Free Estonian Word

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...

Three years ago, Estonian gallerist and art dealer Margot Samel opened her own gallery in New York City. Since then, Samel has been working to promote young artists and even sold her first work in New York to Leonardo DiCaprio. Estonian gallerist Margot Samel studied art history in Scotland, where...

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...

In late 2021, I made a shocking discovery: My local Syrian baklava shop in Providence, Rhode Island had a Latvian Auseklis motif in its logo. As a Latvian-Estonian-American, I had to investigate. I walked into the store, ordered some baklava, and asked staff behind the counter: “What star is this?”...

In times of peace, it’s easy to forget how important the ties that bind us can be. In times of global strife and uncertainty however, the significance of our relations with our neighbors, and our alliances with like minded people, quickly return to the forefront. A few weeks ago, I...

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS recently that, to achieve peace, NATO must “withdraw” from the Baltic states. Russian officials have made plenty of threats over the years. If it is more than just rhetoric, and we take the comment at face value, it would...

Estonian/Finnish artist and dancer Anneli Kanninen invites you to the world premiere of her latest work. HOMEing is a personal exploration of what it means to grow roots in a new place. Arriving in a new country, culture and a language, how does one start building home, while remembering what...

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 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...

Tommy Cash and his song "Espresso Macchiato" clinched the top spot at Eesti Laul on the night of February 15 and will go on to represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland in May. Cash won an overwhelming majority of the vote – 83 percent – beating 15...