Health coach, cookbook author, and retreat facilitator Marika Blossfeldt spends winters in Beacon, upstate New York, and summers at her farm Polli Talu in Rame küla, Estonia. Her most recent book, “COOKING WITH MARIKA: Clean Cuisine from an Estonian Farm” was published in May 2020. It has won the 2020 ...

Kristjan Järvi, an internationally well known charismatic Estonian musician and conductor (familiar to Estonians in the USA as he, his brother Paavo and their father Neeme Järvi have guest conducted several USA symphony orchestras, and Kristjan co-founded the New York based classical hip-hop-jazz group Absolute Ensemble),  is featured in a ...

The Road to BERRICHI Berit Joosep December 3, 2020 An accountant by day, and a herbal alchemist by night, Berit Joosep was living the  normal life of a working mom of two.  She had no prior experience in the world of cosmetics. She did not set out to create an ...

  As we celebrate International Education Week and Global Entrepreneurship Week, we'd like to introduce to  you an exchange alumni and entrepreneur, Triin!   She studied in the U.S. in 2015 in the Digital Communication Network program. While in the U.S., Triin wanted to understand how to utilize digital tools ...

  The sauna builder’s grandson has just been granted permission to recover the smoke sauna and restore it in the Rocky Mountains   The more we write about Estonian saunas, the more people write to us about weird and wonderful Estonian saunas for us to cover, writes Adam Rang in ...

  Elmar Sepp was born on the island of Saaremaa in a free and independent Estonia in 1925.   The fifth of six children of Hindrik, a merchant marine, and Mari, a farmer and homemaker. After his father was imprisoned and killed by Soviet invaders at the outbreak of World ...

"Light Stream", the winning entry in the Ülemiste rail terminal design competition.  Source: Zaha Hadid Architects and Esplan OÜ   The time-frame for the planned high speed Rail Baltic terminal in Tallinn has been announced, with work starting next year and the goal of completion by the end of 2025, ...

Children of Tallinn's Old Town's schools traditionally visit Riigikogu (Parlament) on Martinmas, where they were greeted by Henn Põlluaas, the Speaker of the Riigikogu. Photo by Postimees   Late autumn is the time when harvests conclude, the weather cools and the days grow shorter.   In Estonia, as in many ...

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is inviting Estonians across the world to give feedback. We would like to know how Estonian communities around the world are satisfied with consular services and the level of inclusion.   Valuable feedback will help us plan development activities in a way that best ...

Photo by Ksenija Kurs / pealinn.ee   Tallinn's traditional Christmas market is to be replaced this year by a more dispersed event, encompassing the entire Old Town and other districts of the capital, due to coronavirus concerns.   The city government itself is overseeing the festivities.   "We have a ...

Epp-Karike Sonin.   Epp-Karike Sonin always amazes, inspires and delights us — especially on January 11 when she beautifully performed at the dedication of the "Epp Sonin Music Room"  at the Follen Church in Lexington, Massachusetts.   Her lovely lyric soprano captivated everyone. The spacious room, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and ...

Photo by Arne Maasik All are invited to the exhibition opening of contemporary art inspired by Estonian-born U.S. architect Louis Kahn by an international roster of artists, including from Estonia. The event is being organized by MW Projects with support from Eesti Kultuurkapital, kultuuriministeerium, the Consulate General of Estonia in ...

For the third year in a row, USA and Canadian ESTOS converged on Mont Tremblant, Quebec on March 7th for a 3-day weekend of skiing, snowboarding and socializing. This year’s group surged to over 220 people with the mix of participants being fairly evenly split between our friends from the north ...

New Estonian Honorary Consul in St. Petersburgis (FL) Kaie Põhi Latterner. Kesk-Florida Eesti Selts, EV101, February 23, Clearwater, FL. Photo by Erkki Taada   Far exceeding the attendance guesstimates of the Kesk Florida Eesti Seltsi (KFES) juhatus/ Estonian Society of Central Florida Board, 71 guests attended the asso ciation's celebration of the 101st anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. ...

Senator Grassley making welcome remarks.   The NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (StratCom COE), located in Riga, Latvia, recently sent five of its experts to Washington to present their series of reports on a variety of cybersecurity topics, including robotrolling, social media vulnerabilities, and manipulation of online behavior. Senator Chuck Grassley (RIA), co-chair of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, made welcome remarks and ...

News continues to trickle in regarding Estonian conductors' performances abroad this year, whether with their own orchestra or as guest conductor. Anu Tali, musical director of the Sarasota Orchestra, has two new progammes to direct with her Florida orchestra, and is kicking off the second half of the current season with a total of seven concerts, writes ERR News.   Ms Tali's ...

‘Lõimeleer’ is a summer camp designed for Estonian youngsters who live abroad. It gives them the opportunity to mix with kids their own age who live in Estonia, to learn traditional handicrafts (woodwork, jewellery and textiles), to play games involving musical instruments, singing and dancing, to find out how horses are used and controlled and other quintessentially traditional Estonian skills.   ...

There were many in Moscow and throughout what had been the Soviet Union who supported the aspirations of the coup plotters even if they did not take action at the time. Might they have coalesced under some other leader, even Gorbachev himself, to ensure the survival of the empire?   That was a very real risk, as many of ...

Estonians love the forest. The Baltic nation and former Soviet republic is, according to a somewhat contested legend, also home to the first Christmas tree. So when the holidays roll around, it makes sense that many Estonians decamp to the nation’s plentiful forest to cut down their tree, writes Rosie Spikes in Quartzy (qz.com)   This might sound like the most ...

Tallinn - ESTO 2019 passes can be bought at a reduced price until February 28th, 2019, from the ESTO website estofestival.com.    The XII Global Estonian Cultural Festival will take place in Helsinki, Tartu and Tallinn during the week leading up to the National Song and Dance Festival, June 27 - July 3, 2019.   The official opening ceremonies will take ...

Begun in the 1990’s after the fall of the Soviet Union as a response to the intellectual elite’s attempt to dominate the art world of Estonia and Eastern Europe, NON GRATA’s spontaneous group of artists - constantly evolving and interchangeable in it’s national membership - landed at Jason Vass Gallery in Los Angeles last week with another crazy, undefinable, chaosdriven fun ...

This low-tech jalg/ratta/hoidja (bicycle rack) in central Saaremaa, fashioned out of a palk (log) can accomodate rattad (bikes, literally "wheels"; jalg/ratas = "leg wheel"), as well as large aed/viljad ("garden crop/fruit", i.e. fruits and vegetables) awaiting transport. Perhaps the smaller one of these two kõrvitsad (pumpkins) could fit in your ratta/korv (bike basket). And then, ...

Friday, November 23rd and Saturday, November 24th Marriott Boston Copley Place   For the first time in Boston, over 30 internationally known Baltic artists from the US, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have joined forces to create a unique and exciting art exhibit to commemorate the Baltic Centennial in Boston.This historic exhibit is free and open to the public at the ...

Merle Maigre at StratCom DC.   Two Washington think tanks recently held their annual events looking at the security situation and hybrid threats in the transatlantic sphere. Both featured Estonian officials speaking on strategic communications, cyber security and hybrid warfare. EANC’s Washington, DC Director Karin Shuey caught up with the Estonian guests at both events.   In late September, the Center ...

"My name is Süsi (Coal) not Eba/õnn(Bad Luck). I want to find a loving home too. Kirjuta mulle." (Write me). Oktoober is Musta kassi kuu (Black Cat Month) at the Kasside Turva/kodu (cats' "safe home", i.e. shelter) in Tallinn.   It is an MTÜ or mitte/tulundus/ühing – nonprofit organization, as is Varju/paikade MTÜ (varju/paik is another word for a shelter), which ...

From 7,000 to 10,000 people with prior registration will be allowed to enter Freedom Square in Tallinn's city centre for the mass to be celebrated there by Pope Francis in the afternoon of 25 September.    Registration is open until September 15, and "there is no danger at this point that there won't be enough room for everyone eager to attend," Marge-Marie ...

A recurring English language column in Vaba Eesti Sõna… the death nail of the Estonian language in the United States, or a palliative for its demise?    Good question (even if I did write it myself). To some, the fact that this article is written in English by someone who understands and speaks Estonian is a travesty. ...

That's what the title of the popular children's (and everybody's) song "Sauna taga tiigi ääres" means. So what did the characters Miku and Manni look like? Has anybody illustrated this tale?... They were catching konna/poegi (tadpoles, pollywogs, literally "frog young") lõhki/löödud panniga – with a old, beaten up, cracked pan. (In the original rhyme, written in 1901 by Hermann ...

Cookies left for Santa or meatballs for a deceased grandfather during hingede/aeg, the time of souls – it all depends on where you're from. Photo: Riina Kindlam   Estonians visit and light candles on the graves of loved ones on 2. november, hingede/päev (All Souls Day), as do many Europeans ...

The Estonian American National Council (EANC) invites the public to a special panel program on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.   The free afternoon program will feature three interactive discussions on topics such as the current Washington DC political scene, ...

October 13 – October 19, 2017 Anthology Film Archives   This brief series shines a spotlight on what is, from the U.S. vantage point, an undeniably obscure, unexplored feature of the filmic landscape: the cinema of Estonia.   Guestcurated by Tallinn-based curator, Greete Põrk (Director of the Freedom Fries Alternative ...

Lt.Gen. Riho Terras, Chief of Defence of Estonia, Minister of Defence of Estonia Hannes Hanso and Minister of Defence of Finland Jussi Niinisto at the Warsaw Summit.  Photo courtesy of NATO Flickr page.   The EANC board recently coordinated with the Estonian Embassy on sending security-related questions to the Estonian ...

20. August 2016 - 9:19   Dear friends,   Today we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the restoration of the Republic of Estonia. Surely many of you remember the anxious days in August 1991. Today 25 years ago the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia functioning as a parliament ...

New Yorgi Eesti Segakoori Kontsert pühapäeval 1. mail 2016  New Yorgi Eesti Ev. Luteri Usu Kirikus. Foto: Al Brownell   May 1st Concert The Immanuel Lutheran Church on Lexington Avenue and 88th Street hosted a choral concert by the New York Estonian Mixed Choir in a program featuring both classical, ...

The Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. came together 55 years ago on April 27, 1961, as documented by the decision and signatures of the heads of the leading national Baltic organizations.       In doing so, it would combine the efforts of the three main national organizations of ...

The Gift That Gives All Year VABA EESTI SÕNA Is In Need Of Everyone’s Help To Ensure Its Continued Publication   This weekly newspaper provides its readers with news happening in Estonia and also informs them of local cultural and social events in the USA, such as church services, concerts, ...

Starting from the back top row: Koidula Suurmagi , Eiki Martinson , in the center: Ene Piirak , artistic director Richard Riley and Estonian Ambassador Eerik Marmei, Uku Meri , Kiku Martinson and Heli Kubja , Kadi Piirak and Aili Dalton .  From the left: Margit Sirgo with her daughter ...

Stanford Librarian Michael Keller became an Estonian e-resident on November 3, by receiving a digital identity card at the Estonian Embassy in Washington. In addition to being a symbol of his continuous support towards Estonian and Baltic studies at Stanford, his status as an e-resident also simplifies his communication with ...

The Gallery of Estonia won third prize at Expo Milano 2015 Awards in the category of Exhibition Design among the pavilions with a surface smaller than 2,000 square meters. The gold medal in the category went to Austria, and second place to Iran. The international jury of Expo Milan 2015 ...

Now you can support both EANC and Vaba Eesti Sõna!  The Estonian American Natio-nal Council announces a special promotion: every person who donates $500 or more to EANC will receive a free subscription to Vaba Eesti Sõna, the only Estonian-language newspaper published in the U.S.! You can choose either a ...

Viru bog in North Estonia.  Photo by Kart Ulman / VES   ERR News - During the Soviet occupation, the total area of peatlands in Estonia decreased almost 2.8 times. Now large scale wetland restoration project is underway to rectify the situation. According to the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF), ...

Kihnu wedding.    Photo: puhkaeestis.ee   Travel to Kihnu, a small island off the coast of Estonia, and you’ll immediately notice that the island’s dirt roads, rock-strewn beaches, and tiny villages are bereft of men, writes Kirstin Fawcett in mentlfloss.com. Its inhabitants are mostly middle-aged women; they zip across the island ...

Inspired by Skype, ambitious entrepreneurs have the confidence to believe their dreams can come true, writes Henry Muller in technologist.eu.   On the photo: Priit Potter, (age 34), Tallinn University of Technology, PLUMBR (2011), Funds raised €1,500,000, Employees 20   What Apple is to America, Skype is to Estonia – ...

In the beginning of October, an international special intervention units anti-terrorism simulation ATHOS 2015 (Allied Terrorism Hindering Operation Simulation) was held in Southern Estonia to practice cooperation and exchange tactical experiences in solving a large-scale hostage crisis. Estonian Minister of the Interior Hanno Pevkur said that international cooperation increases the ...

Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus.   Photo by T.Blaat / delfi.ee   TransferWise co-founders, Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Käärmann, have been named Ernst and Young UK Entrepreneurs of the Year 2015. The award recognizes leaders of a young company that fit specific judging criteria: innovation, strategic direction, entrepreneurial vision, financial performance, ...

Broadcasting history was made on Monday, when ETV+, Estonian Public Broadcasting’s (ERR) first Russian-language TV-channel, finally launched. Darja Saar, the editor-in-chief of the new channel – almost a year in the making - told ERR that ETV+’s program is set for now, but may see some adjustments later on, once ...

Photos by Tõnu Tunnel   On September 18th, an installation of three gigantic wooden megaphones built by a team of Estonian Academy of Arts interior architecture students opened for all forest dwellers for resting, contemplation and above all – listening to the sounds of nature and forests around them. According ...

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves gave a speech at the General Debate of the 70th United Nations General Assembly, focusing on human rights, personal freedoms and the refugee issue. Ilves started his speech by expressing hope that the historic agreement on the Iran nuclear program will pave the way toward more ...

On Sept. 23, the day of the autumnal equinox or sügisene pööri/päev at 11.21 Eastern European Summer Time, the place to be was on the corner of Suve and Sügise Streets in Tallinn, or literally on the spot where summer and fall meet.   Like virtually all place names in ...

Andres Simonson Seattle 1950 family   The Estonian American National Council (EANC) needs your help to tell the Estonian-American story.     They are out there somewhere. Maybe in an old shoebox in a dark forgotten corner of the attic. Maybe inside the front cover of a dusty book, whose ...

General Martin Dempsey in Tallinn. Photo by ERR News   General Martin Dempsey, the highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, who was on a two-day working visit to Estonia, said that both countries benefit from the mutual military co-operation and the American presence in the country might ...

On September 24 the Atlantic Council and Stanford's Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law will present a public address by President Toomas Ilves of Estonia on the future of technology in elections.   Estonia is the only country in the world to use internet voting at the ...

“1944”. Photo by Taska Film The Estonian submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards will be Elmo Nüganen’s "1944".   Nüganen’s film depicts the events of the war in 1944 as Estonia faced advances from both the Red Army and the German Army.   The story ...

Join us and the EU Embassies May 9th, 2015 for the annual EU Embassies' Open House: a day of family fun, food, culture and more.   The event offers visitors a rare look inside the embassies and provides a unique opportunity for them to experience the cultural heritage and national ...

If you look carefully at the beautiful photograph “Composer’s Kit” by Tõnu Kõrvits, you will spot a stone nestled near the bottom left with the poignant inscription “peace on earth.”   This should not surprise anyone familiar with the history of Estonia, a country that has been on the brink ...

The first full orchestral composition by Estonian-American Jonas Tarm will have its world premiere Sunday, March 8, at Carnegie Hall in New York City.   The piece is entitled "Marsh u Nebuttya" – which means "March to Oblivion" in Ukrainian – and it will be played by the New York ...

Minister of Interior Hanno Pevkur visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on October 16,  and handed over a Plaque of Recognition from the Estonian Government for their support on establishing the Amputation Rehabilitation Center at the East-Tallinn Central Hospital in Estonia. Minister of Interior Hanno Pevkur’s meetings in Washington ...

The newly elected EANC executive committee posed for a photo-op. On the photo are (from the left): Matti Priima, Maia Linask, Mirjam Krull, Mai-Liis Barthing, Marju Rink-Abel (council president), Eric Suuberg, Arne Kalm, Kristi Allpere, Andres Simonson. Not present at the meeting (but also elected) were Tiina Urv and Alvar ...

Left to right: Jay Kaufman, Lexington Symphony board member; Epp Sonin, Lexington Symphony president and board chair; Joyce Vyriotes, communications director, Cummings Foundation; and Virginia Hecker, Lexington Symphony executive director, at a reception for Cummings Foundation grantees in June.   Courtesy photo   September 8, 2014, Lexington, MA.  Lexington Symphony, a ...

September 1, 2014The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20500   Dear Mr. President, Estonian Americans applaud your upcoming visit to Estonia and hope that it signifies not only symbolic, but increased tangible U.S. support to the Baltic countries, Poland, and of course, Ukraine.  The protection ...

  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 ...

May 20, 2014   Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves will visit St. Olaf College May 25 to receive an honorary degree and deliver the charge to the graduating class.     His speech will be streamed live and archived online.   As the leader of the smallest and most successful ...

ERR News - "I Won't Come Back," a film directed by Ilmar Raag and co-produced by film studios in Russia, Finland, Estonia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, has won a special jury mention from the Nora Ephron Prize's jury at the Tribeca FIlm Festival. The film tells a story about a young ...

Photo: Siiri Lind   More than 30 years ago, after the Estonian Language Mother’s Day service in Cleveland, asked my husband’s niece who does not speak Estonian, why even men are wiping tears when singing “Mother’s Heart?” That night my husband sat down and wrote the translation  - a very ...

Pillerkaar, Estonian Folk Dancers from the Washington DC Metro Area performed at the Bangladesh Embassy on Saturday, February 22, 2014 in Washington, DC along with performers from 12 other countries and an audience of over 300.  The Bangladesh Embassy invited Pillerkaar to be a part of a cultural show to ...

April 17, 2014   The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC) joins the United States government in condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Crimea.  The CEEC, comprised of 18 national organizations representing more than 20 million Americans of Central and Eastern Europe heritage, fully supports Ukraine’s ...

New England Conservatory will bestow honorary Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degrees on four distinguished musicians and scholars at its 143rd annual Commencement Exercises, Sunday, May 18 at 3 p.m. in NEC’s Jordan Hall.   The recipients are choral conductor and educator Simon Carrington, jazz composer/bandleader/activist Carla Bley, musicologist and ...

Conductor Anu Tali (center) after the concert with Ambassador Marina Kaljurand, Consul General Sten Schwede, Honorary Concul Lisa Mets together with members of the local Kesk Florida Eesti Selts and their friends from Estonia, Minnesota, etc.     Photo by Monika Orumaa Craig   The Sarasota Orchestra welcomes their new Music Director ...

Andres Simonson’s Greeting At The Estonian Independence Day Celebration in Lakewood, NJ   Tere tulemast and welcome. My job today is to greet you and make you feel welcome at our Estonian Independence Day celebration. But as I set the joyous mood for today’s Lakewood Estonian House festivities, many will ...

Estonian Honorary Consul Michael Chan of Phoenix, Jim and Linda Abbott, James 'Ilo' Becker, Josiah Becker, Jess Williams and Tatum Wright, Peter and Ann Boyer, John Willis, Melissa Kula, Steve Martinez, Linda Becker, Hilja Hõplus-Martinez, Julius Becker, Janet and Erik Arro, Eda and Rees Fischer with Mari, Estonian Embassy First ...

…the emergency telephone number you know as 911 is häda/abi/number 112. How are children in laste/aed (kindergarten) taught to remember this important number? They make it out of packing snow and paint it red.   Photo: Riina Kindlam   There’s an expression in Estonian, that if you want someone to really ...

Attending the February 21, 2014 official opening of the Estonian Honorary Consulate in St. Petersburg, Florida: Estonian Consul General Sten Schwede, Pinellas County Commission Chair Karen Williams-Seel, President & CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Chris Steinocher, Estonian Ambassador to the United States and Mexico Her Excellency ...

The eestlaste muistne vabadus/võitlus aka 13th century Northern Crusades era look became so popular, these two cubs-in-training or mini-hundud Suvi Mari (4)and Tuuli (5), wore them to their kindergarten class.   This sparked their teacher Aire and soon the whole class was making and wearing the historic and stylish headgear. ...

The annual FIRE AND ICE party in Tallinn, known for its fire sculptures, burning of Christmas trees (note the nifty tree recycling symbol) and ice sculptures, could also be interpreted as the COME AND STAY party. Such is the beauty of homonüümid or homonyms, words that share the same spelling ...

JBANC Press Release: February 7, 2014  (Washington, DC) – Circassian-American activists, who trace their roots to the Sochi region in the North Caucasus, participated on February 6 in the first-ever Google+ Hangout organized and hosted online by the Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. (JBANC). On the eve of the official ...

The EANC Election Committee announces elections for the Estonian American National Council’s XXI Council, as authorized by the current XX Council. Members are elected for four years.  EANC, representing the interests of Estonian Americans, works to preserve, promote and support our Estonian cultural heritage and U.S. Estonian communities, as well ...

The finale of the Song Festival in 2004. I am on the stage’s 23th row, the 96th from the right; did you find me?   by Arved Plaks   Soon, this coming July, Estonia will burst into singing and dancing. Well, not every Estonian, but those not singing or dancing ...

Graphic warnings on packages of sigaretid aka suitsud ("smokes") are nothing new, but most likely the texts in Estonian are... The sticker on the top is proof that these are not sala/sigaretid or "secret cigarettes", i.e. have not been illegally smuggled, (a major problem at the Russian border) and are ...

ERR News editors took time to pick the year's most important narratives.   Municipal elections, 2013 edition   The October 20 municipal elections, which dominated Estonia's headlines from late summer to midautumn, didn't produce much in the way of shakeups. There were, however, further signs that support for the Reform ...

I was hooked right from the first page of this travelogue when the author recounts an amusing anecdote about a receptionist and ‘chicken’ at the hostel in Tallinn where he is residing at the start of a two month  backpacking odyssey around Estonia searching for answers to the title of ...

11 Estonian Contemporary Artists in BOSI Gallery, NYC   The prestigious BOSI Contemporary gallery presents the Estonian Lithography Center's "Love in the 21st Century" exhibition by 11 well-known Estonian contemporary artists who all have their own message and point of view of love. Artists: Kadri Alesmaa, Peeter Allik, Toomas Altnurme, ...

ERR News - Arvo Pärt held on to his place as the world's most performed living composer for a third straight year and rose a whopping 14 spots on Bachtrack's all-time list.         The top three were, somewhat unsurprisingly, Mozart followed by Beethoven, then J. S. Bach. ...

  Not just any old wooden chair, but a gingerbread replica of a famed late 19th century Lutheri tool or plywood (vineerist) chair made in Tallinn's A. M. Lutheri Mehaanilise Puidu/töötlemise Vabrik / Luther Woodworking Company.   From 1880 to 1940, the Luther factory was one of the world's leading ...

  John Taylor, the author of into the Heart of European Poetry (Translations) and translator of several French poets writes about Kristiina Ehin’s bilingual selection of verse, rendered from the Estonian by Ilmar Lehtpere as it appeared from the Bitter Oleander Press.   The “1001 Winters” translations from volumes entitled ...

Mark your calendars for January 24 - 31, 2015!  The first ever KLENK (Kesk-Lääne Eesti Noorte Koondis / Midwestern Estonian Youth Association) and IEP (Idaranniku Eesti Päevad / East Coast Estonian Days) joint event will take place aboard the beautiful Ruby Princess, setting sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and bound ...

The Nordic Press, Inc. juhatus on asutanud “Vaba Eesti Sõna Reservfond’i”, mis oma tegevuse läbi kindlustaks eestikeelse kirjavara pikaajalise ilmumise USAs (hiljem nimetati see ümber Vaba Eesti Sõna Reservkontoks). Fondi ajutisse juhatusse kuuluvad Nordic Pressi abiesimees Priit Parming, endine Nordic Pressi abiesimees Jüri Martinson, Nordic Pressi laekur Siiri Lind, ERKÜ ...

Lasting Liberty Day27 March 2013 marked a very special day for Estonia and its citizens. On that day, the Republic of Estonia had been independent longer in the post-Cold War period than it was in the interwar period.   More specifically, from the retreat of the German Reich forces on ...

Making traditional jõulu/kroonid (Christmas crowns) is easy, at least the basic octahedron or eight-faceted shape. You don't wear them, you hang them from the ceiling. Traditionally they're made from straw (õle/kõrred) or reeds (pilli/roog), but these cubs and scouts in the Nõmme suburb of Tallinn artfully mastered the kaheksa/tahukas (octahedron) ...

Foto: Siiri Lind/VES

December 11, 2013   The Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc. (JBANC), echoing the concerns of Americans of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian heritage, and the Ukrainian people and concerned individuals and governments around the world, calls for a fair, democratic, and peaceful solution to the increasingly volatile situation in Ukraine. ...

Kalev H. Leetaru has been honored as one of Foreign Policy Magazine’s top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013, an enormously prestigious award which recognize “the world’s most exciting people... made a measurable difference in politics, business, technology, the arts, the sciences, and more.”   Kalev Leetaru is being recognized as ...

Gerli Padar.     Photo by Estonian Embassy in Washington   Lotte performed at Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, DC,  for a full house on November 9, 2013.   Lotte is a little girl puppy dog whose home is in the most wonderful town — Gadgetville! It’s a place where ...

This is an exerpt from an Estonian grade 1 nature (loodus/teadus) workbook. The assignment, part of the chapter marked sügis (fall), was to cut out the names of the various seened (mushrooms) and match them with the correct picture. If 7 year-old first graders in Eesti can identify them, so ...

Members of the Estonian Society of Central Florida congratulate Sarasota Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Anu Tali after the launch of the 2013-14 Masterworks season, November 10, 2013. Front row: Lisa A. Mets, Monika Orumaa Craig, Väino Aare, Anu Tali, Leena Aare, Kersti Linask. Back row: Erkki Taada, Ingrid Shipotofsky, ...

Neeme Järvi conducting Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Estonian Philharmonic Choir at Avery Fisher Hall. Photo: Facebook/ Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts © Kevin Yatarola     What makes music beautiful? Is there anything fundamental and consistent to that beauty?It’s a practical as much as a philosophical question. The ...

PHOTO: The Müra/karu (Rambunctious Bears) cub scouts of Tormi/linnu lipkond (Storm Bird troop), Rävala malev (Tallinn area) were getting ready for mardipäev, St. Martin's Day or Martinmas at the Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum or Open Air Museum (Pioneer Village) last weekend. This included learning riddles and songs, making masks and eating the ...

Cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan performed the Dvorak Cello Concerto led by Estonian Symphony conductor Neeme Järvi at the Soka center in Aliso Viejo. Photo: Barbara Davidson / LA Times / November 3, 2013)   The L.A. Times Music review: Conductor Neeme Järvi evokes the resonant power of nature in an Estonian ...

October 17, 2013BY SIMONE BROWN - Sun-Gazette Correspondent, Williamsport Sun-Gazette         World-renowned artist and composer Mark Kostabi is displaying his work for the rest of October in Williamsport, PA, at 33 East, 33 E. Third St. The event is presented by the Converge Gallery, who helped hang 11 original canvases created ...

Kas fotol olev hoone on tuttav? See asub Tallinna kesklinnas Viru hotelli vastas ning selles paiknes kunagi Eesti esimene rulltrepp. Hoone ehitati üheks kindlaks otstarbeks, "mille keskus ei pea asuma suure kolossina Tallinna ühe kõige kallima krundi peal,” arvab selle endise nõukogu liige, küll aga jääb antud ettevõte koos paljude ...

A Seabrook reunion was held at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas  Oct. 7 - 8, 2013. The reunion was organized and hosted by an active group of Japanese Americans.  The reunion committee included  Fumio Ikeda, Ken and Sally Sasaki, Ann Lowe, Chris Hada, Chiz Hada Sakata, Hide Stevenson, Norman ...

Bottom: Virve Vaher, Sirje Uriko, Mia Tarikas. Top: Helena Otsa, Toomas Kilm, Liisa Sestrich  Photo: Siiri Lind   For 72 years, with generous support from Estonians in the U.S., the Estonian Relief Committee has been helping Estonians that are less fortunate.Earlier this year, members elected the following to the Board ...

A mission to translate the work of Estonia’s most influential poet into English is underway, writes Silver Tambur in an article in estonianworld.com While Estonia has recently become internationally better known for its technological achievements, it has been somewhat slower in showcasing its cultural heritage. Arvo Pärt may well be ...

Pillerkaar dancers – Sirli Hill, Age Landre-Robinson, Laila Oinas.     Photos by Anu Oinas Pillerkaar, Estonian Folk Dancers of the Washington DC Metro Area, performed at the Washington, DC Global Language Network (GLN) Festival (G-Fest) on September 28, 2013.  GLN's mission is to provide opportunities to learn any language at a ...

The Broward County Council of Chamber, in Florida, bestowed upon Kiku Martinson, Director of Real Estate at Campbell & Rosemurgy, the Deerfield Beach 2013 Small Business Person of the Year award. As a longtime resident, Kiku Martinson has put a lot of time and energy into Deerfield Beach where she ...

Tuesday, November 19, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM (PST)Stanford, CA   Although a small country, Estonia has rich culture and history, both of which will be celebrated through film at Stanford on Nov. 19. The free, evening event aims to bring together Stanford faculty, staff, and students, local ...

(L-R) Haley Segura, Alexa Thompson, Mari Käärid and Hanna Laanemaa Berrytree.  Seedrioru Suvekodu 2013.   As I was christened on the porch steps of my grandparents cottage at Seedrioru on July 11, 1970, I instinctively knew I was home.  My older sister called this place Eestimaa, the smell of warm ...

Kristiina Ehin and her husband musician Silver Sepp will be travelling to the US and Canada for four weeks in September and October to present their work. Public appearances have so far been planned at: - Toronto Tartu College, seminar and reading/concert, September 20- Grolier Poetry Bookshop, Cambridge, Mass., Friday, ...

Baruto (Kaido Höövelson).    Photo by ERR   ERR News - Estonia's only professional sumo wrestler, Kaido Höövelson, aka Baruto, has unexpectedly announced that he is retiring from the sport.The 28-year-old said the decision was motivated by a knee injury that has turned out to be more serious than originally thought, ...

ERR - Statistics Estonia's head analyst Siim Krusell said that the 2012 statistics yearbook, released last week, covers many figures of different importance, but population change is probably the most highlighted.Krusell said on the Statistics Estonia blog today that population figures were something to be joyful about in 2009 and ...

ERR - Although July 2013 has gone into the books without any earth-shaking events, this week marks the 20th anniversary of the culmination of a crisis that seems unthinkable today.Back then, coup and secession - now concepts seemingly confined to North Africa - didn't seem outside the realm of possibility ...

Keskerakonna aseesimehe Kadri Simsoni sõnul peaks rahva kestmajäämise ja sotsiaalsüsteemi jätkusuutlikkuse tagamiseks tegelema inimeste lahkumise põhjustega, mitte tõstma pensioniiga.Statistikaameti peadirektor Andres Oopkaup rääkis eelmise nädala reedel, et Eesti pensionisüsteem on jätkusuutlik eeldusel, et 2060. aastaks tõuseb pensioniiga 74. eluaastani ehk inimene saab pensionile 75-aastasena. Simson märkis ERRi uu-disteportaalile, et statistikaamet ...

Viimastel aastatel on New Jersey osariigi Atlandi Piirkonna Ehitusühing korduvalt austanud Toms Riveris tegutsevat Prima firmat. Kohalik ajaleht “Asbury Park Press” teatas hiljuti oma lehes Atlandi Piirkonna Ehitusühingu aastakoosolekul langetatud otsusest tunnustada Arvo Prima poolt juhitud firmat, kui kõige eeskujulikumat ehitusettevõtet, mis kõige paremini esindab ehitajate ideaale. Prima firma president ...

Ida-Virumaal Vaivara vallas Grenaderimäel toimus  27. juulil 20. Eesti relvagrenaderide diviisi veteranide iga-aastane kokkutulek, kus mälestati Sinimägede lahingutes langenuid.   Kokkutulekut korraldava 20. Eesti relvagrenaderide diviisi veteranide ühenduse juhatuse esimees Mauri Kiudsoo ütles Postimehele, et mälestusüritus möödus rahumeelselt ning erinevalt varasematest aastatest ühtki provokaatorit kohale ei tulnud. «Ma arvan, et ...

 Miami has a large professional diplomatic corps funded by nations from around the globe, dozen of smaller nations get their diplomatic feet on the ground by serving their nations with honorary consuls. Four years ago there were 67 honorary consuls posted in Florida, the largest groups surrounding the area of ...

There is often talk of a “global Estonia” since Estonians live all over the world possibly a couple of hundred thousand Estonians live now outside of Estonia.  Estonian Culture Minister Rein Lang said at the National Congress in SF that we live in a “global village”, he emphasized that this ...

ERR News - Freshly released figures from the 2011 census show that Estonia is now home to 180 ethnicities, 38 more than a decade ago, during the last count. Statistics Estonia analyst Anu Tõnurist said on the organization's blog today that while in many countries it is considered a form ...

Tartu Hanseatic Days July 19 – 21, 2013 Tartu gets back in touch with its roots as a Hanseatic trading city with an upcoming and all-encompassing Medieval festival. Expect the town to fill with people wearing historic costumes, and the Old Town to turn into a gigantic marketplace. Each year, ...

The U.S. debut of the Estonian National Ballet on June 28 night at the Palace of Fine Arts was the highlight of the gala that opened Lep-Esto 2013, a four-day celebration of Estonian culture in San Francisco, writes Mary Ellen Hunt in SFGate.com Now directed by Toomas Edur, the 87-year-old ...

  Spring is the busiest season of the year for Floridians and the Estonian Society of Central Florida (Kesk Florida Eesti Selts).  Activities span officially from Vabariigi Aastapäev to May and unofficially to Võidupüha and Jaanipäev. More than 60 members and guests of the Estonian Society of Central Florida (KFES) ...

The Sarasota Orchestra named Estonian conductor Anu Tali as its new music director. The 40-year-old Estonian is being signed to a three-year contract that will officially begin on 1 August. Tali, who led the orchestra in two concerts -- once this past season and the first two years ago, both ...

Ambassador Michael C. Polt announced on July 4 at the U.S. Embassy’s Independence Day Reception the creation of a new Estonian American Innovation Award to highlight innovation in Estonia and collaboration between Estonia and America toward this end.   The new award is being sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in ...

Twenty years ago on March 29, 2004, Estonia, along with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This was the biggest single NATO expansion in the history of the alliance founded 75 years ago on April 4, 1949, to provide security against threats ...

Amazing, awesome, excellent — were some of the words that viewers of the The Paradox of Seabrook Farms used to describe Helga Merits’ documentary that had a successful sneak preview at the Boston Baltic Film Festival (BBFF) on March 3, and a “world premiere” in South Jersey on March 16, ...

Chicago, IL The Estonian Consul in New York will conduct a consular mission in CHICAGO on April 14 and 15, and is available for all consular services at these times: Sunday, 14 April from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the Estonian House, 14700 Estonian Lane, Riverwoods IL, Monday, 15 ...

A few weeks ago, the University of Tartu once again appealed to the Estonian diaspora to support Ukrainian refugee students attending the University, who continue their studies under difficult circumstances. There are 300 Ukrainian refugee students studying at the University of Tartu. The university made a commitment to these students ...

One foot in the gravy,  April 5  - May 11 Margot Samel Gallery is pleased to present One foot in the gravy, a solo exhibition by the Estonian multidisciplinary artist Kris Lemsalu. This is Lemsalu’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. Kris Lemsalu (b. 1985 in Tallinn, Estonia) lives and ...

Mrs Erika Puussaar will be inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.  The Estonian Ambassador to the United States,  Mr Kristjan Prikk, will be coming in from Washington, DC, to induct Erika into the Cleve-land International Hall of Fame. Erika earned this honor through ...

Our singers are hard at work preparing for the song festival audition! The San Francisco Estonian Choir is working together with other Estonian singers on the west coast and some members of local choirs in the Bay Area to fulfill what for many is a lifelong dream – to sing ...

The Connecticut Estonian Society’s (CES) annual cleanup day (talgud) will be on April 27, 2024, and the CES annual General Meeting will be on May 4, 2024. The Connecticut Estonian Society (CES) annual spring cleanup day will be on Saturday, April 27th, beginning at 9 AM (rain date April 28th) ...

Finally, after five years in the making,  the documentary “The Paradox of Seabrook Farms” is finished and will have a sneak preview at the Boston Baltic Film Festival on March 3 at the Emerson Paramount Center.  The World Premiere is slated for Millville, NJ on March 16 at the Levoy ...