Open house day at the Riigikogu

This Saturday the Riigikogu is celebrating its 98th anniversary with its by now traditional open house day. Events are taking place for children and youth, including stories and songs of this year’s “Here I’ll stay” song and dance festival.
Visitors can meet the members of the Riigikogu in the rooms of the parliamentary groups, join a public session where they can ask members of the government questions, and go on guided tours of Toompea Castle all day. The building’s iconic tower, Tall Hermann, will be open for visitors as well.
The day will open with a welcome concert by young musicians on the balcony of Toompea Castle, and a short address by President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor (SDE).
At noon, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center), Minister of Culture Indrek Saar (SDE), and Minister of Finance Sven Sester (IRL) will reply to questions of the people in the parliament’s Session Hall.
As a part of the Estonia 100 programme celebrating the country’s centenary, the elections of the Youth Assembly (Noorte Maapäev) will be proclaimed as well. The young people elected will come together in the Session Hall of the Riigikogu on Nov. 28 to adopt a joint declaration. On that date 100 years ago, the Provincial Assembly of Estonia proclaimed itself the supreme legal authority of the country.
ERR’s Lastejaam children’s programme will be present all day in Toompea Castle’s exhibition hall. Kids can play in the Children’s Republic, a play area dedicated to the centenary, participate in a youth culture workshop, and learn folk dances with the stage director of the youth dance festival, Margus Toomla.
The open house day will end with a concert of the children of ETV’s children music studio in Toompea Castle’s White Hall.
On Apr. 23, 1919, the first representative body elected by the people in independent Estonia, the Constituent Assembly, convened in Tallinn. The Riigikogu celebrates this day every year with an open house day. Admission as well as all events and activities are free.
Programme:
10:40 a.m. Musical greeting from the balcony
10:50 a.m. Welcome by President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours of Toompea Castle, Tall Hermann Tower open for visitors
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meetings with members of the Riigikogu in factions
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children’s Republic and Children’s Station in the Exhibition Hall – the first possibility to see the play area of the Children’s Republic
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Year of Children's and Youth Culture workshop “Me Too” in the Children’s Room
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Discussion “Here I’ll Stay. Will the Song and Dance Celebration Stay Too?” in the café: Debate of members of the Cultural Affairs Committee and representatives of folk dancers, choir movement and music education
11:30 a.m. The youth dance festival’s stage director, Margus Toomla, teaches folk dances in the castle courtyard
12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Question time in the Riigikogu Session Hall with Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, Minister of Culture Indrek Saar, and Minister of Finance Sven Sester
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Quiz “Estonia and the European Union” in the Conference Hall
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Stories and songs of the Youth Song and Dance Celebration “Here I’ll Stay” in the castle courtyard
2:30 p.m. Proclamation of the elections of the Youth Assembly (Noorte Maapäev) in the Session Hall
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Good Mood Concert in the White Hall. Children’s choir of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Song Studio
Editor: Dario Cavegn