Gallery: Literature Day celebrated across Estonia

Language, literature, and reading were celebrated across Estonia on Thursday to mark Estonian Literature Day (January 30) and the launch of the Year of the Estonian Book.
Estonian Literature Day is celebrated on January 30 and aims to honor Estonia's classic texts, highlight contemporary literature and the role of writers in Estonian culture and society.
The date coincides with the birth anniversary of classic author Anton Hansen Tammsaare and has been designated an official flag day. Estonian Literature Day has been celebrated since 2023.
This year the date coincided with the launch of the Year of the Estonian Book which marks the 500 anniversary of the earliest known publishing of an Estonian-language book.
On Thursday "Aktuaalne kaamera" visited Võru, Viljandi, Jõhvi, and Narva. Events also took place in Tallinn and Tartu.
Reading breaks in Võru
In Võru, the Kreutzwald School held reading sessions throughout the morning, where excerpts from works by Võru County writers, such as Triinu Laan, Olavi Ruitlane, and Grete Rõõm, were read aloud during recess.
"The last book I read was Lord of the Flies, which I found very interesting. At first, it seemed like a thick book, but it was good to read," said Emili, an eighth-grade student.
"I do read the required literature, but usually, I do not read much otherwise. But if I come across an exciting book, I will check it out," said Anni Maria, another eighth-grade student.
As part of the Year of the Book, the school's book club launched a book recommendation project, where each week a community member introduces their favorite book.
Book wall in Viljandi municipality

In Viljandi Parish, a traveling exhibition called "Book Wall" was assembled in the Viiratsi municipal center for the Year of the Book.
The walls of the municipal building were filled with a diverse collection of reading material, featuring the favorite books of local residents, works by authors associated with the parish, the oldest books found in local libraries, and books that have been adapted into films.
The books were brought out from storage to strengthen the connection between people and literature. In a month, the exhibition will move on from Viiratsi to another location.
"We are presenting this Book Wall in different buildings outside of libraries — sports halls, cafés, shops located in Viljandi Parish. We have big plans for this year. Every library will host a well-known person, and we will bring lectures and exhibitions to the libraries. We are thinking about different target groups, both children and adults," said Tiina Torim, director of Viljandi Parish Library.
Estonian poetry in Narva

In Ida-Viru County, the center of the Year of the Book events was the Jõhvi Library, where the birthday celebration of the Estonian book and literary language lasted all day, offering engaging events for book lovers of all ages.
In Narva, the beginning of the Year of the Book was celebrated near the railway station's travel library, where students from Narva schools read poems by Estonian authors.
"I actually prefer poems. I read Lauri Räpp's book, and I liked it. It is beautifully designed and filled with deep sentences," said high school student Helen Lepajõe.
Martin Tikk, community leader at Narva Estonian High School, said that Tammsaare is particularly well-received among Narva residents.
"I think people in Narva are also looking for ways to relate more to Estonians and find something that feels Estonian. I believe Tammsaare is the key," he said.
President launches Year of the Estonian Book in Tartu

This year marks 500 years since the earliest known publishing of an Estonian-language book.
Dedicated to celebrating this quincentennial, the Year of the Estonian Book began on January 30.
President Alar Karis, the patron of the Year of the Estonian Book, officially launched the year in Tartu on Thursday, Estonian Literature Day.
The opening ceremony took place on Toome Hill (Toomemägi), where Karis delivered a speech in front of the Kristjan Jaak Peterson monument.
Together with Minister of Culture Heidy Purga (Reform), the Estonian present also presented the Literature Teacher of the Year title to local Miina Härma High School teacher Ivika Hein.
While in town, Karis also visited Tartu Mart Reinik School and the Tartu branch of the Estonian Writers' Union, where he was received by, among others, literary scholar Janika Kronberg and poet Hando Runnel.
Disco at Tallinn's Vilde Museum

The final hours of the day were marked with a disco at the Eduard Vilde Museum.
The event also marked the beginning of the Year of the Estonian Book and the 160th anniversary year of Eduard Vilde.
As in previous years, the Literature Day disco featured only songs with lyrics by Estonian poets, played for the audience by Mait Vaik and Veronika Kivisilla.
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Editor: Rasmus Kuningas, Helen Wright
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera