Hundreds of Estonians from around the world tuned into the forum "HOME CALLS" on Thursday at the Arvo Pärt Center, which featured conversations with choir conductor Hirvo Surva, author Jan Kaus, pianist Indrek Lauk, and Minister of Culture Heidy Purga (Reform).

"Culture itself is often invisible, yet it has extraordinary power to connect," Purga said. 

Some of the important cultural events occurring this year include the Song and Dance Festival (Laulu ja Tantsupidu) and the Year of the Book, the 500th anniversary of the first book published in Estonian. These celebrations are important for connecting the Estonian diaspora, the speakers said.

The Song and Dance Festival, which is arguably one of the most important cultural events in Estonia, takes place about every four or five years. Tens of thousands of singers and dancers from Estonia and around the globe gather for several days in Tallinn to sing a repertoire of Estonian music and dance in traditional folk costumes. 

For the song festival, more and more choirs from all over the world participate every year. This summer, 31 international choirs are going to perform.

"That's the touch of the festival this year, from every corner of the Estonia and from the corners of the world," said Agne Kurikoff-Herman, editor at the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation. 

Jordan Brodie is an Estonian American studying at Tallinn University of Technology. He is excited to participate in the song festival with the Vikerlased choir. 

"Just being there with tons of other Estonians singing these songs, it's very powerful and it's very beautiful," he said. 

The song and dance festival unites Estonians from all around the world, which Surve said is incredibly important this year, considering potential threats from Russia and its war with Ukraine. 

"Estonians need to come together. They need support and strength from each other," Surve said. "I think the song and dance festival is where they can feel this belonging together, being shoulder to shoulder with each other."

Another aspect of Estonian culture that keeps tradition alive in the diaspora is literature. 

This year marks 500 years since the first publication of a book written in Estonian, and several exhibitions and events about Estonian literature are taking place throughout the year. 

At the Estonian National Museum (Eesti Rahva Muuseum), one part of the Year of the Book exhibition focuses on exile literature, which includes books written by Estonian refugees. 

Kaus said that in the 1940s and 1950s, the most important Estonian literature was written by authors in exile. 

Writing books in the Estonian language, Kaus said, helped refugees maintain ties with their roots. 

"One way to keep up this spirit of fighting is to write literature in Estonian and keep the Estonian language alive," he said. "Estonian language becomes the true homeland in exile. You don't have the physical ground beneath your feet, but you have the ground expressed in your language."

For those who cannot visit the exhibitions, some of the literature that Kaus recommends to understand the power of language are "Hingede öö" by Karl Ristikivi, the poems of Ilmar Laaban, and the writings of A.H. Tammsaare. 

These books can also be read digitally with an Estonian ID card from the National Library of Estonia and the online lending platform MIRKO.

Lauk ended the virtual forum by playing a piano piece called "Kodumaine viis" (Homeland melody) composed by Heino Eller. 

"May the power of music continue to unite!" Lauk said.

This article was updated to add a report about the virtual forum.

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