Summaries

Estonian PM Resigns Bringing Down Coalition Government Estonia’s prime minister Jüri Ratas resigned in the early hours of Wednesday, January 13, after corruption allegations involving his left-leaning Centre party related to a €39-million loan to the Porto Franco real estate development in Tallinn were made public the day before. This...

Restoration of Henrik Visnapuu Award At its annual meeting in November, the Estonian American National Council decided to restore the Henrik Visnapuu Literature and Culture Award, founded in the U.S. in 1952 after Visnapuu's death on Long Island and discontinued due to the loss of organizing parties in 2007. Visnapuu...

Estonian Youth Spoke Up on Global Diaspora Day On November 28, Estonian Global Diaspora Day was celebrated with a live internet broadcast organised by Vabamu, the Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn.   Estonian Diaspora Day is celebrated as a moving holiday each year on the last Saturday of...

New Ministers of Education and Public Administration Minister of Public Administration Jaak Aab will become the new Minister of Education replacing Mailis Reps who stepped down last week.   Anneli Ott, who led the Riigikogu's European Union Affairs Committee, will be appointed the new Minister of Public Administration.   Prime...

Estonia to Organize Virtual UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan On November 20, an informal high-level virtual session of the UN Security Council "What can the Security Council do to support the peace process in Afghanistan?” will be held.   The event was initiated and is being organised by Estonia...

Estonian Cinematographer in Hollywood Wins Lifetime Achievement Award Montreal-born Estonian cinematographer Alar Kivilo, who has been active mainly in Hollywood since 1997, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Awards on November 27 at this year's annual Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Tallinn.   Throughout his decades-long career, he has shot...

Vabamu and ETV2 Collecting Film Footage of Expatriate Estonians ETV2 and Vabamu, the Museum of Occupations and Freedom, are collecting 8mm and Super8 films reflecting the life of Estonian communities abroad.   The collecting campaign will continue until December 31, 2020.   A selection of the collected films will be...

Foreign Ministry Conducting Global Survey of Estonians   The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is inviting all Estonians living abroad to participate in a survey in order to receive feedback on community involvement and satisfaction with consular services.   This is the first time such a survey has been conducted at...

Estonia and U.S. Boosting Digital Transformation   On October 21, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bonnie Glick signed a joint declaration in Tallinn to increase bilateral cooperation in promoting the digital revolution in development cooperation partner countries.   According to...

World's Oldest Estonian Lives in New Jersey Illa Toompuu, who will celebrate her 108th birthday on October 26, was born in St. Petersburg in 1912 and currently lives in Lakewood, New Jersey.   She holds the honorable title of the oldest Estonian in the world, following the passing in August...