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 by the U.S. Department of State as the world’s longest-serving diplomat, having spent 79 years in our Foreign Service. A true honor for any diplomat and civil servant.
Today, we will open Ernst Jaakson Way which will forever mark his dedicated work to advance the relations between Estonia and the United States, and to serve our citizens. I would also like to thank Council Member Mr Powers for your good cooperation. We are truly grateful that the United States enabled Mr Jaakson to continue representing Estonia in exile, during the illegal occupation of our country by the Soviet Union.
The United States, our great friend and ally, never recognized our occupation and allowed Mr Jaakson to continue his work here, in New York’s Rockefeller center. It was also a very humane decision by the United States as in 1952, the Soviet Union declared all Estonian diplomats who did not return to the capital as traitors to be served the death penalty.
Mr Ernst Jaakson is regarded as one of our most respected diplomats, and he is remembered as a dignified and principled statesman whose unwavering dedication helped sustain Estonia’s international legal status and inspired belief in its eventual freedom.
I would also like to share an interesting story about the legacy of Mr Jaakson. It reaches the Moon – during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing in 1969, Mr Jaakson sent a goodwill message on behalf of the then occupied Estonia. His, and the messages of 72 other countries, are on the Moon in a silicon container until this day. The message he sent was clear and remains true also today: “The people of Estonia join those who hope and work for freedom and a better world.”
Our country’s de facto existence had been halted, but was able to live on symbolically on the Moon thanks to our officials. We appreciate the service of Mr Ernst Jaakson – may he rest in peace.
Margus Tsahkna
