Johannes Pääsuke: Karujaht Pärnumaal / Bear Hunt in Pärnumaa (1914)

Today marks the 130th birthday of Johannes Pääsuke, Estonia's first professional filmmaker. Here is one of his films: Karujaht Pärnumaal / Bear Hunt in Pärnumaa that was produced in 1914. 

Estonia's Rahva Raamat named Bookstore of the Year

The London Book Fair has announced that the 2022 winner of  the The Bookstore of the Year Award is Rahva Raamat's Viru store in Tallinn. The bookshop underwent a major renovation recently that has been praised for its sustainability and creating a wonderful cultural oasis. The International Excellence Award will be presented to Rahva Raamat's Viru store at the London Book Fair gala in London on April 7.

More information can be found here: The London Book Fair International Excellence Awards 2022

18th anniversary of Estonia joining NATO

On this day eighteen years ago Estonia became a member of NATO. It was one of the most significant geopolitical events in Estonia's history that continues to guarantee the country's security today. Estonians feel safe and protected within the NATO alliance despite living next door to an aggressor. 

It is possible to contract COVID-19 three times

In the past it was considered unusual for a person to catch coronavirus twice, but as time went on, more instances of repeat infections were observed. The highly infectious Omicron variant is the most common strand circulating at the moment, it is less lethal, confining itself primarily to the upper respiratory tract rather than affecting the lungs. People infected with the Omicron variant have a 25% reduced risk of requiring hospitalisation.

Estonia has registered a total of 551,714 cases of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. Of those cases, 217 people were diagnosed with coronavirus three times. There is no data on which strains the people were infected with as the virus variant was not determined in each case but it has been recorded that there was at least 90 days between each infection.

How Omicron and Delta symptoms compare.

A total of  2, 439 people have died from the coronavirus in Estonia.

Erkki-Sven Tüür - 'For Ukraine'

'For Ukraine' was written two weeks ago by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. In this video the piece is performed by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and conducted by Estonia’s leading conductor, Tõnu Kaljuste.

73rd anniversary of the Soviet mass deportations from the Baltic countries

Between 25 - 28 March 1949 the Soviet regime forcibly deported 90,000 people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, packed them into cattle wagons and sent them to remote parts of Siberia. The majority of the deportees were women and children, the youngest was less than one year old; the oldest was 95 years old. At least two babies were born onboard the trains. Journeys to the remotest, easternmost parts of the Soviet Union lasted between 2 and 4 weeks and deportees travelled in the most inhuman of conditions. 45 Estonians died en route and many more perished as a result of the inhospitable living conditions, never to see their homeland again.

Today we remember the victims of this crime and light candles in their memory.

Starting from 6pm tonight candles will be lit on Tallinn's Freedom Square and also on Tartu Town Square. People are encouraged to place a candle in their window at home as well.  

Russia has been responsible for many atrocities and sadly we are seeing them again in Ukraine, in the year 2022.

Curly Strings - Mind nad kätte ei saa / They Won't Catch Me

Between 25th - 28th March 1949 over 20,000 Estonians and around 70,00 Latvians and Lithuanians were focibly taken from their homes, schools, and places of work by the Soviet Army and deported to Siberia. This event is known as 'Märtsiküüditamine' in Estonia.

But one young man, Aksel Herbert Lindal, was able to escape. Curly Strings’ singer and fiddle player Eeva Talsi has a personal connection to this, because Aksel was her grandfather. On 25th March 2020, Curly Strings published the video for their moving song “Mind nad kätte ei saa!” (“They Won’t Catch Me!”), about Talsi’s grandfather’s story.