The Baltic Security Initiative is now officially ensconced in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act at a level of $175 ...
Director Taavi Arus' new feature-length documentary about Estonian Eurovision stars Puuluup will be screened as the opening film at the ...
A celebration of culture and the ways it connects us What brings us together, across generations and across distances? Our ...
Members and friends of Kesk-Florida Eesti Selts, the Estonian Society of Central Florida were delighted to attend Azara Ballet’s engaging performance titled “Encore” on November 14 and 15, 2025, in the Riverview Performing Arts Center, Sarasota (FL). Martin Flowers (Roosaare), Azara Ballet’s co-founder and resident choreographer, graciously extended complimentary tickets...
Many are still reminiscing about Summer 2025 in Estonia with happy and moving memories about ESTO 2025 and the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration “Iseoma”. The Estonian American National Council (EANC) - Eesti Rahvuskomitee Ühendriikides (ERKÜ) is proud to support such meaningful events in various ways. As we continue...
Dear Council Member Keith Powers, dear President of the Estonian House Carl Skonberg, dear community representatives, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to honor the legacy of Estonian diplomat Mr Ernst Jaakson. He who represented Estonia in New York from 1932 until 1998, until his passing. He was recognized...
Ernst Jaakson is not only a historical figure. For Estonian diplomats, he stands as one of the towering personalities of our foreign service – a man with a moral compass many could envy. His life story is something that could only emerge from the combination of a person deeply committed...
Enable Push Notifications to Receive Timely Updates on New Articles and Announcements




Estonian jewelry artist Claudia Lepik will present her striking work at the Endless Light Ceremony during NYC Jewelry Week 2025 on November 20 (2–8 PM) at Flux Lumina Studio, 154 E 2nd Street, New York. Known for pushing the boundaries of jewelry through scale, form, and material, Lepik explores the...
In late 2021, I made a shocking discovery: My local Syrian baklava shop in Providence, Rhode Island had a Latvian Auseklis motif in its logo. As a Latvian-Estonian-American, I had to investigate. I walked into the store, ordered some baklava, and asked staff behind the counter: “What star is this?”...
In times of peace, it’s easy to forget how important the ties that bind us can be. In times of global strife and uncertainty however, the significance of our relations with our neighbors, and our alliances with like minded people, quickly return to the forefront. A few weeks ago, I...
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS recently that, to achieve peace, NATO must “withdraw” from the Baltic states. Russian officials have made plenty of threats over the years. If it is more than just rhetoric, and we take the comment at face value, it would...
Estonian/Finnish artist and dancer Anneli Kanninen invites you to the world premiere of her latest work. HOMEing is a personal exploration of what it means to grow roots in a new place. Arriving in a new country, culture and a language, how does one start building home, while remembering what...
On April 4 Estonian artist Kristi Kongi opened her first solo exhibition „Twilight in the Garden“ at Friedrichs Pontone Gallery in New York City. Kongi paints abstracted landscapes through contrasting, bright colors and geometric shapes. Her work emphasizes the beauty of nature through a fragmented lens. By focusing on the...
February 20, 2025 The war in Ukraine began with Russia’s unprovoked and catastrophic invasion on the morning of February 24, 2022. The symbolic significance of this date, Estonia’s Independence Day, commemorating liberation and freedom from Russia, is alarmingly clear to Estonian-Americans. Estonians endured almost 50 years of Soviet occupation and...
Tommy Cash and his song "Espresso Macchiato" clinched the top spot at Eesti Laul on the night of February 15 and will go on to represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland in May. Cash won an overwhelming majority of the vote – 83 percent – beating 15...
For second and third-ge-neration Estonians living abroad, maintaining a connection to their linguistic and cultural heritage can be challenging. Recognizing this unique need, a specia-lized Master's degree programme “Estonian and Finno-Ugric Languages” (EFUL) has been launched at the University of Tartu to empower these individuals to rediscover, embrace, and deepen...
If 2024 was a political blockbuster, then 2025 is already becoming an epic barnburner. With the second Trump presidency underway, everyday politics seems very different from ever before, even making his first term seem sedate by comparison. Just weeks into the new term, there has been a breathtaking litany of...
Vaba Eesti Sõna (VES), a 'Free Estonian Word,' is an Estonian expatriate bi-weekly newspaper with a national readership, founded in 1949 and published in New York City by The Nordic Press Estonian-American Publishers, Inc.
» Learn More About VES
» Signup For the Newspaper
» Contact VES
» Support Our Work
Follow our Facebook page to stay up to date with the latest news, highlighted events, and community updates from our newspaper.
© 2024 The Nordic Press Estonian-American Publishers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.