A total of 4,463 athletes representing 170 national Paralympic committees competed in the 17^th Summer Paralympic Games that took place in Paris, the capital of France, from 28 August to 8 September 2024. 

The Latvian team also participated, and three athletes won four medals: Diāna Krūmiņa won a gold medal in javelin throw in athletics, Rihards Snikus – two gold medals in equestrian sports, both in individual dressage competitions and in freestyle, and Aigars Apinis – a silver medal in discus throw.

In honour of our athletes’ achievements, Latvijas Pasts is issuing a block of stamps in 3,500 copies and an envelope with a special design in 500 copies on 31 October. The nominal value of each stamp is 2.30 euros, and they are intended for combinations of various tariffs. These philatelic products were designed by artist Ģirts Grīva.

Presentation and stamping of the stamps and envelopes in honour of the Latvian medallists of the Paris Paralympic Games will be held at the Saeima on 31 October. Among the attendees of the event will be Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima; Kaspars Briškens, Minister for Transport; Zane Skujiņa-Rubene, Head of the Latvian Paralympic Team and Member of the Saeima; Pēteris Lauriņš, Board Member of Latvijas Pasts; and Dāvis Martiņš Daugavietis, Chairperson of the Sports Subcommission of the Education, Culture and Science Commission.

Initially stamps and envelopes will be available for purchase at the post office on Elizabetes Street and Latvijas Pasts e-store at https://veikals.pasts.lv/. The first-day stamping is scheduled for 31 October, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, at the post office located at 41/43 Elizabetes Street, Riga.

The Paralympic Games are international competitions for persons with functional disabilities. They are organised every four years in the country where that year’s Olympic Games are held and are split into winter and summer games.

The organiser of the Paralympic Games is the International Paralympic Committee. The first Summer Paralympic Games were held in Rome (Italy) in 1960.

In 2016, Latvijas Pasts issued a block of stamps dedicated to the Latvian Paralympic champions – medallists of the 15^th Summer Paralympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro in September 2016: Diāna Dadzīte, Aigars Apinis and Edgars Bergs.

The next issue of philatelic products is scheduled for 8 November.

Philatelic products issued by Latvijas Pasts are highly appreciated among customers, collectors and experts alike. International philatelic associations evaluate stamps issued by Latvijas Pasts according to strict standards as equivalent to those from the largest countries, and they are regularly included both in the catalogues of globally recognised philatelic products and in the collections of renowned philatelists.