People

"Abandon all hope ye who enter here”. This phrase from Dante Alighieri's "Inferno" could easily have been inscribed on the gates of the many so-called corrective labor colonies of the former Soviet Union, often referred to colloquially to this day as the Gulag prison system of the USSR. The highly...

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...

In his narrative nonfiction masterpiece, “In the Garden of Beasts,” Erik Larson writes about the rise of Hitler in 1933-34. He delves into the life of the new American ambassador in Berlin, William Dodd, who slowly comes to realize that something treacherous is afoot. Even though Dodd and a few...

The Washington Estonian Society (WES) has been keeping busy this fall! On Sunday, October 19, 2025, more than thirty Estonians and friends came together for our annual hike and social outing at Sugarloaf Mountain’s Stronghold recreation area. The day couldn’t have been more perfect — blue skies, warm air, and...

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...

Lembit Beecher’s new composition for string quartet – Cassette Dreams of the Singing Revolution – will be premiered by the Houston-based Apollo Chamber Players as part of their program ENLIGHTEN on November 15. The work is Lembit’s reflection on the nonviolent uprising in the Baltic Countries during the ’80s and...

A consular mission is an alternative way to apply for Estonian documents and provide fingerprints. The Estonian Embassy regularly organizes missions to cities with honorary consuls and larger Estonian communities. During consular missions the consul provides all consular services, except visas. Pre-registration is required — email: [email protected] Please include: The...

“On 28 May 2025, in the gracious setting of the British Ambassador’s residence in Tallinn, we celebrated the launch of Silverwhite — the first-ever English translation of Lennart Meri’s iconic book Hõbevalge”, writes Alexander Tskihilov on his Facebook page. This project was born a few years ago during a conference...