Sirje Perend and Lilja (who is in 2nd Year) have launched their Estonian project called LilliTuba (Lilli’s Room) on YouTube. The videos are very suitable for 2nd and 3rd generation Estonian children for learning or practicing Estonian.

Sirje Perendi & her family are well known in the Australian Estonian community and are currently living in Finland.

Lilja is learning and plans the stories, and together with Sirje they create colourful comics.

Lilja rehearses and reads out the stories in Estonian and then the story is published to YouTube.

They plan to post a new video every Sunday & they have lots of videos to post. Subscribe to their YouTube channel to be notified when new videos are posted.

Our first Carrot Girl Lilli cartoon is now available on YouTube (LilliTuba). It is very suitable especially for second and third generation Estonian children and for adults, grandfathers and mothers who want to teach Estonian to their grandchildren and anyone who wants to learn Estonian together with Lilja. Please spread the word. Any ideas about ​​new stories are welcome.

Meie esimene Porganditüdruk Lilli koomiks leidub nüüd YouTube’ist (LilliTuba). Sobib väga hästi eriti teise ja kolmanda põlve eesti lastele ja miks ka mitte täiskasvanutele, vanaisadele ja memmedele kes soovivad lastelastele eesti keelt õpetada. Ja kes ise soovivad koos Liljaga eesti keelt õppida. Palun levitage sõna. Ka ideed uutest seklustest on teretulnud.  

Alar Karis will take office on October 11 as Estonia’s next president. He was elected president in the Riigikogu on 31st of August during the second round of voting. Karis received 72 votes, passing the 68 votes needed to get elected.

ERR News gives an overview of his life and views.

Alar Karis, 63, is an Estonian citizen by birth, a native of Tartu and the current director of the Estonian National Museum (ERM).

He is an Estonian molecular geneticist and developmental biologist who embarked on an academic career after graduating from the veterinary department of the Estonian University of Life Sciences (Eesti Maaülikool) in Tartu, and became a professor there in 1999.

He served as rector at the Estonian University of Life Sciences from 2003-2007, and as rector of the University of Tartu from 2007-2012. He was appointed Estonia’s auditor general in March 2013 and, after completing his tenure, as director of the ERM in October 2017.

“Who is Estonia’s next president Alar Karis?” ERR News, 30.08.2021

Read the whole Article on ERR.ee

Who is Estonia’s next president Alar Karis?

Have some Covid lockdown fun – and play online Sõrve Trivia!

This coming Friday, 1 October – its only $10 a ticket and you will be helping so much!

Sõrve children’s summer camp plays such an important part in the Estonian community in Australia, so it’s really important that we are able to hold it each January.
The sense of community created at Sõrve contributes greatly to the wider Estonian community activities in Australia

This online fundraiser lets you support Sõrve no matter where you live  – we look forward to you helping us make Sõrve happen in January 2022!
Aitah! …

“The 22nd of September marks the 100th anniversary of Australia’s diplomatic recognition of Estonia. Our close relationship is built on common democratic values and a shared commitment to protecting human rights, defending the rules-based international order and supporting progressive, open trade policy. Hear more about our close friendship from Genevieve Clune, Ambassador-Designate of Australia to Estonia, and Kersti Eesmaa, Ambassador for the Republic of Estonia in Australia.”

From the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

We offer three options to promote your activity and share your information:

• Full page $100
• half page $50
• third of a page $30
• Individuals are also welcome to send their greetings for $10.

Let’s collect all that we have and all that we are into the festival album. May 2022 be a record year, a mark of the time we have, as a reference point and something that will last into the future.

Please prepare your own design and layout or send us your material per email to brigittavelbri@gmail.com

Account details:
Estonian Festival
BSB 633000
Account number 151015211

***

Album saab olema A5 suuruses ning pakkuda on kolm valikut:

• Täisleht $100
• pool lehte $50
• kolmandik lehte $30
• Kujunda ise või saada meile enda ettevõtte, organisatsiooni või tegevuse tutvustus, mille lisame albumisse. Kui oled üksikisik, siis hinnaga $10 võid jäädvustada oma nime või lühitervituse.

Paneme kokku vahva albumi, mis on märk meie ajast Austraalias, kuid jääb kestma ka pikalt pärast festivali.

Palun saada oma materjal aadressile brigittavelbri@gmail.com

Konto andmed
Estonian Festival.
BSB 633000;
Arve number 151015211

Dear Estonians in Australia,

In the 20th century, Estonia was a sovereign state from 1919 to 1940. From there after, Estonia suffered under the military occupation for 50 years until the independence was regained in 1991.

Regaining independence was a complicated time and process in history.
By the 1980s, not many people believed that Estonia would become an independent country ever again.

Towards the end of 1980s, the internal crises in the Soviet Union, both economic and political stagnation was dragging the huge country towards an abyss.

Gorbachev came to power in 1985, when the emporium had reached to stage, where the reforms were inescapable.

Gorbachev came with ideas of perestroika (restructuring), uskorenie (acceleration) and glasnost (openness), and Estonia played along. Even the Western leaders saw Gorbachev as a miracle man who would reshape the Soviet Union and achieve developed socialism, but the stagnated system could not have been patched up with cosmetic reforms, that allow some profitable activities under government control and not deal with the rotten system.

Soviet Union was on a shaky ground and extremely weak both regionally and globally, its impact continued to be diminishing.

The loosening grasp of the empire provided an opportunity. Estonia started to emerge from the ruins of the empire. This new situation was put to test by demonstrations in 1987. Explosive 1988 Singing Revolution showed that the dream of Free Estonia was never really dead. The intent to establish a sovereign nation was declared in Estonia in 1988, and by the end of 1988, the drive to independence was not possible to be stopped.
Big public manifestations were held against Soviet Rule including the significant ‘The Baltic Way’ on 23rd August 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands and formed a human chain to connect the three Baltic capitals – Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.

These events caused firstly wide-ranged negotiations and concluded in the violent attempts of Soviet Union to stop the processes in Baltic States. Yeltsin was under house arrest in the Crimea, coup organisers were running the Kremlin and the Red army looked poised for another crackdown on the Baltic nations. Estonia foiled a 3 day attempt by Soviet paramilitary groups to take over the country. The 76th Guards Air Assault Division arrived in Tallinn from Pskov, they were met by volunteers who had responded to a call to take up the defence of Toompea Hill as well as the city’s radio and television buildings. This dedication and victory of people is celebrated on August 20 every year.

Estonians declared the full independence on 21st August 1991.

On 6th September 1991, the Soviet Government recognized the independence of all three Baltic states. Estonia started to rebuild both itself and its diplomatic relations in the early 1990s, while Russian troops remained in the country for another three years — stark evidence of the reestablishment of Estonian independence not being a clean break following decades of occupation. Complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all Baltic States occured in Estonia on 31 August 1994.
Estonia applied for EU membership two months later, on Nov. 24, 1995, and after nearly a decade of negotiations was finally acceded to the EU on May 1, 2004. On March 29 of that same year, Estonia also joined NATO.
Dear fellow Estonians,

The Second World War ended for Estonia on 21st of August 1991, thirty years ago.

Estonia still had some post-Soviet leaders and authorities that were East-oriented or favoured a neutral position between the East and West. But Estonia managed to turn its society decisively towards the West very fast.
It is a miracle the way Estonia managed to build European country in such short time. It is our past that was the key for Estonia stepping into the future. We are Europeans – this is our historic and cultural identity – Estonia naturally belongs to Europe.

Dear Estonians in Australia,

We raise our flags today and celebrate Estonia. We are so happy and proud of our people and of our country.

We remember all who have fought for Estonia. I think of my father, who was protecting Toompea at the 1991 events, and said to me – ‘Come what may, there is no way back any more”.

I think of my father’s father, who fled to Sweden after his fight for Estonia was over.

This is the thing. Estonia’s geopolitical position has not changed.

If we learned anything from the events 30 years ago, we see that Estonia’s independence is unthinkable without economically and militarily powerful democratic Allies. Membership in NATO and the European Union was an inevitable security policy choice. Estonia and its NATO Allies do their best to deter Russia and prevent war.

Estonia always will have to feel the eastern neighbour’s pulse. Estonians must permanently follow and understand the developments in Russia. The threats have not faded away and will not disappear for an indefinite time.

On behalf of AESL, Sirje Jogi
20.08.2021

On August 20. at 19.00 pm, the night song festival ′′ FREE ESTONIA ′′ dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the restoration of independence will take place.

You don’t need to go far from home or village square to participate. It’s enough to come together with family, friends or community and sing along songs that we’ve sang several times over the years or at least heard.

These socials gathered to sing together are singing nests.

Why is this important? Because we also restored our independence by singing. In the past, rather in a narrow circle of friends, but then more and more publicly, songs had sounded, whose message was freedom and fatherland. Even if the message didn’t sound straight, we always recognized him. Even between the lines. And we sang along. Alo Mattiisen’s patriotic songs and night song festivities were born from the same feeling. This is how the bloodless Singing Revolution became possible.

This year’s night song festival has room for nearly sixty songs performed by fifty young and older artists. The broadcast is on ETV and the lyrics run comfortably on the screen.

Now there’s nothing else than register your song nest and sing freely!

***

20. augustil kl 19.00 – 00.30 toimub iseseisvuse taastamise 30. aastapäevale pühendatud öölaulupidu „VABA EESTI!”

Sellel osalemiseks pole vaja minna kodust või külaplatsist kaugele. Piisab, kui tulla pere, sõprade või kogukonnaga kokku ja laulda ETV vahendusel kaasa neid laule, mida aastate jooksul korduvalt laulnud või vähemasti kuulnud oleme.

Need üheslaulmiseks kogunenud seltskonnad ongi laulupesad.

Miks see tähtis on? Sest me taastasime ka oma iseseisvuse lauldes. Varem pigem kitsas sõprade ringis, siis aga järjest avalikumalt olid kõlanud laulud, mille sõnumiks vabadus ja isamaa. Isegi kui sõnum ei kõlanud otsesõnu, tundsime ta alati ära. Kasvõi ridade vahelt. Ja laulsime kaasa. Sama tunde pealt sündisid Alo Mattiiseni isamaalised laulud ja öölaulupeod. Nii sai võimalikuks ka veretu Laulev revolutsioon.

Tänavuse öölaulupeo sisse mahub ligi kuuskümmend lugu viiekümne noore ja vanema artisti esituses. Ülekanne on ETVs ja laulusõnad jooksevad mugavalt ekraanil.

Nüüd pole muud, kui registreeri oma laulupesa ja laula vabalt!

The latest version of the Eesti Päevad 2022 program is now available

All events are described in detail on Facebook page:

Eesti Päevad organisers are very thankful for everyone who have been and will be able to help along to make it a successful festival at Easter 2022.

Thankfully we acknowledge the support of Melbourne Estonian House, who will allow us to use Eesti Maja with no charge, and will take care of the cleaning.

Eesti Päevad has received a generous grant from Cultural Foundation (ECFA) that will sponsor the Festival’s first day at Kilmore, and Eesti Päevad album (booklet) making.

Within the Eesti Päevad album – let’s collect all that we have and all that we are, may the festival album become a publication of the time we have, a reference point for information, something that will last into the future. And, to draw attention to Estonians in Australia.

The Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia (ECFA) uses its funds every year to support various groups or projects which aim to further Estonian culture and language across Australia, and bring together people with Estonian heritage or interests. This includes any activities held anywhere in Australia, and we look at these as partnerships where we support these activities. Donations and bequests are most welcome, to keep on supporting Estonian culture and heritage across Australia.

To date, the ECFA has been allocating grants within the limits of profits generated from it’s investments. Accordingly, this year the Board of the ECFA announced it was able to award grants totalling $15,550 to various worthy Estonian cultural projects.

However, following further discussions and considerations, the ECFA has made an exceptional decision to access it’s investments and provide additional financial support this year to what it considers a very important project – the urgent upgrade of Sydney Estonian House.

The Estonian Cultural Foundation of Australia (ECFA) has decided to underwrite the costs of the recently announced Stage One renovation of the Sydney Estonian House, to a maximum of $100,000

For more information, read the ECFA press release: