| |
 | Speeches | | |
Address by H.E. Mr Arnold Rüütel President of the Republic of Estonia at the Gala Concert "To Reunited Europe" at Estonia Concert Hall on 30 April 200430.04.2004
Dear people of Estonia,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Today we celebrate accomplishment of a long and time consuming preparation. We have every reason to be satisfied with the accomplishment. Tomorrow we will wake up in Estonia, a Member State of the European Union. Europe's strength derives from experience that the equilibrium of tangible and intellectual values sets the strongest foundation for a society. Here I lay special stress on the significance of culture in shaping Europe's identity. Culture is a language, which creates the strongest cohesion - both between individuals and nations. The people of Estonia have always mastered this language and kept the intellectual track to Europe open throughout.
Music in its diversity has accompanied our people in daily chores, days of joy and moments of sorrow. Music together with a written word provided support in Estonia's national awakening period. And in the years of occupation, music nourished our spirit and strengthened our freedom aspirations. Beautiful melodies are going to bring us joy also tonight.
The European Union is the strongest economic union in the world. But the European Union is not only an economic and trade union with a security and defence dimension. United Europe is an idea of common aspirations. I quote Jaan Tõnisson: "The very fact that the idea of European federation or united states has been on the agenda for about a hundred years and every now and then prevailed, confirms the viability and vitality of such an idea. This idea cannot fade away."
History has provided us an opportunity to participate in the implementation of the idea of Europe. Now it is time to muster up our will to jointly set targets and act. We will always find better answers to upcoming questions jointly and not individually.
This would mean new possibilities, hard work in making use of the opportunities and the stretching of the "our"-feeling from our home village and town across Europe. However, we should take the accompanying responsibility not as a heavy burden but as a right, which our persistent work has delivered us.
But now in order to give the floor to music, I would resort to the language of music myself.
There have been too many modern and unbalanced atonalities in our life. Too long have we experienced endless jostling towards tonic - without knowing whether we would make it after all. This is why we need now both around and inside us peaceful harmony and joy of playful timbre colours. We believe and know - this would be accomplished in the European cultural space best.
I wish you wonderful musical experience!
Estonia, may you have a happy life in the European Union!
|
| |
|
vpk.ee
