For three days only, from 28 - 30th September 2023, the annual light festival ÖÖvalgel will take place in Pärnu. It's the largest cultural event in Pärnu and is a festival of light theatre. Unlike other light festivals, Pärnu's light festival focuses on performance, where stories are told through light and video projections, with the main character always being a living person. ÖÖvalgel begins each night at 8pm and concludes at 11:30pm.
I am always so happy when I hear about Estonia performing well in global rankings. Once again Estonian students have excelled in PISA assessments, this time in reading performance. Estonian children benefit greatly from growing up in homes with lots of books. On average, a typical Estonian home has 218 books and 35% of Estonians own more than 350 books. Good literature is fantastic!
390 years ago today, on 24th September 1633, the printing house of the Tallinn Gymnasium was established. It was the second priniting house in Estonia, after the University of Tartu. The Tallinn printing house was founded by Swedish bookbinder Christoph Reusner who brought his printing equipment over from Stockholm. During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries Reusuer's printing house was the most important printing house in Tallinn. It printed many literary works that were of great importance in the development of Estonian language and cultural history. The first translations of The New Testament and Bible into Estonian were printed at Reusner's printing house.
On the 22nd of September 1944, Estonia's resistance against the occupying Soviet forces and the fight for a free and democratic Estonia began. World War Two didn't really end for Estonians until 1991 when Estonia restored its independence. Today at sunrise students raised the Estonian flag atop of Pikk Hermann Tower to commemorate the day.
It's been a good summer this year, great for enjoying outdoor activities and leisure pursuits. Usually by now however, the weather starts to turn chilly in Estonia but today was a surprise when temperatures reached 24°C in Valga and Võru. Today was officially the warmest September 22 of all time in Estonia.
It's a phenomenon that happens every year in Estonia and once again the aurora borealis (virmalised in Estonian) didn't disappoint onlookers when it lit up the sky with a dazzling display of colour. It's a spectacular sight that I keep missing. One day I really want to see the northern lights with my own eyes!
The Sydney Baltic Markets will be held at the Latvian House, 32 Parnell Street, Strathfield next Saturday. Food, handicrafts and entertainment will be available on the day. More information can be found on the website.
Arvo Pärt is the most performed living composer in the world. His work is highly praised for its range from sublime sacred choral settings, to mesmerising minimalist instrumental works, Pärt invented the compositional technique tintinnabuli, which he first used in his piece Für Alina.
Yesterday Pärt celebrated his 88th birthday. He was born in Paide in 1935. Pärt’s music is considered enormously emotive and profound.
Ten best pieces of music by Arvo Pärt
1. Credo (1968)
2. Für Alina (1975)
3. Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten (1976)
4.Sarah Was Ninety Years Old (1977)
5. Fratres (1977)
6. Spiegel im Spiegel (1977)
7. Tabula Rasa (1977)
8. Miserere (1989)
9. Summa (1992)
10. My Heart’s In The Highlands (2000)
The autumn season of the archive crafting mornings will begin on September 16 with a notebook making workshop. Visitors can get inspiration from the historical sources preserved in the archive and then make something beautiful with their own hands. The next class will make notebooks that will be decorated using the scissors technique.
Just over an hours drive from Tallinn is the Estonian town of Rakvere. The earliest signs of human settlement in Rakvere date back to the 3rd–5th centuries. They built the first wooden stronghold on the hill protecting the settlement below. Many battles have taken place in Rakvere over the centuries which saw its wooden stronghold burnt down many times. When the Danish took control of the area in the 13th century they built the first stone fortifications in place of the Estonian stronghold and, by the mid 14th century, the Danes constructed the curtain wall castle on Vallimägi Hill.
From the 13th century until the early 20th century, Rakvere was known by its historical German name of Wesenberg.
Today, Rakvere Castle is the main tourist attraction in the area. Visitors can step back in time and catch a glimpse of everyday life during the 16th century. Fun things to do at the castle include dressing up like a medieval knight or warrior, exploring the torture chamber, death chamber or the alchemist's workshop. The Schenkenberg Tavern offers meals made according to traditional medieval recipes.
Opening hours vary depending upon the time of year so it is best to check the Rakvere Castle website for availability.
On 31 August 1994 the last Russian soldier left Estonian soil after 50 years of Soviet occupation. Their final crimes were to loot from farmers' fields on their way out. As of today, Estonia has been free from Russian occupation for 29 years. It is a day we will always remember. World War Two finally ended for Estonia.
In the below excerpt from the Herald Journal, President Meri said 'today signifies the end of the saddest chapter of our history'.
