President Kaljulaid appointed first UN Global Advocate for women and children

President Kersti Kaljulaid was appointed the first Global Advocate of the United Nations Secretary-General for Every Woman Every Child on Monday. The appointment will last for two years.

Kaljulaid, who is on a working visit to the U.S., was appointed to the position by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York. She will mainly focus on three goals: reducing maternal mortality, increasing nutritional security and enhancing innovation and the use of digital solutions.

The president of Estonia said the wellbeing of women, children and adolescents and their access to healthcare are some of the biggest problems facing the world in the next two decades.

Over $2.8 million raised in global 'Tere, KESKUS' campaign

'Tere, KESKUS' was a 3-day online fundraising campaign from June 21-23 to help with the largest undertaking of its kind in the diaspora, KESKUS International Estonian Centre in Toronto. KESKUS will be a showcase that will serve as a beacon of pride for everyone with Estonian roots, wherever they live.

Appearances and performances during the virtual campaign included Olympic gold medal winner Erki Nool, Grammy-winning conductor Tõnu Kaljuste, tennis pro Anett Kontaveit, former President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, bluegrass band Curly Strings, singers Kadri Voorand and Rita Ray and many more.

The response from the global Estonian community was truly overwhelming. Support came in from the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, Estonia and across Canada, from Vancouver to New Brunswick. The final amount raised was over $2.8 million (CAD), greatly exceeding the initial $1 million campaign goal.

Join the Culture Step program - registration for July session is open

Estonian Institute's free schooling program "Culture step" is organized for people whose native tongue is not Estonian and who are interested in learning more about Estonian culture, nature, history and everyday life. The program consists of lectures, discussions, study trips and visits. Each participant completes 25 academic hours worth of activities.

Registration for the program in July is open from June 29 to July 2, 2021.

Registration is open for Estonian e-courses at the Global School

Registration for e-courses at the Global School (Üleilmakool) are now open for the 2021-22 academic year.

The Global School of the Association of Education in Estonian provides Estonian children living outside Estonia with the opportunity to take e-courses, and is in charge of developing e-basic school (lower-secondary education).

Have fun learning Estonian this summer

The Integration Foundation is offering a range of opportunities to learn and practise Estonian this summer. They are all great ways of improving your language skills while enjoying a fun new experience.

Join the Global Estonian Business Network

The Global Estonian Business Network brings together business-focused Estonians around the world who can support each other in their global business endeavours and who have an interest in contributing with their professional skills and knowledge to the success of Estonian exports and the Estonian economy.

The Global Estonian Business Network is an initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Sector Innovation Team.

Listen to the World Estonian View ("Hajala ringvaade") podcast

Vikerraadio's morning program "Hajala ringvaade" (World Estonian View) offers an insight into the lives and experiences of Estonians and Estonian communities abroad.

Tune into Vikerraadio on Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) every Sunday morning for "Hajala ringvaade". Host Maarja Merivoo-Parro discusses and talks with Estonians around the world. (in Estonian).

Upcoming Events

Summer music festivals in Estonia (July to September)

If you are already in Estonia or are planning on visiting this summer, the ERR Culture Portal has put together a list of upcoming music festivals this summer (in Estonian).

All you need to know before applying for e-Residency (July 6, online)

Part 1 of e-Residency's introductory webinar series Are you thinking about becoming an e-resident? Do you want to learn how to apply?  Join us for part one of our introductory webinars, which will cover all you need to know about applying for e-Residency.

London Estonian Society 100th anniversary (July 10, online)

London Estonian Society (LES), one of the oldest expat Estonian societies in the world, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year on July 10th.  Due to the pandemic-related restrictions, the celebrations will be held virtually on Zoom.

The Zoom link will be available on the LES Facebook page from July 7th. Everyone is welcome to join!

Language Roulette: virtual conversations (July 20, online)

Language Roulette is a series of virtual meetings coorganized by teachers and mentors of the Estonian language houses of the Integration Foundation, which brings together people who want to practice Estonian in a new format of short conversations in the Zoom environment. 

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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