democracy
foundation

Grew up and went to school in Kuldīga. She works as a research producer and communications manager, is a doctoral student, lectures on marketing, volunteers with the organisation “Viegli palīdzēt”, and occasionally writes for “Rīgas Laiks”. She is currently helping to create the largest centre for practising democracy in the Baltics, in Kuldīga.

A philosopher who believes that true freedom is the ability to take responsibility. Since Athens is regarded as the cradle of both philosophy and democracy, he does not object when a friend calls Kuldīga the Athens of the North. Ģirts agrees – Kuldīga is a very fitting place to nurture both philosophy and democracy.

A researcher with a particular interest in social philosophy and the concept of solidarity. Over time this theoretical interest has grown more and more into practical work: at the association “Kurzemes NVO centrs”, leading “Europe Direct Kuldīga”, organising the Democracy Café and the Democracy Festival, and developing the Democracy Quarter.

Interested in culture and communication. She was drawn in by the idea of the Democracy Quarter, because democracy lets – and makes – us answer the question ourselves: how can we all live together better? She has trained in Forum Theatre and enjoys introducing others to it – an essentially democratic method that looks for solutions to current problems by acting them out in a “dress rehearsal” for real life.