Global Estonian Report: October 13-20

Estonian pavilion at EXPO 2020 in Dubai.
Estonian pavilion at EXPO 2020 in Dubai. Source: expo2020.ee

Between 165,000 and 200,000 Estonians are estimated to live outside the country right now, making around 15-20 percent of the total number of Estonians. With many communities being found worldwide, both in English-speaking countries and beyond, ERR News, in conjunction with the Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus), has launched a weekly Global Estonian Report, which will give a weekly window into Estonian communities and culture from around the globe.

Estonian pavilion open to the world at EXPO 2020 in Dubai

Estonia's pavilion, a bright blue cube, is located near the epicentre of EXPO and is designed by the award-winning KOKO/MOTOR architecture team. The pavilion will make digital Estonia visual and tangible to all visitors.

"I am very happy that Estonia is participating in the world's greatest show with the largest business delegation ever, giving a boost to our companies and prepared to expand into new markets. Estonia's 40+ companies and organizations will offer world's class digital, smart and sustainable solutions in a bid for new partners around the globe," stated Daniel Schaer (Commissioner General for the Estonian Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai).

"EXPO 2020 Dubai offers a global platform to showcase Estonia's digital story and present the different companies and organizations that have helped build and continue to develop it," Schaer added.

Daniel himself is a global Estonian. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, he has been working at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over 15 years.

Expo 2020 Dubai is taking place from October - March. 

Global Estonian Youth Network to celebrate its 2nd anniversary this week.

The Global Estonian Youth Network or Ülemaailmne Eesti Noortevõrgustik (ÜENV) is a relatively new group, founded in 2019 and growing from meetings and conversations at the 2019 ESTO festival in Finland and Estonia.

The group's mission is to represent and protect the rights of Estonian youth living abroad, support Estonian youth's connections with Estonia and unite Estonian youth around the world. Young people 35 and under are invited to join.

Scientists in Estonia use peat to make cheap batteries for electric vehicles

Peat, plentiful in bogs in northern Europe, could be used to make sodium-ion batteries cheaply for use in electric vehicles, scientists at an Estonian university say.

Sodium-ion batteries, which do not contain relatively costly lithium, cobalt or nickel, are one of the new technologies that battery makers are looking at as they seek alternatives to the dominant lithium-ion model.

Scientists at Estonia's Tartu University say they have found a way to use peat in sodium-ion batteries, which reduces the overall cost, although the technology is still in its infancy.

EANC Henrik Visnapuu Literature and Culture Award nominees announced

The Estonian American National Council has announced the nominees for the first EANC Henrik Visnapuu Literature and Culture Award. Fifteen candidates from six countries were submitted by the April 2021 deadline for this global competition (USA, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Germany and Canada).

To be eligible, the awardee´s work must be thematically tied to Estonia, can be published in Estonian or a foreign language, can be literature, fiction, poetry, a memoir, or based on research. Award winner to be announced in January 2022.

 

Upcoming Events

West Coast Estonian Days 2022: Online fundraiser and auction (October 10 - 17, online)

The West Coast Estonian Days (Lääneranniku Eesti Päevad or LEP) are being held in Seattle this coming summer. Since 1953, West Coast Estonians in North America have met to sing, dance, and reconnect with old and make new friends. The Seattle LEP 2022 Committee is organizing an online fundraiser and auction to help with the event.

Global Estonian Youth Network birthday celebration (October 16, online)

Join ÜENV (Ülemaailmne Eesti Noortevõrgustik or Global Estonian Youth Network) for its birthday celebration on the 16th of October at 6 p.m. Estonian time via Spatialchat.

How to open your business in Estonia? (October 19, International House of Estonia)

Have you been thinking about setting up your own business in Estonia? Have heard that starting a company here is easy and want to know more? Got a business idea, but cannot decide which company type to choose? Want to ask about what paperwork you need to do in order to start your business? Then we got the seminar just for you!

Estonian Language House: cultural get-togethers (October 20, online)

In the course of these virtual get-togethers, we'll take a closer look at an intriguing Estonian artist, writer, fashion designer or creative force in another field. We'll dive into their work and explore what they do on a day-to-day basis.

Participants will learn new things and enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to ask questions and get involved in the discussion.

Estonian Music Week (October 22-23, online, Tallinn, Toronto)

Estonian Music Week 2021 brings the vibrant music scene of a small Nordic country into conversation with the multicultural big city. Acclaimed performers span across genres and timelines delivering live concerts in Tallinn and Toronto, and digitally in your home.

This year, the festival is hybrid, which means you can watch the concerts and events virtually for free, or in person if you purchase one of the limited-availability tickets from estonianmusicweek.ca.

 

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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Editor: Helen Wright

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