On 3 September 2026, the “Safety Academy” event was held in Rēzekne, where participants strengthened their knowledge of safe behaviour in everyday life, crisis situations, and the digital environment.
One of the central themes of the event was recognising and preventing fraud. 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 Association of Security Professionals, introduced participants to the key security principles that can help them recognise fraud attempts and avoid falling into traps set by fraudsters. Participants learned how to respond when receiving suspicious calls, messages, and offers, and were also introduced to real cases of fraud in Latvia.
Igors Trofimovs, Associate Professor at the Department of Law, Management 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 Protection”, and Director of the academic bachelor’s study programme “Strategic Risks and Crisis Management”, informed participants about current developments in civil security and appropriate action in crisis situations. Together with the participants, he discussed issues related to shelters, preparing a 72-hour emergency bag, and practical actions to take in emergency situations.
Juris Soms, Associate Professor at the Department of Environment and Technology of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Healthcare at Daugavpils University, addressed resilience from the perspective of environmental sustainability, drawing attention to the responsible use of the Earth’s resources and the choice of more environmentally friendly and, at the same time, more economical solutions in everyday life. Participants were encouraged to assess their habits and their impact on the environment, while considering the long-term preservation of natural resources.
Digital safety issues were explored not only theoretically but also in practice. Under the guidance of the Society’s IT specialist Gustavs Koržeņevskis, participants took part in virtual reality simulations focusing on online fraud. This approach enabled them to test in practice how important it is to identify risks in a timely manner, assess the information they receive, and make well-considered decisions in the digital environment.
At the conclusion of the event, teams of participants tested their knowledge in the educational quiz game “The Safety Code”, led by the Society’s educators Dr. philol. Žans Badins and Dr. philol. Evita Badina. The teams had to answer questions on a variety of safety-related topics and complete more challenging tasks requiring attentiveness, logical thinking, and the ability to quickly agree on a common answer. The game tested not only knowledge but also teamwork and quick reactions. The highest score was achieved by the “Dream Team”, who emerged as the winners!
We would like to express our sincere thanks to all participants of the “Safety Academy” for their active involvement, curiosity, and willingness to strengthen their safety and resilience!
The event was organised within the framework of the project “A Guide to Family Safety and Resilience”, No. 2026.LV/ĢDV/044. The event was funded by the European Union and took 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.
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