On Friday morning, Vikerraadio is hosting its popular e-dictation exercise for the 18th time.

What had initially been intended as a one-off event has since grown into one of the most anticipated events celebrating Native Language Day, with not just individuals but also hundreds of schools as well as growing numbers of companies, organizations and institutions taking part in the live nationwide writing exercise each year.

This year, participants will be put to the test with a text dedicated to the Year of the Estonian Book.

The text of this year's e-dictation exercise will be read live on Vikerraadio beginning at 10:25 a.m. Estonian time (UTC+2), and participants will have until 11 a.m. to submit their entries. The exercise text will be recited live on air several times in a row.

The e-dictation page has also been adapted for use by blind and low-vision participants, and deaf and hard of hearing participants can participate via a video version of the text that will be released simultaneously on ERR.ee.

The e-dictation text will be read live on air by Vikerraadio editor Kaja Kärner and on video by ERR news editor Veronika Uibo.

Click here to read more about this year's e-dictation exercise — and visit Vikerraadio's homepage here to submit your entry to this year's e-dictation contest!

President's all-day reading marathon underway

For the fourth year in a row, an all-day public reading marathon is also being hosted in front of the Office of the President in Kadriorg, which kicked off at sunrise at 6:41 a.m. and will continue through sunset at 6:21 p.m.

Each reader has chosen texts that are personally meaningful to them or resonate with them in some way, including selections and excerpts from poetry, fiction, translated literature, newspaper articles and even jokes and folklore.

Visitors are welcome to stop by in person, but viewers can also tune in to a live feed directly from Kadriorg below, courtesy of President Alar Karis' Facebook page.

Readers this year include Estonian President Alar Karis, Prime Minister Kristen Michal, former President Kersti Kaljulaid, former Prime Minister Mart Laar, former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and a long list of other well-known public figures, educators, researchers, creatives, athletes and more, from Niina Petrõkina and Ragnar Klavan to Imbi Paju, Monika Siimets, Liisi Koikson, Hirvo Surva and Vaiko Eplik.

Native Language Day, a flag day in Estonia, is celebrated on March 14, marking the birthday of Estonian poet Kristjan Jaak Peterson.

Peterson, who was just 21 when he died in 1822, was nonetheless a key figure in the emergence of Estonian literature in the 19th century and is regarded as the father of modern Estonian poetry.

Friday's e-dictation exercise is being organized by Vikerraadio together with the Institute of the Estonian Language and the Ministry of Education and Research.

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