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The President of the Republic on Mother's Day on 9 May 2004 at the Concert Hall Estonia09.05.2004
Dear mothers,
Dear fathers and children in this hall and all over Estonia,
We are celebrating this year's Mother's Day in the 86-year-old Republic of Estonia as fledgling citizens of the European Union. This new status means to us a lot of unknown and, thus, maybe alarming things but, at the same time, also steady, familiar since long ago matters.
Just the same like before, we are and will be united by our country and language, to which we refer using the most beautiful words: fatherland and mother language. We need both of them in order to feel safe. Fatherland and mother language belong inseparably together with everyone's and, thus, with the whole people's safe home.
The happier are the people living at their homes in Saaremaa and Piirissaare, at Narva and Valga, at Vigala and Pilistvere, the safer is life at the common home of our people - Estonia.
It is only natural to wish that one's home were not only safe but also tidy and civilizing. When president Konstatin Päts launched the movement of home decoration, then it pursued the creation of this very kind of holistic home. And so, in the course of years we have neared this goal - everyone at his or her home and all of us together in our homely Estonia, however, satisfaction would be premature.
In the last week, I had a chance to visit Iceland, one of the smallest nation states in the world. From this island open to all the winds, just like from Estonia, many young people in pursuit of knowledge travel to all corners of the world. Yet, the Icelanders if asked whether they are worried about young people leaving the country, answer "no". "They will return for their home is here," is the Icelanders' firm belief.
We do hope in Estonia, too, that all those thousands of young people who have left to see the world will also return having significantly enriched their knowledge. Because that's here where their home and family waiting for them are - because Estonia is their home. And still, both they and all of us have to ask over and over again whether this is a good home.
The more knowledge one has, the sharper and more critical will be his eyes. Those returning from abroad notice at once if one's home is untidy and family relations are in a mess. And that is true of both one's native house and the country as a whole. Young people have every right to be critical of political mimicry and dishonesty. Their discontentment is justified because it looks very much as if the talks about appreciation of posterity and knowledge were not followed by deeds.
Furthermore, young people with intellectual ambitions cannot be indifferent when politician 13 years after the restoration of independence cannot agree on the development trends of education. Yet this is crucial since the ranks of the jobless are increasingly replenished by young school-leavers.
At the same time we are facing a situation where the number of children and young people going to school is constantly decreasing. Today, their number compared to that of four years ago is down by 30,000 and over the next six years is going to fall by one more third. Unfortunately, there is nothing we could do about it for by today all of the children entering school in six years have been born already. And still, what we can do is to change our preferences and behaviour.
Having said that let us ask what are the values instilled in children by home and school, what is the lifestyle promoted by the press? Appreciating education and fellow human beings or just tempting people into enjoyment and consumption? A frank answer to that question should contain awareness of personal responsibility. Both a young person and society are moving in the direction they are led to.
In this respect, last years and months have signalled more favourable prospects. The growing number of signatories to our National Agreement instils in us more faith in the future, and the government has announced education and security of families to be their priorities. Perhaps the growing sense of security is one of the reasons why during the last months more babies have been born in Estonia.
Dear mothers,
Giving your love and care, you shape not only human beings but also citizens and, by that, our whole society. Who would know better than you how important in doing this is not only husband's support but also well-designed national policies and attitudes prevalent in society. You are the very persons we should ask: what are the benefits for the state from valuing mother and family?
I believe to have heard your answer: the benefits would be immeasurable. For how could moral strength, magnanimity, happiness and pleasure in one's work given by family be measured? These very values based on which each new human being can reproduce goodness and benefits around himself. These values are born and live on at a safe home, the heart of which is the mother. Dear mothers, thank you very much for your magnanimity, joie de vivre and love!
Spring is the time of hopes, sowing and sprouting. In spring we frequently turn our thoughts to our most beloved people and places. But on Mothers Day, we turn up ourselves - at mother's home or at her last resting place. Since mother is for us just like an invigorating sun for northern people. May her warmth radiate everything around her!
I call on all our fellow countrymen to take care of their families and not to spare efforts in making their homes ever cosier. We are a happy people for the Estonians in Europe can be proud of our fatherland, mother language and home.
Happy Mother's Day to all of us!
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