Anita Anderson OAM

Anita Anderson OAM was – in her words – incredulous when she found out she was to be recognised in the Order of Australia. 

Her humility belies the tremendous impact she has had over a lifetime of work to support the Australian Latvian community, for which she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours list. 

Ms Anderson draws her inspiration from her father, who came to Australia in 1950 fleeing the Soviet invasion of Latvia during the Second World War, and became a much-loved leader of the local Latvian community.

“I was brought up in an environment that engendered love and respect for the community, and nurtured pride in my Latvian heritage. It seemed natural to want to continue the work started by the first generation of post-war arrivals,” Ms Anderson says. 

“With Latvia’s regained independence in 1991, new opportunities for cooperative projects presented. Connection with Latvia had, for my Australian-born generation, become very real – and exciting.”

Ms Anderson is chairperson of the Latvian Federation of Australia and New Zealand Inc., where she has previously held a number of other roles. 

She was formerly the president of the Association of Latvian Organisations in Melbourne, and held previous positions representing Australian Latvians overseas.

“The greatest impact of my work has been playing a part in the continuation of the Latvian diaspora community in Australia and the strengthening of ties with Latvia; transferring the ‘torch’ to the following generations, as well as helping preserve a connection with artistic and cultural developments in Latvia and promoting Latvian culture in local communities,” Ms Anderson says.

“I would like to thank the Latvian community who has been my inspiration, my many friends and colleagues, for both supporting me and working with me; my husband, Graham and our daughters Jāna and Lija, who have been my stalwarts and collaborators over decades.”