LAShOR is a Latvian association for support of schools with education in the Russian language. It is a public organization registered in Latvian Republic in 1996.
The aim of LAShOR is to contribute to maintenance and development of education in Russian in Latvia. (For further details see "Memorandum of LAShOR Principles and Position" and "LAShOR Statutes").
LAShOR includes 65 persons from Riga, Aizkraukle, Valmiera, Ventspils, Elgava and Liepaja.
On April 5 2003, LAShOR portback election meeting elected the leaders of the organization:
LAShOR Board of Administration:
Tatjana Arshavskaja,
Olga Barenite,
Sergey Bruj,
Igor Vatolin,
Victor Gluhov,
Elene Matjakubova,
Maya Khalturina.
Chairman of LAShOR Board of Administration: Igor Pimenov.
Auditor: Tatjana Gnedova.
Main directions of LAShOR activities
- criticism of transfer of education into the Latvian language carried out by the government.
- demonstration of clear demand for education in the Russian language in Latvia.
- uniting and rallying of Latvian tax-payers for defending their rights.
- rendering assistance to integration of the society within Latvia.
- working out of alternative patterns of educational programmes and school-books for minorities schools in Latvia.
- rendering assistance to preserving and growing of the prestige of education in Russian.
- assisting in Russian schools� material resources development.
Main actions arranged by LAShOR
- Public conference "On the consequences of the transfer of educatio into the Latvian language".
April 25, 1998, Riga, 75 participants.
- Public conference "Education in the native language as the means and Condition ob the nonviolent integration".
October 18, 1998, Riga, 120 participants.
- Discussion of the governmental project of the conception "Integration of the society in Latvia",
namely the part titled "Language and education � national minorities� viewpoint".
April 24, 1999, Riga, 150 participants. The discussion was organized together with Soros foundation-Latvia
and the All-Latvian association of Russian language and literature teachers.
- Parents conference "To study in the native language":
The 1st conference, November 25,2000, Riga, 500 participants.
The 2nd conference, November 24, 2001, Riga, 1300 participants.
The 3rd conference, September 14, 2002, Riga, 900 participants.
- The holiday TATYANA�S DAY - the Day of Russian culture and education in Latvia. The holiday is celebrated annually on January 25, since 2000.
- Public discussion of ministerial draft of secondary education. April-May 2003. Discussion organized together with All-Latvian association of Russian language and literature teachers and The Union of Citizens and non-citizens, with support from The Baltics- American partnership programme.
- The Meeting "For the free choice of the language of education!", with more than 10000 participants. Riga, May 23, 2003.
Other actions
- LAShOR coordinated the work of the parents in Latvia preparing the protesting letters to the Ministry of Education and Science, Saeim.
LAShOR provided the publicity of the action.
- LAShOR worked out the pattern of bilingual education, which is alternative to the one presented by the Ministry. LAShOR�s pattern provides for preserving and developing the native language in the process of studying.
LAShOR�s pattern was suggested to the Ministry. MAKSIMA gymnasia in Riga used similar bilingual principles. LAShOR assisted MAKSIMA to apply to Soros where the programme got a grant for implementing the project titled "Multiplication of the model of educational programme for national minorities for forms 1-9 in MAKSIMA, Riga".
- LAShOR worked out the drafts of methodical documents � The Patterns of basic and secondary education programmes for minorities schools. The Ministry adopted the Pattern of basic education and permitted it for application for licensing.
- LAShOR worked out suggestions on ammendments to the Law on Education and the Law on general education.
- LAShOR is gathering the applications from schools for obtaining (through the embassy of Russia and Moscow municipality) the books and text-books in Russian. On Russian embassy request LAShOR is keeping and distributing the literature coming from Russia between schools in Latvia.
Cooperation with other non-government organizations
- LAShOR takes part in the activities of the Co-ordinationg Council of the public organizations. The Council comprises 20 organizations which represent the interests of the Russian-speaking inhabitants of Latvia.
- LAShOR worked out and participated ( with other non-government organizations) in preparing declarations and petitions on defending the rights of Latvian minorities, in particular � the right to study in the native language.
- LAShOR has always been inviting other non-government organizations to participate in LAShOR�s actions.
Connections and contacts with Latvian Republic state institutions
- Two LAShOR members are also members of the Advisory council in the Ministry of Education and Science. The council deals with national minorities issues. One LAShOR member participates in the work of minorities and integration Advisory council in the bureau of the minister of society inegration issues.
Connections and contacts with international organizations and foreign countries� representative offices
- LAShOR regularly informs representative offices of EU countries, Russian embassy and other representative offices in Riga about its viewpoint on the governmental policy on minorities education. LAShOR also invites the above mentioned authorities to be participants or observers at the events organized by LAShOR.
LAShOR legal details:
Latvijas krievu m�c�bvalodas skolu atbalsta asoci�cija.
Juridisk� adrese: Ieri�u iela 12-13, R�ga.
Nodok�u maks�t�ja re�. Nr. 40008015606.
LAShOR banking details:
LKMSAA-LA�OR,
Konta numurs: 551000630233 Hansabankas fili�l� �Bastejs� R�g�.
LAShOR contacts
Slokas Str.30a � 3, Riga, LV-1007, Latvia.
Fax: 7-602479
e-mail: [email protected]
phones: 9-80-29-19, 9-44-71-00.
