The brand-new Lõunapoolkera Lugemisklubi (Southern Hemisphere Estonian Book Club) is launching tonight, Sunday 25 May, with a special guest – acclaimed Estonian author Kristiina Ehin live on Zoom.
Kristiina Ehin will present her award-winning novel “Behind the Dams of the Heart” (Südametammide taga), followed by an open discussion in Estonian. This event is part of the celebrations marking 500 years of written Estonian.
📚 When: Sunday, 25 May 2025 🕔 5.00 PM (Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne) | 3:00 PM (Perth) | 7:00 PM (New Zealand) 💻 Where: Zoom – Meeting ID: 863 1425 0167 | Passcode: 419471 🗣 Language: This event will be held in Estonian.
Haven’t had time to read the book? No worries – come along anyway! Whether you’ve read every page or are just curious to hear from one of Estonia’s most celebrated authors, you’re warmly welcome.
All Estonian language lovers across Australia, New Zealand and beyond are welcome. No registration needed – just join the call and be part of this literary celebration.
This book club event is made possible thanks to the joint contribution and support of the Estonian societies of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Books. Banter. A touch of homesickness. And a whole lot of heart. That’s the Southern Hemisphere Estonian Book Club for you!
There’s something magical about bonfire – especially when it’s surrounded by Estonians, sizzling šašlõkk, potato salad and folk dancing! On Saturday, 7 June 2025 at 12 PM, the Brisbane Estonian Society is once again lighting up the countryside with our most beloved tradition: Jaanituli, the Midsummer bonfire celebration.
This year’s party promises to be bigger, brighter and even tastier – so gather your friends, pack your camping chairs, and get ready for a day of pure Estonian joy in the heart of Queensland. Those who’ve attended before claim this is the Midsummer Party in Australia to beat!
But there’s only one way to find out if those “Best Bonfire in Australia” rumours hold true – join us on 7 June 2025 at 12 PM. Head to 110 Byrnes Road North, Joyner 4500 QLD, and experience it for yourself!
🔥Bonfire, dancing and flaming performances
Let’s start with the fire. A proper bonfire, of course – big, bold and blazing – perfect for gathering around, roasting your spirits, and watching the flames dance like Estonian folk tales come to life.
Speaking of dancing: our beloved folk dance troupe Folkroos will be gracing the stage with their joyful energy. And they’re heading straight to Laulupidu in Estonia after this event, so this is your chance to catch a world-class performance right here in Joyner QLD before they twirl off to Tallinn. Don’t miss this special treat – your clapping hands, impressed mind and happy heart will thank you.
To turn up the heat even more, the dazzling fire dancer Merilin returns for her second year. If you thought last year’s performance was hot, wait until you see her set the night sky aglow in true Jaanituli style.
🍖 Feast like an Estonian
Hungry? Good. Because the legendary chef Sirle is back in the kitchen, armed with skewers, culinary secrets and sauerkraut. The menu includes:
Pork and chicken šašlõkk
Creamy potato salad
Sauerkraut
Fresh salad
And naturally… thick slices of must leib (black bread), the cornerstone of any self-respecting Estonian feast.
Meals will be served from 2.00 PM to 3.30 PM, and if you’ve got little ones in tow, there are special kids’ portions ($15) and snack tables with child-approved munchies – fruit, Estonian treats and more.
Bonus: this year features a market stall area where you can buy Estonian sweets, snacks, black bread and warm drinks including glögi, Vana Tallinn, Gin, Estonian beer and coffee.
🎨 Kid’s corner: singing, reading, painting – and snacks!
The Brisbane Estonian Playgroup parents have once again organised a magical kids’ corner full of crafts, games, face painting by the marvellous Sille, and even quiet time with books and singing for our youngest festival-goers. It’s a joyful space where little ones can play, create, snack and rest between skipping in the grass.
🏕️ Camping, companions and comfy clothes
Camping is welcome – but spots are limited, so the organisers are asking $15 per site to help manage numbers. Campers can pitch their tents or park their caravans between 11 AM – 1 PM or after 7 PM. For safety, there’s no vehicle access to the main event area during the core festival hours.
BYO camp chairs, picnic rugs, torches and your best stories. Dogs are welcome too (leashed, friendly and poop-bag equipped, please!).
Tickets and details
Time: Saturday 7 June 2025, from 12.00 PM to 10.00 PM
Location: 110 Byrnes Road North, Joyner QLD 4500
Ticket: $30 (until 4 June) | $40 after 4 June and at the gate
This event is organised by the Brisbane Estonian Society, and they’re calling out to you to join the fun – because where there’s bonfire, there’s a Midsummer Party in Brisbane. And it wouldn’t be the same without you. 🔥
Melbourne Estonian Society "Kodu" Women's Choir. Photo from the private collection of Hilja Toom.
The Melbourne Estonian Women’s Choir is warming up for something truly special — Laulupidu 2025, Estonia’s beloved national song festival. It’s been a journey full of music, memories and plenty of laughter along the way. In the article below, choir conductor Hilja Toom shares what it’s taken to get to this point, and what singing in Tallinn means to her and the choir.
The article below has been written by Hilja Toom.
Refreshed, renewed, eager and ready for the future, the Melbourne Estonian Society “Kodu” Women’s choir (MEÜ Naiskoor) is on the way to Laulupidu.
Our new-look choir will showcase songs from Laulupidu 2025 at our fund-raising concert to be held at Estonian House in Melbourne, Sunday 18th May 2025 at 2pm. Come and be part of the celebrations as we prepare for our historic trip to Tallinn.
On any given Sunday morning at Estonian House in Melbourne you can hear the sounds of women’s voices hard at work, singing scales and learning new and unfamiliar songs interspersed with cries of exasperation and delight and lots of enthusiastic chatter and laughter. At the same time, the conductor (me) might be seen sitting quietly at the piano, shaking her head, wondering “what have I got myself into?”
Excitement is building as the choir enters its final weeks of rehearsal before leaving for Laulupidu. It has been a lot of hard work, but the satisfaction of learning and mastering new and more complex repertoire is immense. With three audition recording sessions sent to Estonia, we hope to cement our place as a “select” choir. As a select choir (valiknaiskoor) we would sing with the regular choirs as well as perform additional repertoire at the opening concert with other “select” choirs.
The repertoire of Laulupidu has evolved since the Soviet times, yet remains a gathering of Estonians from near and far, celebrating our deep cultural and spiritual connection expressed in song. Old familiar songs have been replaced with new and interesting works, many of which have been composed for this occasion, whilst retaining significant older songs such as Tuljak, Ta lendab mesipuu poole and Mu isamaa on minu arm.
The MEÜ “Kodu” Naiskoor has also evolved from its beginnings as a small but keen group of refugee Estonian women determined to provide music for an Independence Day celebration in the 1950’s to the current 22-member choir excitedly preparing for their trip to Laulupidu.
So, who is the choir nowadays? Some people remember the very small group remaining after the original and older members retired from the choir. Immediately after the COVID lockdowns the same small choir became very active providing music for the few events at Estonian House, as well as representing our Society in many outside functions such as the Brunswick Music Festival; combined Baltic events including the commemoration of deportations; fundraising events for Ukraine, alongside Baltic, Polish and Ukrainian choirs at the Palais Theatre and Brighton Grammar School. We were also guest artists at a Cantabile Choir Concert and were invited to perform at the St Kilda Festival, but had to decline because our dance card was quite full.
The MEÜ “Kodu” Naiskoor members range in age from 13 years old to … ladies “of a certain age”, including four mother-daughter pairs and a couple of sisters. Some of our singers were preceded in the choir by their mothers, grandmothers and other family members, showing a strong continuing Estonian women’s choral tradition in Melbourne. Having young dedicated singers within our ranks really bodes well for the continuation of the choir well into the future.
Imbi reflects:
”Having the opportunity to teach my daughter about our heritage through learning the songs and preparing for Laulupidu has been such a special experience. We are very proud to have contributed to the Melbourne Women’s choir being selected for this very special event, even though we won’t be there singing shoulder to shoulder with our choir family in July.”
For some people this is the first time to perform in Tallinn. Other members sang with Kooskõlas choir based in Sydney for the 2019 Laulupidu, and I sang with Toronto’s Estonia Koor at the 1990 song festival when Estonia was still under Soviet rule, and then again in 1994 in newly independent Estonia. Those were certainly remarkable times and I look forward to seeing how things have changed.
Eva, one of our Estonian-born singers says:
“It’s very special to return to Estonia as an adult and sing at the national song festival after having sung at the festival many times before as part of the Ellerhein Girls choir. I feel proud to be part of our Melbourne choir and represent Australian Estonians at this year’s Laulupidu.”
Regina, one of our newer members, who sang at the 2023 Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Riga told me:
”With both Latvian and Estonian background, I have been a member of the Latvian mixed choir (‘Daina’) and I was keen to challenge myself with the very different language and the opportunity to be part of Laulupidu 2025. The community and choir have been very welcoming and I look forward to coming to practice each week.”
And Ann reflects on preparing for the song festival.
“I’ve very much enjoyed the challenge of learning the songs and then trying to put all the parts together — sometimes not so easy but with Hilja’s leadership and input from choir members we are managing to create beautiful harmonies. Looking forward to the Laulupidu experience with the Naiskoor. Very exciting!”
One final reflection from Tiina, sums up beautifully what it means to take part in Laulupidu.
“There’s all the obvious stuff about being part of a choir. Community, women coming together, including mothers and daughters, old and new friends. What rings true for me (are) ‘those’ moments, when the noise of everyday life fades away, when a song you love, hits those magic harmonies with the other singers, while striking something deep in your soul that connects you to family, heritage and ancestors long gone. Then you get to share that with others. That’s what we work for. It’s a privilege to take part in Laulupidu 2025.”
So again, please do come and join us for our celebratory concert this Sunday,18 May 2025at 2pm, at Estonian House in Melbourne (43 Melville Road, Brunswick West).
An exciting opportunity awaits at the Kooskõlas Choir Celebration Concert & Fundraiser this Saturday, 17 May at 3pm in Sydney. Thanks to the generous support of Aero Travel, all concert attendees will have the chance to enter a special raffle draw and win an unforgettable Estonian experience.
Thanks to the generosity of Aero Travel, one lucky winner will receive:
🎫 1 ticket to the Laulupidu 2025 concert on 6 July (valued at $90)
💳 $300 travel voucher to use toward a future booking with Aero Travel (terms and conditions apply).
🎟️ Raffle tickets are just $5 each, available at the event. Proceeds will go toward supporting the Kooskõlas Choir’s journey to Laulupidu 2025 in Estonia.
Event details
🎶 Only concert tickets left (after party sold out)! Less than 30 tickets remaining — last chance to book!
📅 Saturday 17 May, 3PM 📍 Sydney Estonian House, 141 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 🎟️Tickets: $25 Concert general admission | $20 Concession
The afternoon will feature a selection of powerful and poetic songs from the upcoming Laulupidu 2025 repertoire, centred on the theme “Iseoma” – a celebration of Estonian identity, language and our connection to the land. The concert is not only a musical performance but also a heartfelt homage to Estonian culture and heritage.
📕14 beautiful songbooks will also be available for purchase at the event.
Today, Facebook wasn’t ready for what hit it – and no, it wasn’t just another cat video or someone’s homemade sourdough. It was the Estonian Society of Sydney absolutely owning the Internet with their electrifying, espresso-fuelled tribute to Estonia’s most unpredictable musical export: TOMM¥ €A$H and his gloriously weird Eurovision banger, “Espresso Macchiato.”
In case you’ve been living under a Eurovision-unaware rock, Tommy Cash is Estonia’s 2025 Eurovision contestant, and let’s just say… he didn’t come to sip tea. He came for the full triple shot – and the Sydney Estonian community delivered it with whipped cream, sequins and 12 solid points of Aussie love.
Spoiler: It contains top-tier dance moves, enthusiastic espresso energy, and a unanimous verdict: “12 points from Australia to TOMM¥ €A$H!”
Frankly, if the voting was up to us, Tommy would already be sipping his victory macchiato from the Crystal Microphone trophy.
The video has gone viral and has turned the Sydney Estonian community into overnight social media icons – proof that Estonian cool can spread faster than you can say “macchiato”. Someone give these people a green card to the Grand Final!
🗓️ Important dates to note
Semi-Finals: Tuesday, 13 May 2025 – Tommy performs 4th in the lineup, so tune in early!
Grand Final: Saturday, 17 May 2025, assuming Europe knows talent when it sees it. And hears it. And mildly fears it.
So whether you’re in Sydney, Tallinn, or somewhere in between – grab a cup of something strong, channel your inner Tommy, and show the world how Estonians party… caffeinated, coordinated and proudly outlandish.
Well done Estonian Society of Sydney – this is the kind of diplomatic mission we fully support. We absolutely love your video! (And we’re only mildly jealous we didn’t come up with the idea ourselves, we’re pretending we’ve got the moves!)
Mother's Day Afternoon Tea at the Estonian House in Melbourne, 4 May 2025. Photo by Kristel Alla.
Last Sunday at the Melbourne Estonian House, we celebrated Mother’s Day with a delightful dose of joyful chaos — just the way we like it (the kids certainly did, and we’re pretty sure the mums did too!).
The place was buzzing with energy, from cute newborns (as young as eight weeks!) to young-at-heart grandparents, all gathered under one roof for an afternoon tea that was anything but ordinary.
Children darted across the room like confetti in a breeze — chasing balloons, giggling through games, and occasionally pausing long enough to be wrapped in the loving arms of proud mums and dads.
Bingo, viktoriin and glitter everywhere
We kicked things off with Mother’s Day Bingo, run by our brilliant playgroup teacher and Master of Games, Liis Hallikas. Unsurprisingly, the kids dominated with their lightning-fast reflexes and suspiciously consistent luck. (Seriously, how do they do it?) Adults tried to keep up, but let’s just say our egos took a gentle hit.
Then came the Mother’s Day Viktoriin — a trivia challenge that tested just how much we think we know about Estonian mums. (For example: Do you know how many mums there are in Estonia? Neither do we — but someone at the event guessed correctly!)
You can find a sneak peek of the questions over on the Melbourne Estonian Society’s Facebook page — thanks, Liis! — and test your own motherly knowledge while you’re there.
Meanwhile, creativity exploded in every corner with colouring-in, card-making and drawing fun — ensuring all mums went home with fridge-worthy masterpieces and glitter in their handbags.
Kringel, cakes and bubbles
In true Estonian fashion, the food table was a showstopper. Guests brought homemade treats that could make a MasterChef judge weep: kringel (naturally), colourful cakes, potato salad, cookies and a joyful mix of Aussie and Estonian delights.
Bubbles were popped (the drinkable kind, and the soapy kind — depending on age and energy levels), and for the more sensible among us, tea flowed freely.
All ages, all smiles
One especially sweet feature of the day was a message board where guests wrote down the fabulous things that make their mums so special. By the end, it was covered in loving tributes — words like “kind,” “strong,” “magical,” and our personal favourite: “buys me ice cream.”
And we can’t forget the dads — our behind-the-scenes heroes. They fetched plates, wrangled balloons, juggled toddlers and teacups, and cheered everyone on with that quiet superhero energy only dads seem to possess.
The afternoon was made even more special by beautiful performances from the children’s playgroup and folk dance group. With the help of their parents, they sang songs and danced with a mix of charm and confidence that had the crowd smiling (and a few of us blinking back tears).
New faces, familiar hugs
The new Deputy Chair of the Melbourne Estonian Society, Rano Uesson, led the festivities with warmth and enthusiasm. It was a joy to see new faces joining our regulars — sharing laughs, swapping stories and connecting across generations.
To all the mums who joined us, and to those celebrating quietly next Sunday — we see you, we love you, and we’re so glad you exist. Happy Mother’s Day!
Join Estonian Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (EACCI) for a night of networking and a panel discussion on Wednesday, May 14th, at 5:00 – 8:00 PM at the Microsoft Reactor Sydney (lvl 10, 11 York St, Sydney NSW 2000).
Our speakers will delve into subjects such as AI, Startups and Cross-Border Business Growth with a particular focus on recent trends, developments and Estonia’s remarkable achievements in these areas.
The evening wraps up with an opportunity for networking and connecting with fellow professionals.
Speakers:
Merike Grünthal, Deputy Head of Mission at Estonian Embassy in Canberra
Merike Grünthal is an accomplished Estonian career diplomat with over two decades of experience in foreign service. Throughout her distinguished career, she has held various key roles advancing Estonia’s interests abroad. Currently, she serves as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Estonian Embassy in Canberra, where she plays a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral relations between Estonia and Australia.
Lucinda Longcroft, Consultant of Innovation, AI and Digital Transformation
Lucinda is a seasoned global technology and innovation strategist with over three decades of international experience across Europe, Australia, and New York.
Her career encompasses 22 years in United Nations leadership roles handling complex intellectual property negotiations and time at Google navigating critical regulatory challenges. Lucinda passionately advocates for technology’s potential to drive economic growth and address societal challenges.
Currently, she focuses on AI governance and ensuring emerging technologies’ benefits are shared equitably across society.
Daniel Spencer, Head of Partnerships at Sleek
Daniel is a passionate networker, mentor, and the Head of Partnerships at Sleek.com – Australia’s fastest-growing digital company secretary and accounting firm. His expertise lies in helping businesses start, grow, and scale in international markets.
Daniel’s career has spanned both the private and public sectors, including senior advisor roles with the Danish and Irish governments in their respective trade and investment divisions.
He sits on the board of numerous networking and industry groups across Australia, Singapore, and Europe. In Australia, he founded Professionals in International Trade (PIT) (www.pit.org.au), a professional network of trade and investment professionals who collectively represent the trade interests of more than 55 countries. In Singapore, Daniel sat on the board of AustCham and chaired AustCham’s SME & Startup Group.
Agenda:
5:00 PM Doors open
5:30 PM Presentations & Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Sunday, 18 May 2.00 pm, join the Melbourne Estonian Society Women’s Choir for an afternoon concert and fundraiser celebrating the songs of Laulupidu 2025 at the Estonian House in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Estonian Society Women’s Choir invites you to a special Laulupidu 2025 Repertoire Concert, featuring the beautiful songs they will perform at Estonia’s iconic song festival, Laulupidu 2025. This is your only chance to hear the choir’s mesmerising voices echo through the halls of the Estonian House before the ladies leave to take part in the grand festival in Estonia.
Pencil this special day into your calendars: Sunday, 18 May 2025 at 2 pm, at the Estonian House, 43 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055.
Laulupidu, first held in 1869, is one of the largest and most cherished choral festivals in the world. This year, the XXVIII Song and XXI Dance Celebration, titled Iseoma (Kinship), will take place from 3–6 July 2025 and feature more than 40,000 choir singers, folk dancers and musicians.
The women’s choir is excited and honoured to have been selected to be part of this remarkable cultural event.
Concert highlights
Adding to the celebration, the choir is delighted to welcome on stage the incredible trio Vardos as special guests.
Known for their dynamic and passionate performances of Eastern European Romany music, Vardos will bring an extra burst of energy to the stage.
Food and refreshments
Enjoy alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, savoury treats (including pirukad and sandwiches) as well as a variety of homemade cakes available for purchase.
Tickets
$25 – General admission $20 – Melbourne Estonian Society members $5 – Children 12 years and under
Melbourne Estonian Women’s Choir performs at the Independence Day celebrations at the Estonian House in Melbourne, 23 February 2025. Photo by Kristel Alla.
Acknowledgements
We thank Kristina Roots for the information about this exciting event and for co-writing this article.
As May approaches, it’s time to celebrate Mother’s Day around Australia. Of course, mums deserve our love and appreciation every day, but every now and then, it’s nice to set aside a special moment just for them.
Why we celebrate Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a time to thank the women who have nurtured, supported and loved us – whether they are mothers, grandmothers or anyone who has shown us motherly care. It’s a day to recognise the quiet strength, endless encouragement and small everyday acts that shaped our lives.
By celebrating Mother’s Day, we honour that love – whether with a hug, a call, a card or a shared moment – and remind them just how much they are valued. It’s about letting the mothers, grandmothers and mother-figures in our lives know: we see you, we appreciate you and we are grateful for all you do.
Check out the list below to find a Mother’s Day event near you!
Perth
Pancake Morning with EstWest
Date: Sunday, 4 May 2025 Time: 9.00 am Location: Hillview Intercultural Community Centre, 1-3 Hill View Place, Bentley WA 6103 Tickets: Trybooking
EstWest is rolling out the good vibes early with a Pancake Morning to celebrate mums in their community. It’s all happening on Sunday, 4 May from 9.00 AM to 12.00 PM – giving you the actual Mother’s Day free to kick back at home!
Program highlights
👧 LEGO Build & Bash for the kids 🌸 Build Your Own Village creative workshop for mums 💃 Folk dance performances 🥞 Pancakes for all!
Entry: $5 per person or $10 per family. Food: $15 per person (must be pre-ordered – no extras available on the day) 👉 Bring your picnic blankets for a cosy seat on the rgass. Bookings are essential.
Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea with Melbourne Estonian Society
Date: Sunday, 4 May 2025 Time: 2.00 PM Location: Estonian House, 43 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055 Tickets: Free event – RSVP encouraged
Join the Melbourne Estonian Society for a joyful afternoon of tea, bubbles and community spirit. Everyone is welcome – mums, dads, kids, grandparents – and you don’t need to bring a mum to be part of the fun!
Program highlights
🥞Performances by young singers and dancers 🎭Fun games for all ages 👧Creative activities using forest materials 🎤Open mic – talents of all ages welcome!
Mother’s Day Concert and Picnic with Brisbane Estonian Playgroup
Date: Saturday, 10 May 2025 Time: 2.00 pm Location: Minnippi Parkland, 139 Stanton Road, Tingalpa QLD 4173 Tickets: Bank transfer, see below.
Join the Brisbane Estonian Playgroup for an afternoon of music, games and celebration under the open sky.
Program highlights
🌹 Folk dance performance by Folkroos 🎻 Children’s string ensemble 🤸♀️ Singing and games 💐 Gifts for mums!
Tickets
Family ticket: $25 Single ticket: $15
Please RSVP by 7 May to maili.andre[at]gmail.com. 👉 Payment via bank transfer to Brisbane Estonian Playgroup (BSB 633000, ACC 151875358).
Additional information
Please bring a plate to share. Picnicware and drinks (morss) provided. All proceeds support the Estonian language and culture program at the Brisbane Estonian Playgroup.
We love hearing about community events around Australia! If you know of other Mother’s Day celebrations that may be of interest to Estonians in Australia, please email us at news(at)eesti.org.au.
Young Australians with Estonian heritage have an exciting opportunity to attend a week-long Summer School in Estonia this August – with local expenses covered. Applications close 5 May 2025.
The Estonian Institute of Historical Memory is inviting high school and undergraduate students to apply for a five-day summer school in Estonia, running from 3 to 8 August 2025. The program combines history, cultural exploration and the chance to meet other young people from around the world who share Estonian ancestry.
Applications are open until 5 May 2025.
A program rich in history and culture
The Summer School offers participants the chance to learn about Estonia’s complex 20th-century history through lectures, workshops and guided visits to significant historical and cultural sites. The program begins and ends in Tallinn, with trips to Tartu and Viljandi, allowing students to explore a range of locations across the country.
Highlights of the itinerary include visits to the Estonian National Museum, the Memorial to the Victims of Communism, the Ennuksemäe Forest Brothers’ bunker, and guided tours of Tallinn’s Old Town. Students will also have the opportunity to meet representatives from Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and enjoy a private tour of the historic Estonian Knighthood House.
All activities will be conducted in English and are designed to be engaging and interactive, helping participants to gain a deeper understanding of Estonia’s history and culture.
Travel costs covered within Estonia
One of the key advantages of the Summer School is that all local expenses – including accommodation, meals, transport and guided tours – are covered by the organisers. Students are responsible only for arranging and funding their travel to and from Tallinn.
Who can apply?
The Summer School is open to high school and university students with Estonian heritage. Applicants must submit their application by 5 May 2025 at 11:59 PM Estonian time.
Successful candidates will be notified by 12 May 2025.
Photo of the AESL 2024 meeting, from the private collection of Sirje Rivers
The Board of the Council of Estonian Societies in Australia (AESL) has held a few meetings this year. The direction of the discussions seems consistent: visibility and action from the cities. Each meeting starts with city-by-city updates, hearing from every city representative, followed by reports on language, finances and the Eesti Päevad festival. Each report sparks further discussion.
This raises a question: does only the Board have access to this information and these ideas, or should it be shared more broadly – for greater visibility?
Two Board members manage the social media side – Marissa and Esmée. Marissa has chosen a specific niche, sharing information about selected events, including via Instagram. Esmée publishes events for all cities on Facebook pages.
But the question remains: is this enough? Is this truly AESL Board’s visibility?
We have tried to set up a timeline – one article per month by each AESL Board member.
So far, AESL President Juho publishes a speech for each major event – Independence Day, Victory Day, Commemoration of Deportation, and Restoration of Independence.
Vice President Sirje regularly publishes articles on the webpage – eesti.org.au/aesl. These articles cover everything AESL is today – the Board, the Constitution, Donations, Recognitions, and News. AESL’s support areas are introduced – language, Eesti Päevad, Sõrve camp, the archive, and media. The AGM section features articles from annual meetings and the annual booklets.
Taking all this into account, AESL’s information is available. Those who seek it, will find it.
Still, it would be good to publish regular articles from Board members – not everyone goes looking for updates on the website.
We could send out news updates about AESL’s support areas. For example: – Martin: what was your experience of Adelaide’s Eesti Päevad? – Ave: what new things will the next Sydney Eesti Päevad bring? – Marissa: are camps planned in various cities? And quo vadis, Sõrve camp? – Iti: language programs seem strong all over Australia – what’s next? – Ingrid: how are AESL’s funds holding up? (We do sometimes discuss ways to grow them.)
So far, the “one article per month” idea hasn’t taken off. We’ll see how that shapes our future.
But for now, let’s not overlook what we do have – the eesti.org.au/aesl page – thanks to the Australian Estonian Media Project.
This is not said lightly. You’ll understand the BIG THANK YOU owed to the Media Project once you read the section under AESL – support areas/media. Kristi Barrow is the most powerful person in Estonian society in Australia today. (Not to be taken literally. It’s Kristi’s actions – her service to Estonianism in Australia – that are powerful. Her consistency has achieved something remarkable.)
Over the years – from pen and paper to AI – Kristi has carried, and continues to carry, our news and media on her shoulders. When others let go, when the newspaper Meie Kodu closed, Kristi continued. It’s so good to know the work is still in progress – more is ahead.
How could we be impatient? When Meie Kodu closed, it felt like we had NOTHING. Or more precisely – NO ONE. But it never truly disappeared in the background. We are all volunteers, and often our strongest volunteers are also those with heavy work commitments elsewhere. Do we pause to realise what it means to have a media network uniting Estonians across Australia?
News is being sent out. Pages exist with updated info. And now – the power is in our hands. The Media Project has sent out an invitation to BE READY. Once the space is fully set up, each city will have a representative to upload their city’s information. (AESL included.)
The Media Project is working for the future – the programs are chosen for ease of use. Once the system is running, anyone can step in, and the next person can easily take over. Power to us – all we need is willpower.
Media makes us a society. It holds us together.
Each city already has its own Facebook page where Estonians can ask and answer questions – but a shared, united space will make us one community across Australia.
Never underestimate the role of media. GET INVOLVED if you feel called!
April 2025 –Lest we forget. In memoriamLembit Marder ❤
