Kristi Kongi’s First Solo Exhibition Opened in New York City
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 24: A Day of Freedom and a Reminder of What’s at Stake
There’s an image I can’t shake: A 13-year-old girl clings to the railing of the hospital ship Moero, fleeing the carnage of war gripping her home country of Estonia. The year is 1944. The Soviets have mined the harbor in Tallinn, and the ship groans under the weight of desperate...
Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing
The news and updates come at a blistering pace. It’s hard to keep up with the volume and impact. But the quality of content? It is frighteningly stupefying. The Trump administration has been hellbent on upending the everyday normal. Steve Bannon’s “flooding the zone” strategy, which The New York Times...
EANC Statement on Ukraine
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...
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SUVEKODU 2023 – SUMMER CAMP IN LONG ISLAND
The Year in Review for U.S.-Baltic Advocacy
2024 was a busy year for advocacy on the U.S.-Baltic front. 2025 will continue to be so. In the U.S. Congress, a sign of success is the fast-growing interest in the Baltic Caucus, as both House and Senate Caucuses increased exponentially. 34 new House members joined in 2023-2024 during the...
Exhibition Composed of DNA from 100,000 Estonians on Display at Estonian National Museum
As part of the Tartu 2024 European Capital of Culture program, one of Japan’s most renowned artists, Ryoji Ikeda, has opened a unique audiovisual solo exhibition dedicated to Estonians at the Estonian National Museum (ENM). The exhibition features two new works created specifically for the ENM space, exploring the synergy...
Blood Sausage Making in San Francisco
Verivorst making is back again this year! Join us on Saturday, November 23 (from 10 AM until we’re done!) to make this a necessity for your holiday table. Location: Los Altos Hills (RSVP for directions) Suggested donation: $15 (the party is free!) Whether you are a master sausagemaker or a...
7th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival Starting Soon
New York, NY — Less than a week left to go for the 7th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House! From November 6-17, 2024, in-person and virtual screenings of the best new films from the Baltic region will be presented alongside film talks with directors,...
Troy University Professor Dr. Michael Guo-Brennan Awarded Fulbright for Research in Estonia
Dr. Michael Guo-Brennan, an associate professor of public administration at Troy University, has received the Fulbright Scholar title. This prestigious award allows him to conduct research and lecture at Tallinn University in Estonia for six months. His focus will be on civic engagement and public policy, with special attention to...
Baltic Way – Black Ribbon Day Commemorated in Washington, DC
On August 23, the Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC), the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, the embassies of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and about 100 participants gathered on McPherson Square outside the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, DC, to celebrate 35 years since the Baltic Way, and to...
Dozens of Estonia’s Historic Manors and Castles Seeking New Owners
Around 20 of Estonia's historic manors are looking for new owners, but sellers say buyers are difficult to come by due to their complex conditions and pricey renovations. Some of the grand – and formerly grand – buildings are under heritage protection, which can add extra layers of difficulty for...
Estonian Biobank Launches One of a Kind Online Biobank Portal
On June 11, the Estonian Biobank, part of the University of Tartu (TÜ), launched its long-awaited online biobank participant portal. With a current Biobank cohort size of more than 200,000 individuals, around 20 percent of Estonia's adult population can now log in to the globally unique portal and read about...
Triin Ustav Won First Prize at the International Trumpet Guild Competition
Congratulations to the fantastic young Estonian trumpeter Triin Ustav, and to her teacher Neeme Ots, on winning the first prize at the International Trumpet Guild Ryan Anthony Memorial Competition Youth Division in Los Angeles! The young trumpet talents´ trip to Los Angeles was supported by a scholarship provided by The...
“The Legacy of Juri Lotman” at the NY Public Library
“The Legacy of Juri Lotman” will celebrate Tartu, Estonia as a 2024 European Capital of Culture, including luminaries of worldwide interest like Juri Lotman. The celebration will take us to memorable places in Tartu that are connected to the cultural heritage and legacy of this unique man and his city....
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.
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Thanks to the support and generous donations from our readers, we continue to spread the Estonian spirit across America. Politically independent, we are dedicated to a free and independent Republic of Estonia. Our newspaper and its staff proudly uphold the title: 'Free Estonian Word.'
