According to the Estonian Folk Culture Center, only a couple of hundred people use the Kodavere dialect in everyday life, generally by older generations.

The purpose of the festival is to strengthen the use of the dialect. Approximately 250 singers will perform, two-thirds of whom are children and young people.

The repertoire includes local songs, well-known folk songs, and popular songs translated by a well-known dialect representative Eevi Treial, alongside the project leader of the Song Festival Reet Kruub.

Examples of popular songs included in the repertoire Curly Strings' "Kaugen külän" and a recreated version of Metsatöll's, Valter Ojakäär's "Õma laalu ei leiä mia üles".

Composer Alo Ritsing's "Süü, mede kirju karja!" will also be performed by mixed choirs as a gift to the song festival.

"We have already completed the important goal we set for ourselves: singing helps both the people from further afield to learn the Kodavere language. It is a great joy to see how bit by bit, children begin to understand the Kodavere language. We can only hope that the festival will give a push to people start using the language of their ancestors more," said Ergo-Hart Västrik, one of the lead organizers and the Kodavere Heritage Center's chief.

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