A month has passed since 33 Latvian residents went missing in Nepal. To provide practical support to their families during this difficult time, a charity campaign titled “Across the mountains – back to our loved ones” is being organised.
As part of the campaign, a charity exhibition and auction will open at the Spice shopping centre on the 13th of October. Alongside the physical exhibition, a virtual auction catalogue will also be available, allowing anyone interested to view the donated artworks and submit bids.
The campaign is being organised by Andris Taranda, brother of Agnese Fūrmane, who is among those missing in Nepal, together with Ieva Taranda and Māra Andersone-Freimame.
More than 30 artists have responded to the call to support the initiative, including Ieva Taranda, Elita Patmalniece, Kristīne Luīze Avotiņa and Sabīne Līva.
All proceeds from the auction will go entirely towards supporting the families of those missing in Nepal, the organisers say.
The closing event of the exhibition and auction will take place on the 1st of November,
when the total amount raised will also be announced.
As previously reported, on the 26th of August a glacier collapse triggered a flow of ice debris, causing water and mud to surge from a glacial lake and resulting in widespread destruction in Nepal and China. By the 3rd of September, the confirmed death toll had reached 1,252, while another 4,216 people were considered missing.
A large group of Latvian tourists organised by yoga enthusiasts from Yantra was also near the epicentre of the disaster, while a smaller number of Latvian tourists were in the disaster zone as part of a group organised by the local company Mighty Himalayan Trek.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware that three Latvian residents who were in the region at the time were not injured in the flood-triggered mudslide in Nepal, while 33 are currently considered missing.
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