to the operation of the Orphan's court is difficult to measure in categories, mathematical units, number of cases or decisions taken. Each decision taken by the Orphan's court is essentially the fate of the child and the family, their future, their rights, interests and future life. Human child, humanity and dignified life - they are the main guides to work in the Orphan's Court. However, occasionally, the people of the Orphan's court remain incomprehensible, receive the surrounding criticism and condemnation, but it is rare to hear gratitude. The work in the Orphan's court is very specific, responsible and not always convenient, comprehensible and acceptable, but a happy and happy child who has managed to help. Often, a member of the Orphan's court must be firm, fair and even harsh, but at the same time also understanding, supportive and conscious. This is not easy, it requires a lot of personal resources, knowledge and skills. All this comes with responsibility. Therefore, it is positive that we are working in a team, a case look and a collegiate decision. The family and colleagues are the ones who know best how much internal strength and energy this work on every day from us in the Orphan's Court requires the satisfaction of a positive outcome of the case and what disappointments often come to be. Festival and anniversaries are the times we can meet colleagues when we say thank each other when we can just be together, enjoy, enjoy a festive concert, and get energy for the next day.

During the anniversary of the Orphan's and Celebration, thank you very much for our long-standing colleagues who have worked on the creation of parish courts, have continued to manage parish Orphans' courts, and who are successfully continuing their work in the Orphan's Courts today.

Special thanks to former colleagues who started this work in the parish courts, set the foundations, formed the first experience, perfected the work of the parish in the Orphan's courts and the active work in the Orphan's Courts has already ended. Sincere thanks to all of you!

Thanks to the festival, we also say to the Council of Rezekne on the trust of the gifts and the right to continue to fulfil their duties, thanks to the local government and parish administrations for their support in the day-to-day work.

Rezekne's council, on behalf of the Orphan's courts - 
Gaigalavas Orphan's Court President Ilona Delvere