“Having been here in the period of pre-EP elections I had the opportunity to follow by myself and being completely involved in the projects that deal with it. Being an International Relations and European Studies student, I could see in practice what I have always theoretically studied; furthermore the biggest achievement (in personal terms) was the chance to meet some of the Latvian EP candidates in order to have a discussion and interview them for what concerns their electoral program and some hot topics that must be brought upon the EP in case of election.

I have seen LAPAS as an organisation always ready to involve and participate in different projects concerning fields which are of my interest. It is a small environment rich of many ideas and always ready to start and carry out something new. During the CIVICUS and AGNA meeting’s week, with international guests coming over, I realized how much important it is to discuss and have some practical outcomes in terms of advocacy, for example, but at the same time LAPAS didn’t put aside the cultural and fun part of the city and the country, organizing many different activities in order to spread the voice about this country and the opportunity it offers. This internship has given to me not only the chance to put in practice what has always remained something theoretical and abstract but has shaped a better version of myself, ready for what is coming next. The biggest thanks to Inese, Sandra and Gerda for all the support and precious aid they gave.

Sara Berruti / University of Florence, Italy (2024)

“Being part of such a great team gave me the possibility to learn from powerful women. They shared with me the values of perseverance, resilience, and all the love that they put into their job every day. Moreover, the possibility to work on LAPAS’ projects has been a springboard into the world of work, equipping me with the necessary skills to be precise and punctual with deadlines, but also braver in speaking in front of people from all over Europe. In fact, I had the great opportunity to present LAPAS during an OECD meeting, a real honour for me.

Ī desire to conclude with one of the best memories that I have of my time in LAPAS: once, someone asked Inese “How do you manage to do all these things in just one day?” and she replied, “I was lucky to get my dream job; everything I do is not a chore for me”. This statement began my leitmotiv and I hope to be as lucky in the future.”

Sara Giannote / University of Florence, Italy (2022)

“I come from Italy, Rome. Thanks to the Erasmus+ program, I had the opportunity to live for several months in a European country that I had never been to, and also so far from home, as well as my comfort zone. It was really great experience. I can definitely say that I learned a lot during the LAPAS internship, and above all, I had the opportunity to put into practice what I learned during my studies. I will definitely miss LAPAS and Latvia, a country full of surprises with a great cultural heritage.”

Gian Marco Alonzi / University of Bologna, Italy (2022)

“I came to Latvia for an internship and am very glad that I was a part of this organization. I chose LAPAS because I believe that it has set high, moral goals, as well as many interesting goals to set, develop and to achieve in the future. In LAPAS, I learned a lot about various important goals at the regional and global level, and it was important for me that I could make my contribution to LAPAS projects with my work.”

Francesca Del Grammastro / University of Bologna, Italy (2022)