GALLERY: Gravestone for nine lost state leaders unveiled at Forest Cemetery
President Kersti Kaljulaid on Tuesday unveiled a cenotaph in Tallinn's Forest Cemetery for nine leaders of the Republic of Estonia, the locations of the remains of whom are unknown.
Adjacent to the tomb of President Konstantin Päts, the symbolic gravestone bears the names of Friedrich Karl Akel, Ado Birk, Kaarel Eenpalu, Jüri Jaakson, Juhan Kukk, Heinrich Mark, Ants Piip, Jaan Teemant and Jaan Tõnisson.
The gravestone was blessed by Archbishop Emeritus of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK) and Estonian Council of Churches chairman Andres Põder and High Priest of the Orthodox Church of Estonia Aleksander Sarapik. President Kaljulaid and MTÜ Konstantin Päts Museum chairman Trivimi Velliste also spoke at the ceremony.
The cenotaph, based on a winning design from 2013 by KUU Architecture architects Joel Kopli, Koit Ojaliiv, Juhan Rohtla and Eik Hermann, depicts a long, breaking wave.
The project for the joint gravestone was initiated by MTÜ Konstantin Päts Museum with the support of the Government Office and donors.
Nov. 28 marks the 100th anniversary of the Estonian Provincial Assembly (also known as the Maapäev) having declared itself the supreme power in Estonia, an event that paved the way for the birth of the Republic of Estonia and represented a great step towards independence.
The day was declared a flag day and is being marked with a number of special events.
Editor: Aili Vahtla