Photo flashback: Tallinn 1928

Happy Mother's Day!

Today millions of women around the world are celebrating Mother's Day. It's a day we show our love and appreciation for all the wonderful things our mothers have done for us. Sadly, I lost my mother five years ago, so Mother's Day is not quite the same for me, but I am thinking of her. My mother always loved to wear colourful scarves and sing around the house. Such precious memories! Head emadepäeva ema!

The below map show the different words Europeans have for the word 'mother.' Of course 'ema' is the best! So unlike anyone else!

Happy Europe Day! Head Euroopa päeva!

On this day in 1950, the Schuman Declaration laid the foundation for a united Europe built on shared values and collaboration. Today we celebrate freedom in Europe and also think of those who are still fighting for it. 75 years ago European integration began and today Europe is stronger together now than ever before.

Not everyone celebrates May 8th as the end of WWII in Europe

Today marks 80 years since World War Two ended in Europe. While most Europeans mark this day as a day of celebration, it is not the case for Estonia. May 1945 did not bring liberation for Estonia, instead it marked the beginning of a long and painful Soviet occupation that lasted fifty-one years. During this time, Estonians were deported to Siberia and human rights, language, culture, economy and freedom of speech were all brutally violated. The Soviet Union was not a liberator; it was an occupier.

In Estonia, World War II officially ended with the restoration of independence in 1991 and the final withdrawal of Russian troops in 1994.

Can Tommy Cash win Eurovision for Estonia?

Rehearsals are currently underway for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest that is set to take place in Basel, Switzerland next week. Estonia's entry 'Espresso Macchiato' by Tommy Cash has grown in popularity in recent months and is a clear standout. This highly amusing song takes all the best-loved clichés of Italian culture and compacts them into a catchy three minute tune.

Tommy Cash's 'Espresso Macchiato' will be the fourth song on stage during the first semi-final scheduled to take place on May 13.  No doubt we will see him perform again at the grand final on Saturday night and hopefully win the competition. The first and only time Estonia has won the Eurovision Song Contest was in 2001 with Tanel Padar's and Dave Benton's hit song 'Everybody',

 

Estonia will have their first ever curling team at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Estonian curling duo Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill have secured a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics Games due to take place in Italy next February. This is the first time an Estonian team has qualified for the curling event. The duo have also earned themselves a playoff spot in the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships that will take place in Canada later this month.

Estonia ranks 2nd in World Press Freedom Index

Estonia has achieved it's highest ever ranking in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index that was recently published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). With a score of 89.46, Estonia is second behind world leader Norway. Estonia's relatively low levels of political and commercial interference, digital innovation and public trust has enabled the country to steadily climb the rankings.This is a fantastic result for Estonia who continues to go from strength to strength in so many important areas of society. Further reading can be found here.