The “Good Governance in Municipalities” awards presented for the first time

On 17 September, the “Good Governance in Municipalities” awards were presented for the first time, recognising municipalities whose concrete initiatives promote transparency, citizen participation, quality public services and governance in the public interest. The aim of the competition is not only to highlight examples of good practice, but also to create opportunities for municipalities to learn from these examples and adapt successful solutions in their own work.

The competition was organised by the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia, Karina Palkova, in cooperation with the Civic Alliance – Latvia. The competition took place in two rounds. First, a jury evaluated all submissions and selected the three strongest initiatives in each category for a public vote. These initiatives were then evaluated by residents of the respective municipalities. The winners were determined based on the combined assessment of the jury and the public.

A total of 33 initiatives implemented by municipalities and their institutions were submitted from Alūksne, Ādaži, Bauska, Cēsis, Daugavpils, South Kurzeme, Dobele, Jelgava city and municipality, Krāslava, Liepāja, Līvāni, Mārupe, Riga, Sigulda, Smiltene and Valmiera municipalities.

Photos from the awards ceremony on 17 September 2026 are available here.

Good Governance in Service Delivery

The main award was presented to the Daugavpils City Municipality for the initiative “QTicket Online Appointment System for Appointments with Municipal Specialists”. The award recognised a solution that makes access to municipal services easier and more convenient for residents.

A recognition award was presented to the Bauska Municipality for the initiative “Promoting Foster Families”.

Certificates of appreciation were awarded to:

• Liepāja City Municipality for changes to the structure of the “Liepāja e-Services Portal”;
• Ādaži Municipality for the “Society with a Soul” competition.

Good Governance in Communication with Residents

The main award was presented to the Liepāja City Municipality for its integrated communication campaign for the 2025 municipal elections, “Liepāja Is Your Voice!”. The award recognised its people-centred and innovative communication approach, which encouraged residents of Liepāja to participate in the municipal elections, strengthened understanding of democracy and a sense of belonging, and promoted public involvement in the development of the city.

A recognition award was presented to the Valmiera Municipality for the initiative “An Afternoon with the Mayor”.

A certificate of appreciation was awarded to the Ādaži Municipality for establishing the position of Community Expert.

Good Governance in Citizen Participation

The main award was presented to the Ādaži Municipality for the initiative “A Plan for Every Village – Citizen-Centred Co-Creation in Ādaži Municipality”. The award recognised a balanced and safe approach to village development, promoting residents’ well-being, improving infrastructure and services, and preserving natural and cultural heritage for future generations.

Recognition awards were presented to:

• Alūksne Municipality for the initiative “Community Festivals in Alūksne Municipality”;
• Krāslava Municipality for the annual project competition “Residents Shape Their Environment”;
• South Kurzeme Municipality for the hiking series “Explore South Kurzeme”.

A certificate of appreciation was awarded to Cēsis Municipality for the initiative “Cēsis 2025 – Latvian Capital of Culture”.

The Jury

The competition submissions were evaluated by a nine-member jury: Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia Karina Palkova; Director of the Civic Alliance – Latvia Kristīne Zonberga; Chairman of the Board of the “Apeirons” Association of People with Disabilities and Their Friends, Ivars Balodis; Secretary General of the Latvian Academy of Sciences Baiba Rivža; Archbishop Metropolitan of Riga of the Roman Catholic Church Zbigņevs Stankevičs; Editor-in-Chief of the “Kurzemnieks” newspaper Daiga Bitiniece; Economic Policy Expert at the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia Signija Zandere; Head of the Public Administration Policy Department at the State Chancellery Ilona Anna Eklona; and musician and comedian Ralfs Eilands.

Each of the three categories focused on different aspects of good governance – service delivery, communication with residents and citizen participation.

The Glass Sail – A Symbol of Good Governance

The competition’s main award was created in the shape of a glass sail. It symbolises transparency, openness, trust and responsible governance, recognising municipalities that contribute through their work to creating a better environment for their residents.

The sail also represents moving forward – the ability not only to respond to current challenges, but also to proactively seek new solutions and work together with residents to build better municipalities.

Good Examples Worth Sharing

The significance of the competition goes beyond recognising the winners. Each of the 33 submitted examples represents an experience that others can learn from and solutions that can be adapted and applied in other municipalities.

This is the first year of the competition, but the Ombudsman’s intention is to continue it in the coming years and establish it as an annual tradition of good governance. Municipalities are therefore already encouraged to take note of and reflect on the good, meaningful and valuable work accomplished this year. Such an initiative or achievement could become one of the examples to share in the future, inspiring others and demonstrating how good governance works in practice.

Inspiration Journal – Stories of 33 Initiatives

To share these examples more widely and promote good governance in municipalities, an inspiration journal has been created, offering an opportunity to explore the initiatives, take a closer look at the data and find inspiration for new ideas. We invite you to explore the inspiration journal.

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