ERREstonian cultural societies abroad to receive €40,000 Euros in support

As a result of the yearly application round conducted by the Integration Foundation, 22 Estonian cultural society projects operating abroad will receive support in the total amount of €40,000.

The projects are being implemented in 12 countries around the world including: Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Belgiumm, Holland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Moldova, Russia, Canada, and the United States.

The purpose of the support is to contribute to the activities and events of Estonian cultural societies in order to foster a greater sense of belonging to Estonia in Estonian communities abroad. The application round is funded by the Ministry of Culture.

Register now for the 'Back to Our Roots!' youth exchange in Estonia

Register for this June's 'Back to Our Roots!' youth exchanges. Each youth exchange brings together 30 young people aged 18-30 of Estonian origin; 20 living abroad and 10 from Estonia.

The main aim of the youth exchange is to introduce the Estonian culture and language to participants. The program is financed by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research.

​The application deadline is April 27.

e-Residency program sees record rise in economic impact in 2020

The tax take from Estonia's e-residency system rose by around a third on year to 2020, the state agency Enterprise Estonia (EAS) reported, a record year in terms of direct economic impact since the system was launched in 2014.

Companies set up by individuals all over the world who are registered e-residents paid in close to €17.5 million to Estonian state coffers in 2020. Around a fifth of new Estonian companies in recent years have been founded by e-residents.

Estonia - #1 in Europe in number of unicorns per capita

Seven unicorns founded by Estonians and/or in Estonia have taken the country to the top in Europe in number of unicorns per capita according to Startup Estonia. A unicorn refers to a startup company with a value of over $1 billion. The companies include: Skype, Playtech, Wise, Bolt, Pipedrive, Zego, and ID.me

The co-founder of Bolt, Martin Villig, sees the seven Estonian unicorns as a mark of rapid development in the Estonian startup ecosystem and gives credit to the entrepreneurs, employees, the politicians who have shaped the economic space and investors who have taken chances.

Practise Estonian online with native speakers in the Language Friends Program

The Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus) is offering Estonian language learners the opportunity to practice communication by chatting with volunteer Estonian language mentors. The initiative falls in the foundation's Keelesõber (Language Friends) program, and takes place via e-channels.

Estonia Explained part three: 'The Stare'

In a new bi-weekly short podcast series entitled 'Estonia Explained', historian and ERR journalist Maarja Merivoo-Parro fuses cultural insight with recent research results, to create an insider's view into topics that might seem bewildering to people who are not from this neck of the woods.

Part three examines the phenomenon of "the Stare", something that locals may not complain about, but newcomers often notice. 

Upcoming Online Events

International House of Estonia: Virtual meet & greet (April 22, online)

Are you new in town? Wanna meet people? Think that you might as well have stayed in your country because you are stuck in the home office all the time anyways? Well, our very first Virtual Meet & Greet Estonia might interest you.

International House of Estonia (IHE) provides a wide range of essential information, consultations and state services for international newcomers and local employers.

VEMU - Fundraising Evening - "30 Years of Estonia's Restored Independence"(April 23, online)

This August marks 30 years since Estonia reclaimed its independence. With the help of VEMU (Museum of Estonians Abroad) and Estonian Music Week, we want to remember and commemorate these times. The programme for VEMU's 9th Fundraising Dinner, "30 Years of Estonia's Restored Independence," will be streamed online on April 23, 2021 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The keynote speaker of the event is Marju Lauristin, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tartu, and an active participant in the past struggle for the restoration of independence.

Estonian Foreign Policy Virtual Forum for Global Estonians (April 24, online)

The Estonian World Council, the Global Estonian NGO and the Estonian World Youth Network will host a virtual global Estonian foreign policy forum on Saturday April 24, 7 p.m. (Estonian time). The forum will provide an overview of current important foreign policy issues and ideas about how Estonians around the world can participate in advocacy efforts to advance Estonia's interests abroad.

Handicraft Sunday (April 25, online)

Practise Estonian and learn handicrafts! The Estonian Language House is organizing a handicraft class on Sunday morning, where we make something simple and interesting with our own hands and also practise Estonian. What you need: paper, scissors, paints and a good mood. This Sunday...origami! Language level should be at least A2.

Book Club – Zoom (April 28, online)

Join the Estonian Language House Book club. Members of our Book Club dive into Estonian literature, visit literary centres and the museums of writers, admire monuments to authors that have become part of the streetscape and find out what Tallinn's libraries have to offer.

The Book Club is intended for Estonian language learners who speak Estonian at least at the B1 level.

What is Global Estonian?

Global Estonian is an online portal, in Estonian and English, and network for Estonians and friends of Estonians around the world.

Managed by the Integration Foundation, Global Estonian brings together news, events, culture, organizations, support programs, learning opportunities, and a wealth of other information from Estonian communities abroad, all in one central gateway.

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