Presenting the award to the Läänemaa ühisgümnaasium, in Haapsalu, minister Kersna said: "In a situation where there is a war going on 1,300 kilometers away, we think that school is really that place where world peace is created.

"By teaching young people cooperation and solidarity with one another, we are actually teaching them to live in peace. And right here – at the Läänemaa ühisgümnaasium - young people are indeed being taught how to live in peace, how important each and everyone is and how to be in solidarity with each other," the minister continued, handing over the trophy to students' representatives Erko Puskar and Elisabeth Sild.

10 schools nationwide were shortlisted for the cup: Metsküla algkool, also in Lääne County, Kristjan Jaak Petersoni gümnaasium in Tartu, Püha Johannese kool in Tallinn, Jüri gümnaasium, near Tallinn, Ülejõe põhikool in Pärnu, Jakob Westholmi gümnaasium in Tallinn, Iisaku gümnaasium (Tartu), Jõhvi gümnaasium and Laagna gümnaasium (Tallinn).

Metsküla algkool placed second and Jüri gümnaasium was third.

Last year's winner was  Uulu põhikool, near Pärnu.

Põhikool (basic school) refers to the mandatory schooling which all Estonian students must attend, while the lower grades of this are often separated off as an algkool (starting school). Gümnaasium-level is the highest stage of school and is not mandatory.

Education is highly valued in Estonia, and the country has placed top in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) awards issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in recent years.

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