On 11 May 2026, the family event “Safety Academy” was held in Daugavpils, focusing on safety in everyday life, crisis situations, and the digital environment. The event gave participants an opportunity not only to expand their knowledge but also to practically test their preparedness to respond appropriately in a variety of situations.
The risks associated with fraud and how to recognise them were discussed by Kārlis Apalups, a lecturer at Turība University and Head of the Security Studies field, founder of the security company “Zevs”, and a member of the Security Professionals Association. He introduced participants to the key principles that can help identify potential fraud at an early stage and explained how to respond when receiving suspicious calls, messages, or offers. Examples of actual fraud cases that have occurred in Latvia were also discussed.
The topic of civil safety and appropriate action in crisis situations was addressed by Igors Trofimovs, Associate Professor at the Department of Law, Management Science and Economics of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Daugavpils University, Director of the short-cycle professional higher education study programme “Civil Security and Defence”, and Director of the academic bachelor’s study programme “Strategic Risks and Crisis Management”. Participants gained practically useful information about current security challenges and appropriate courses of action in emergency and crisis situations.
A broader perspective on the concept of safety was provided by Juris Soms, Associate Professor at the Department of Environment and Technologies of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Healthcare at Daugavpils University. He drew attention to the responsible use of the Earth’s resources and to everyday choices that make it possible to live in a more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable way. Participants discussed habits and solutions that can contribute, in the long term, to preserving a clean environment and natural resources for future generations.
Special activities were also organised for the youngest participants of the “Safety Academy”. Under the guidance of Ingrīda Kupšāne, Lecturer at the Department of Languages and Literature of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Daugavpils University, children took part in interactive activities in which they learned to assess different everyday situations, recognise potential risks, and consider the consequences of reckless actions.
Digital safety was another important part of the event. Under the guidance of the Society’s IT specialist Gustavs Koržeņevskis, participants took part in digital activities and virtual reality simulations. This allowed them to explore digital safety issues not only theoretically but also in practice, using a simulated environment to experience situations in which they needed to quickly assess circumstances, identify risks, and make appropriate decisions.
The “Safety Academy” concluded with an educational quiz game, “The Safety Code”, in which teams tested the knowledge they had acquired during the event. The game was led by Žans Badins, Lecturer at the Department of Languages and Literature of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Daugavpils University and researcher at the Centre for Cultural Studies of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Evita Badina, researcher at the Centre for Cultural Studies. The questions covered a wide range of safety-related topics while also testing participants’ attentiveness, logical thinking, and ability to cooperate quickly as a team. After a closely contested competition, the team “Table 1” emerged as the winner and received valuable prizes.
We would like to thank all participants of the “Safety Academy” for their active involvement, curiosity, and willingness to develop the knowledge and skills that contribute to strengthening safety and resilience at both the individual and family levels.
The event was organised within the framework of the project “A Guide to Family Safety and Resilience”, No. 2026.LV/ĢDV/044. The event is funded by the European Union and takes place within the framework of the European Social Fund Plus project “Development of a Family-Friendly Environment and Society”, Project No. 4.3.6.9/1/24/I/001.
Responsibility for the content of the project lies with the Daugavpils University Society for Lifelong Learning, Culture, and Science Communication “Park of Intellect”.
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