Dear Fellow Estonians across Australia,
It has been quite some time since my last column, and I would like to send my warmest greetings from a wintry Canberra to Estonians throughout Australia, as well as to those who have chosen to return to our historic homeland, Estonia, to enjoy the precious summer months that our climate and beautiful natural surroundings have to offer.
In this column, I would like to focus primarily on our shared activities here in Australia, as the past few months have given us much to reflect upon.
As is often said in diplomacy, the strength of relations between two countries can be measured in many ways, but one of the most important indicators is the frequency of bilateral visits by politicians, government officials, business leaders and representatives of the cultural sector. Looking back over the Embassy’s activities during the past six months, the undisputed highlight was the visit of Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Margus Tsahkna, to Australia.
This was a long-awaited and carefully planned visit, as it had been ten years since an Estonian Foreign Minister last visited Australia — on that occasion to inaugurate the Estonian Embassy in Canberra. During his visit, Minister Tsahkna met with Australian politicians in both Parliament and Government, delivered public addresses at think tanks and at a drone technology conference in Canberra, gave media interviews and, last but certainly not least, met with members of the Estonian community at the Sydney Estonian House.
That gathering was particularly meaningful. Before meeting the community, the Minister visited the Estonian Archives in Sydney, where he had the opportunity to learn about the unique archival collections preserved by this remarkable institution and, thanks to generous financial support, increasingly digitised over the years. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Terry Kass, Maie Barrow and all the dedicated volunteers whose efforts continue to preserve this invaluable collection for future generations.
The Minister’s meeting with the Estonian community was lively, engaging and full of thoughtful questions, allowing for an open discussion about developments in Estonia as well as our domestic and foreign policy. We are especially grateful to everyone who participated so actively and to those who helped organise the event.
Another memorable highlight of the Sydney visit was the ceremonial handover of the surviving section of the Presidential Standard of the Republic of Estonia, which had been safeguarded by Eugen Vilder and was presented by Andres Vilder. It was a truly unique and moving occasion to witness the return of an important national symbol that had been brought to Australia during the turbulent events of 1944 for safekeeping and has now finally found its rightful home in Estonia, where it has become an important museum artefact.
It was especially fitting that on the 4th of June—Estonian Flag Day—a formal ceremony took place at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu, where, together with the Foreign Minister, I had the honour of officially presenting the flag to the Museum’s collection. Bishop Ove Sander offered his blessing, while Professor Agu Pajur gave an insightful overview of Estonia’s last constitutional government before the Soviet occupation and its Prime Minister, Otto Tief. It was a truly uplifting event that further strengthened the ties between our communities in Australia and Estonia.
Once again, I would like to express my sincere thanks to our Honorary Consul, Mr Sulev Kalamäe, whose dedication and organisation made the flag’s journey home from Sydney possible.
At the end of March, Melbourne hosted a somewhat nostalgic occasion as we bid farewell to the Brunswick Estonian House, which had served as a gathering place for Estonians for nearly fifty years. The Melbourne Estonian Society organised a three-day farewell programme that was exceptionally well prepared, successfully balancing reflections on the past with celebrations of the present. The programme showcased significant archival material documenting the history of the Melbourne Estonian community and Society, while seamlessly combining these with performances by today’s cultural groups and a concert by NOËP.
My heartfelt thanks go to the leadership of the Melbourne Estonian Society – especially Vanessa, Matti and Rein – as well as everyone else who contributed to such a memorable weekend.
Above all, the event demonstrated that the strongest community initiatives are those that combine the experience and wisdom of the older generation with the energy and enthusiasm of emerging younger leaders. Only by bringing these strengths together can we create inclusive and meaningful events that not only honour our shared history but also build bridges between different generations of Estonians and between Estonian communities across Australia. If we wish to bring more of Estonia and Estonian culture into our community events, we should encourage participation from across the entire country. I hope future organisers of Estonian community events throughout Australia will continue to embrace this inclusive and forward-looking approach.
I would also like to highlight the shared Baltic dimension of our communities. We are not only united by our shared history, but also by many of the challenges we face today. For this reason, I would once again like to thank everyone involved in organising the commemorations of the June Deportations on the 14th of June across Australia. I know these were marked jointly with Latvian and Lithuanian communities in several Australian cities.
I had the privilege of speaking at the commemorative event in Sydney, held at the Latvian House under the leadership of Juho Looveer. It was especially encouraging that all three Baltic Ambassadors were able to attend and address those gathered. Naturally, the performances by our various cultural groups added a special dimension to the occasion.
Midsummer celebrations were held in Sydney, Perth and elsewhere, while the largest Estonian Jaanipäev gathering once again took place in Brisbane. I would like to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Andres Truus and the Brisbane Estonian community in organising such a significant event. It is a major undertaking, and I sincerely hope the organisers will continue this wonderful tradition for many years to come.
I personally had the opportunity to attend the Midsummer celebration in Perth, and I would like to thank Hanna, Valeria and Mario for their excellent organisation. It was particularly pleasing to see not only long-standing community members but also many Estonians who have arrived in Australia only recently.
The Estonian community in Canberra continues to thrive as well. In addition to our monthly Sunday lunches, we are developing new traditions in which the Embassy is delighted to participate. I believe we have established a meaningful new annual tradition this year by marking Victory Day on the 23rd of June at the Australian War Memorial. Afterwards, we gathered at the Ambassador’s Residence to get to know one another better and to discuss the future of our community.
I would especially like to thank those members of our community who travelled from Sydney to Canberra to join us in commemorating the occasion and honouring our war heroes. I hope that the 23rd of June will become an annual opportunity for Estonians to gather in Canberra.
Discussions have also begun in Estonia regarding the commemoration of the arrival of the first Estonian war refugees in Australia, of which the 80th anniversary will be marked in 2027. We have already held preliminary conversations with members of our community, but before any decisions are made, I would greatly appreciate broader feedback and ideas regarding both the concept and its implementation. I warmly encourage anyone with suggestions to contact me directly.
On a practical note, I am pleased to report that, through the combined efforts of the Embassy and our colleagues in other government institutions, we have reached a solution regarding the recognition of Estonian driver’s licences in Australia. Our Consul, Kristjan Kuurme, will also soon provide an overview of forthcoming changes to certain travel arrangements between Australia and the Schengen Area.
In closing, although the global security situation remains challenging, it is nevertheless encouraging to see Ukraine making progress on the battlefield. It is a powerful reminder that when a nation is united by patriotism and a deep love for its people and homeland, it possesses the strength to stand up to aggression.
With that thought, I wish all Estonians across Australia a peaceful winter and a continued spirit of unity in all that we do.
With my best regards,
Jaan Reinhold
Ambassador of Estonia to Australia
