Latvia unveils statue for health workers

Latvia honors health workers

with a 19-foot statue

Location: Riga

of a female doctor

(SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) SCULPTOR, AIGARS BIKSE, SAYING:

"I was watching the news, I was watching how medics met great difficulties in Italy, how they slept on hospital floors, how their faces were wounded due to wearing masks for long hours. I understood that I, as an artist, as a sculptor, should say something."

It was built over three weeks

using light-weight synthetic foam

that is resistant to extreme weather

and will stay up until next year