"Girls Code IT Better" in Latvia

On March 24, as part of the "Girls in Digital Week 2026", Ventspils Digital Centre and Ventspils Science Centre VIZIUM hosted the “Girls Code" event, supported by the EU Code Week grant program. The event aimed to empower girls by introducing them to the IT sector and providing the necessary tools to launch a career in technology.

The event brought together 81 participants from 7 Ventspils schools –Ventspils State Gymnasium No. 1,Ventspils Centre Primary School,Ventspils Primary School No. 1,Ventspils Primary School No. 2,Ventspils Secondary School No. 2,Ventspils Secondary School No. 4 and Ventspils Secondary School No. 6. Participants were aged 11 to 18.

Participants had the opportunity to meet and listen to inspiring IT representatives - Elīna Kroņkalne, director of Ventspils Digital Centre, Endija Briede, technical director of Bitlake Technologies and Sandra Anohina, teacher of programming and computing at Liepaja Piemare Primary School, who shared their professional experience and motivated girls not to be afraid to choose a career in the field of technology.

The event programme combined inspiring presentations with practical classes. The day began with several keynote speeches. Afterwards, participants learned the specific requirements of their task. They then took part in two workshops. During these sessions, they learned the basics of programming by developing their own game prototypes.

The event provided an opportunity for young people to:

• Learn the basics of programming in a practical and supportive environment
• Develop logical thinking and creative problem solving
• Get an idea of IT career opportunities
• Strengthen confidence in their technological capabilities

The "Girls Code IT Better" initiative was highlighted, aiming to inspire girls to learn programming and digital skills while promoting an inclusive and modern educational environment. The event's success demonstrated a growing interest in technology among young people and underscored the importance of such initiatives in shaping the next generation of IT professionals.

The event was held as part of "Girls in Digital Week 2026", which is taking place in Europe and Latvia for the second year – this year from March 23 to 27. 

The initiative was organised supported by the EU Code Week grant program and these activities are funded by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA), Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), project No. 101158834 — Code4Europe. In Latvia, the Code4Europe project is implemented by the Latvian Information and Communication Technology Association.

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