East Coast

  On August 23rd over a thousand people filled Chicago’s City Hall Plaza in anticipation of replicating the 400-mile long human chain that has become known as the Baltic Way and to remember the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.   Due to heavy rain, after more than an hour’s delay, we were...

Continued from VES #3414   The Estonian citizens committees movement   In October 1988, Gorbachov unveiled a plan creating a new committee in the Soviet Union, the Congress of People's Deputies, and markedly restricting the rights of the constituent republics. Gorbachov's plan resulted in protests in every Soviet republic. In...

The Estonian American National Council (EANC) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2014 awards to honor outstanding Estonian Americans and organizations.   The EANC awards tradition was established in 2012 in conjunction with the Council’s 60th anniversary.  The awards recognize the exceptional work of individuals or entities in...

TALLINN, Estonia — In a sea of embroidered regional costumes and blue, black and white flags, more than 20,000 choral singers recently filled the stage of an amphitheater here, cheering their conductors and composers as though they were rock stars. The scene was part of the Estonian song and dance...

Photo by Kärt Ulman   My name is Demetra Vrenzakis. I grew up in New York and am of Greek Descent. I have been living in Greece for the past 29 years.   I visited Estonia for the first time this summer and was fortunate enough to attend the 26th...

Be involved in your Estonian American community and vote for the new XXI Estonian American National Council! Voting envelopes must be postmarked by July 19, 2014. Ballots and election certification statements should be sent to the Election Committee chair: Jüri Tint, P.O. Box 4239, East Hampton, New York 11937.  ...

New York folk dance group Saare Vikat: Triin Lawrence, Jaan Kangro, Liisi Vanaselja and Linda Lu.   Photo by Aleks Kask   The Estonian national song and dance celebration took place in Tallinn on 4–6 July, 2014. A whopping 96 per cent of Estonians surveyed in a sociological study led by...

Be involved in your Estonian American community and vote for the new XXI Estonian American National Council!   As a reminder, voting envelopes must be postmarked by July 19, 2014.  If you are going on vacation, vote before you go!   Ballots and election certification statements should be sent to...

Original Incorporation Document.   The 11th of June marks the anniversary of the publication of the very first issue of Vaba Eesti Sõna. We proudly print today's issue as number 3386 in an uninterrupted sequence of weekly Estonian-language newspapers, published in New York and serving readers across all of North...

Photo: Marju Rink-Abel, Arvo Pärt, Carnegie Hall, May 31, 2014   In honor of his "Extra-ordinary Contributions of Artistic and Cultural Significance," Marju Rink-Abel, EANC president, presented Arvo Pärt with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a special post-Carnegie Hall concert reception on May 31, 2014. The reception, which was hosted...