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 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic at the opening of the 9th Youth Song Festival on June 29, 200229.06.2002
Dear young Singers,
Dear Chorus Masters and Conductors,
Dear People of Estonia,
The central theme of this year's youth song festival is: "Ei ole üksi ükski maa" (no country is alone). With a song of the same name of Alo Mattiisen and Jüri Leesment actually began our "Singing Revolution". In 1987, in the framework of the 9th Popular Music Days of Tartu a big peace concert was staged in the Town Hall Square, where this song was performed for the first time. This concert turned out to be the final rehearsal of the following rallies in the Song Festival Grounds of Tallinn. The organizers of those popular music days were young people. The protest concert against mining phosphorite was initiated and arranged by young people too. The authors of the songs of the new National Awakening also were in their twenties.
The Estonian society and state have been born as a result of different generations working together. At the first nation-wide song festival in 1869 - by historians regarded in accord as the first mighty proclamation of the national consciousness of the Estonians - the young were standing as coequals next to the full-grown men. They were bound together by a common will and enthusiasm about their strength. At the beginning of the 20th century, the movement Young Estonia was governed by the same awareness of ability to build in spite of injustices of the history our own culture, state and society. Gustav Suits had just left grammar school when his collection of poems "Elu tuli" (Fire of Life) was published influencing dramatically minds of the intelligentsia of those days. Friedebert Tuglas got carried away by revolutionary enthusiasm when he was still attending grammar school. Among the first combatants of the Estonian War of Independence there were many grammar school students whose engagement in war has been written about by Albert Kivikas in his novel "Nimed marmortahvlil" (Names on the Marble Plaque), screen adaptation of which will be ready soon. After Estonia had been occupied in 1940, many young joined active guerrilla warfare. In 1943, nearly two thousand and five hundred 18-19-year-old Estonians escaped to Finland to avoid mobilization by occupying power. They became fighters for the freedom of Finland and the honour of Estonia.
Yet now too, in an Estonia breathing freely for already ten years, we are witnesses to the capability of the Estonian youth. Behind the rapid economic and political progress of our re-independent state is the middle-aged generation of today, but the great number of young people striving for colleges and universities speaks of their admirable thirst for education. And the youth song and dance festivals still vital are attesting to a strong will to culture of the growing generation.
Dear Young People,
Up to this day, the idea of the song "No Country Is Alone" has not lost its importance. It's true that Estonia is free now to decide its fate, but we can shape our fate only if we work together for the sake of shared goals. Each of us must feel that we are members of one family. The unity of this family stems from both space and time. Meaning that while building the future of Estonia, both a big city and the tiniest hamlet have an equally important place, and that everyone`s contribution to ensuring the sustainability of Estonia - irrespective of their age - is considered and appreciated. This beautiful motto "No country is alone" also points to Estonia being joined together with other countries and peoples. There are many targets and goals we are sharing with our neighbours, other European states and with nearly all the nations of the world. It is possible to reach them only in collaboration and taking account of each other's interests. And so, also today, the music sounding here on the singing stage is uniting many young people from different countries.
Almost a hundred years ago, Gustav Suits concluded one of his manifestos with the words: "The young age obliges." Your presence here, dear young people, is a response to this appeal.
Dear Participants in the Festival,
Both these song festival grounds here and the song festival grounds all over Estonia are places where we feel a spiritual bond with our ancestors. While singing together in our song festival grounds one can downright physically perceive the sense of the Estonian national spirit: although we are a small nation - a tenth or even more of us can find place in one song festival grounds - yet, our souls and our will are open to eternity. The circumstance that our language and the voice of our people are created for singing confirms our vitality as well. And thus, as long as our songs are rising to the heavens, our hope for survival will endure.
So, let's sing for glory and happiness of Estonia!
Enjoy the festival, all of you!
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