Order of the Three Stars

On October 19, 2018, the President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis and the Chapter of Orders resolved to award the IV rank Order of the Three Stars to Dr. art. Ginta Gerharde-Upeniece, the Head of the Latvian Visual Arts Department at the Latvian National Museum of Art and lecturer of the Arta Academy of Latvia, and appointed her as the Officer of the Order for meritorious services to the Republic of Latvia. The highest civilian order - The Order of the Three Stars – was awarded on the eve before the 100th anniversary of the founding of Latvia on November 17.

The Order of the Three Stars was established in 1924 in remembrance of the founding of Latvia and renewed in 1994. Its motto is "Per aspera ad astra", meaning "Through hardships to the stars".

The Order of the Three Stars is awarded for meritorious service to Latvia. Meritorious services for which the Order is awarded can be for achievements in the state, regional government, public, culture, education, science, sport, or commercial fields.

A meritorious service can be both a single distinguished accomplishment, a continuous, exemplary, and successful undertaking, or a notable achievement in the period of the restoration of Latvian independence or the period of further strengthening of the state.