| |
 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic at the opening of the Festival ESTO 2004 on 27 June in Riga27.06.2004
Dear fellow countrymen,
Excellencies,
Dear ESTO participants,
I am very glad to greet you at the Estonian World Festival ESTO 2004 in Riga.
This is a very special year to all of us - it is the Year of the Estonian Flag. Just recently we celebrated the 120th anniversary of the day when the first blue-black-white flag was consecrated. These three colours became our national colours standing for the aspiration of the Estonians to live freely in a free country. For us, the blue-black-white is inseparable from our Fatherland and independence.
Many of you were in luck to see our flag flying freely also during the decades when in our native country it had to be hidden most carefully. Fortunately, thanks to Karl Aun and his kin who did not care about threatening severe penalty also the first, 120-year-old blue, black and white flag has been preserved up to this day.
Compared with many other peoples, there are only a few Estonians. Yet at the same time, Estonians can probably be found in every corner of the world. Even so, scattered across the globe, our small and tenacious people have managed to remain true to themselves. I suppose that our common goals and shared values have given our people vitality all over the world.
Today, on this festive day, we can't help thinking about the events, which separated us for so many years. However, Estonians already in the first years in exile organised song festivals and gatherings. Their purpose was always the same - to keep alive Estonian heritage, to enhance national vitality.
Our thanks go to you who in exile preserved the Estonian identity and culture. It was definitely not easy, but your firm belief and conviction that sometime you would be able to return home gave you strength and staying power. ESTO became one of your opportunities for cultural self-fulfilment. And therefore, we must come together over and over again.
I would like to refer to the thoughts of Anton Hansen Tammsaare. The writer says: "There is one thing we need - self-reliance. There must be something in ourselves that withstands the ravages of time and that, in a way, seems to be eternal."
There are slightly over one million of us, the Estonians. And the point is who we are and what we do rather than whether it is a few or a lot. The more we know and remember about ourselves, the stronger we are.
Therefore, I call upon all of you to preserve the archives and materials of Estonian societies. Put down your stories and life experience, and send them to Tartu, to the Estonian Literary Museum. So, that we also after years had where to learn from and experience based on which to build up our strength.
I wish the Estonian World Festival inspiring discussions and consistency to continue with the festivals. I wish you impressive concerts, exciting meetings and moving experiences. We, the Estonians, are scattered across the world, but - let's come together over and over again.
Have a nice festival!
|
| |
|
vpk.ee
