Between 165,000 and 200,000 Estonians are estimated to live outside the country right now, accounting for some 15-20 percent of the total number of Estonians worldwide.

With many diaspora communities located throughout the world, 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 provide a weekly window into Estonian communities and culture from all over the globe.

Estonia commemorates June 1941 deportations

Today, Estonia commemorates and mourns the victims of the June deportation. On June 14, 1941, the Soviet authorities deported over 10,000 persons, including children and the elderly, to Siberia. Such crimes must never have a place in the world and right now we must stand against the genocide that Russia implements today in Ukraine.

The fresh memory of the deportations and terror of the first Soviet occupation (from June 1940 to July 1941) was the main reason 75,000-80,000 people fled from Estonia in the late summer and fall of 1944, as the Red Army advanced into and occupied Estonia again.

In their adopted countries (from Sweden, to North America, to Australia and elsewhere) the war refugees formed various organizations of expatriate Estonians that focused on preserving Estonian culture and fighting for independence, forging the global Estonian community that exists and still flourishes to this day.

Saaremaa excavations unearth Estonia's oldest artifacts

Recent excavations at the Asva mound in Saaremaa have uncovered a wide range of artifacts dating back 3,000 years. All of these indicate that Asva was inhabited during both the Bronze Age and the subsequent Viking Age of Salme ships burials.

The historic bronze age settlement hill and the present Viking Village, also called Saaremaa Vikings, where the old story of Asva is set, are only a mile apart.

Share your ideas: how can we celebrate cultural diversity in Estonia?

The Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Integration Foundation announce an open call for ideas on how to celebrate the cultural diversity of Estonia in 2024. Both activities that are already in place, as well as completely new ideas can be suggested for the program of the next thematic year.

Ideas for the open call can be submitted on the Integration Foundation website or by regular post until June 30. 

Upcoming Events

Summer Camps 2023

Global Estonian has compiled a list of this summer's camps for children and young people across the world, where you can practise Estonian and meet your compatriots.

13th Youth Song and Dance Celebration (June 30- July 2, Tallinn)

The youth festival takes place every four years and involves tens of thousands of singers and dancers. The tradition has been included in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list and emphasizes Estonians' love for their country, language, culture, and customs.

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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