A University of Latvia team of computer programming students finished in a tie for 18th place with MIT and Princeton University in last month’s 2012 IBM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM ICPC).

More than 8,500 teams participated from 2,219 universities worldwide. Eduards Kalinicenko, Jevgenijs Vihrovs and Normunds Vilcins competed on the Latvian team. Kaļiņicenko is a 19 year old freshman from the Faculty of Computing. Vihrovs is a 21 year old junior from the same faculty. Vilcins, 21, is studying at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics.

“We are proud of our accomplishments, and we feel we will continue to perform exceptionally well in the future as the University of Latvia has some of the best computer programming minds in the world,” said Professor Guntis Arnicans, the University of Latvia team’s coach.  “We also are proud of the fact that only one team from the European Union bettered our results.”

The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM ICPC) is the oldest and the most prestigious computer programming competition in the world.  The tournament is also known as the “Battle of the Brains.”  The contest draws worldwide attention and even best-selling New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman highlights the competition in his latest book, That Used To Be Us.

The Bank of Latvia has released two new Latvian coins – a circulation 1 Lats coin with an image of a hedgehog, as well as 1 Lats silver commemorative coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Rīga Zoo.

As per the Bank of Latvia website “The hedgehog inhabits deciduous groves, bushes, edges of forests and often dwells also in parks and gardens close to people. The white-chested hedgehog, which is slightly stouter and with light-coloured hair on its belly and head, is found all over Latvia, whereas the brown-chested one is much more rare and is found mostly in Northern Vidzeme.”

The designers of the coin are Andris Vītoliņš (graphic design) and Laura Medne (plaster model). The cupro-nickel coin was struck in 2012 by Staatliche Münzen Baden-Württemberg (Germany).

Also on the subject of animals, the silver (.925 fineness) proof coin commemorating the Rīga Zoo, designed by Ivars Mailītis (graphic design) as well as Ligita Franckeviča and Ivars Mailītis (plaster model), was struck by Rahapaja Oy (Finland).

According to the Bank of Latvia website, “the Zoo boasts new state-of-the art [buildings] – Giraffe House, Tropical House, Farmstead, Tiger Enclosure etc. The Zoo’s collection currently comprises 3 200 animals of 420 species, and about one third of the species are capable of producing offspring, which highlights the professional skills and love of animals of the people taking care of them.”

The hedgehog coin can be bought at Bank of Latvia locations for face value, and the Rīga Zoo coin can also be purchased at Bank of Latvia locations as well as numismatic shops.

Youth camp 2×2, a camp in the US for primarily North American Latvian youths is scheduled from December 27th 2012 to January 2nd 2013 in Malibu, California. This will be the 4th 2×2 camp to be held since the movement was rejuvenated in 2006. Originally started in 1964 and active until 1996 this movement had experienced a lull for a decade before Aivars Osvalds, a former 2×2 member decided it was time to recreate the atmosphere of previous years.

The focus of this camp is on promoting activism among Latvian youth in North America with the view to make clear succession in Latvian community life – that eventually they will be taking over the reins. Topics for discussion have been Latvian politics, “latvietība”, the options for youth from North America to relocate to Latvia for various lengths of time, ways of expressing your sense of being a Latvian.

Serious discussions are always offset with less brain-stressing acitivities – folk dancing, jewelry making, Latvian cooking, singing and a fun-packed evening programme.

Guest speakers from Latvia over the past years have been writer and playwright Māra Zālīte, journalist Jānis Domburs, journalist Eva Ikstena-Strapcāne, and a host of former emigre Latvians who now reside in Latvia: Māris Graudiņš, Dainis Mjartāns, Andris Gobiņš among others. This year’s 2×2 guest speakers will be singer Renārs Kaupers, politician Raivis Dzintars and former Diena editor and Minister of Culture, Sarmīte Ēlerte.

For more information on 2×2 have a look at the 2×2 website