On May 4, to mark the day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, activities of the Latvia–Lithuania cross-border cooperation project took place in the Lithuanian town of Skuodas. The event was implemented within the framework of the joint project "Cooperation of firefighting services for strengthening disaster risk prevention and management in the Latvia-Lithuania border region" (No. LL-00228, CAFIGS), established by the Dienvidkurzeme Municipality of the Republic of Latvia and the Skuodas District Municipality of the Republic of Lithuania.
The project activities and the event are co-funded by the European Union's 2021–2027 Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme, providing significant support to strengthening the resilience and security of the region.
The participants and guests of the event were addressed by the Mayor of Skuodas District Municipality, Stasys Gutautas, who expressed special gratitude to the heads of the firefighting services, Mindaugas Jazbutis and Vaclovas Kirsenkas, for the selfless dedication of their teams. On behalf of the Latvian side, words of welcome were delivered by Andris Jefimovs, representative of the Dienvidkurzeme Municipality delegation.
Throughout the day, a diverse program was prepared for both visitors and specialists. Industry experts conducted educational lectures on civil protection and emergency preparedness, while creative workshops focused on nature conservation and the destructive impact of fires on the ecosystem. The youngest visitors enjoyed activities with animators, while firefighters-rescuers demonstrated operational machinery and equipment, giving everyone interested the opportunity to try on firefighting gear and capture these moments in photographs.
The volunteer firefighters of Dienvidkurzeme spent a valuable and emotionally fulfilling day together with their fellow colleagues from Skuodas. The event took place in a positive and cohesive atmosphere, once again proving the importance of strong neighborly relations, mutual trust, and cooperation to learn from one another and become even stronger in their daily work for public safety.
