Latvian President Valdis Zatlers presented Dr. Benedikt Jóhannesson, general manager of statistics consulting company Talnakönnun and Heimur Publishing (publisher of Iceland Review and Atlantica), with the Atis Kronvalds award last week, Latvia’s most prestigious award in education.
“It was a great honor,” Dr. Jóhannesson said.
From left to right: Henriks Danusevics, Chairman of the awards committee, Professor Agnis Andzans, Chairman of the Latvian Olympiad Committee, Dr. Benedikt Jóhannesson, Valdis Zatlers, President of Latvia, and Minister of Education, Professor Baiba Rivza.
Dr. Jóhannesson is the first foreigner to receive the Atis Kronvalds award and was awarded for his role in publishing a series of books on advanced mathematics instruction for middle and high schools in Latvia, the LAIMA project.
The award ceremony was held in the presidential palace in Riga, Latvia’s capital, and both President Zatlers and Minister of Education Baiba Rivza spoke at the ceremony.
Rivza said the LAIMA project has helped students develop their mathematical skills beyond what they usually learn in school, adding that she was grateful for receiving help from Iceland on this important project.
