Ambassadors of Memory
Choose to Know — the selection call for Latvia's youth delegation to the March of the Living 2027 in Auschwitz, Poland.
Ambassadors of Memory is a project for young people who are ready to study the history of the Holocaust, to see how it connects to society today, and — on returning home — to share what they have learned with their school and their community. It strengthens historical knowledge, civic responsibility, tolerance and critical thinking.
JEWNITED.LV is assembling a Latvian delegation of students from grades 10–12 for the international educational programme March of the Living 2027. Any general education school in Latvia — including international schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and regional schools — may enter a team of 3–5 students, accompanied by one teacher or member of the school administration, regardless of the students' background, nationality or religious affiliation.
The project is not a one-off trip. It is a long-term educational and leadership initiative built from four stages: selection, preparation, the international experience in Poland, and the Ambassador Mission each participant carries out after coming home.
Learn
Study the history of the Holocaust and its place in Latvia's memory — from the Žanis Lipke Memorial in Riga to Auschwitz, and the questions of human choice that run between them.
Experience
Walk the March of the Living together with thousands of young people from dozens of countries, visit sites of history and remembrance, and meet Jewish life as it is lived today.
Share
Come home and pass the experience on — to your school, your friends and your community. That is the Ambassador Mission, and it is what turns a journey into a project.
Fully funded
The organiser covers coach travel Riga–Poland–Riga, participation, accommodation and meals for each approved school team and one accompanying teacher. Schools or participants cover travel to the preparatory events and to the departure point in Riga; personal spending such as souvenirs is the participant's own.
How we select
A four-person panel — two representatives of the organiser, a museum representative and a history or social studies teacher — assesses each school team's application as a whole, not individual students. It looks at motivation, depth of reflection, the originality and honesty of the video, communication skills, leadership potential, and the school's readiness to support the Ambassador Mission afterwards.
What you and your school gain
An international educational experience and new contacts, a certificate of participation for your CV or portfolio, practical leadership and civic participation skills — and for the school, the status of a Partner School of Ambassadors of Memory.
- 24 August 2026
Introductory meeting for schools
A presentation of the project for school leadership and teachers — what it involves, questions and answers. Additional meetings with teachers follow where needed.
- Application
Form and team video
The school forms a team of 3–5 students from grades 10–12; the responsible teacher submits the application form and the team's video introduction, "Why do I choose to know?" — up to three minutes, with every team member visible and speaking.
- Results by 01.12.2026
Selection
The panel assesses each application as a whole and decides which schools join the delegation. Schools and participants are informed individually.
- Before the journey
Preparation
The first meeting, "Understanding Memory", takes place at the Žanis Lipke Memorial — getting to know the delegation, a guided tour, the history of the Holocaust in Latvia and a conversation about human choice. A second meeting, "Your Role as Ambassador", follows on a date to be announced.
- Approx. 2–6 May 2027
The journey — March of the Living
A visit to Auschwitz, participation in the March of the Living on 4 May, visits to sites of history and remembrance, and an introduction to contemporary Jewish life. Three days of educational programme in Poland, roughly five days including travel.
- By 31.05.2027
The Ambassador Mission
Back home, every participant presents their experience at their school, tells other students about it, and publishes an account on the school website or social media — and becomes a true Ambassador of Memory.
“Choose to know. Taking part is a conscious choice — to know, to understand, not to walk past, and to pass it on.”