Estonia celebrates sixth annual Veterans Day
Veterans Day is being celebrated in Estonia on Monday to acknowledge and thank Estonian troops who have contributed to Estonian security by serving on military operations or been injured while serving.
The morning began with veterans raising the Estonian flag at Narva Castle at dawn.
At 9 a.m., fallen soldiers were commemorated in a ceremony held at the monument in Paldiski brought back from Camp Shorabak (the former Camp Bastion) in Afghanistan.
A memorial service will be held at noon at St. George's Lutheran Church in Tori in honor of all soldiers who have fought for Estonia.
Veteranirock, a charity rock concert, will begin in Tallinn's Freedom Square at 7 p.m. Slated to perform at the concert are the Karl-Erik Taukar Band, Liis Lemsalu, Ott Lepland and Ivo Linna together with the band Revals. Also to perform are the Mustad Kolonelid, a band made up of members of the Tallinn District of the volunteer Estonian Defence League. ETV2 will broadcast the concert live.
There are nearly 2,800 veterans in Estonia, who have served in the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) and the Estonian Defence League.
Since 1995, Estonian troops have served on overseas missions in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Macedonia, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Mali, the Central African Republic as well as on the Gulf of Aden.
Editor: Aili Vahtla