Virtual forum for Estonians across the globe

The Foreign Ministry’s seventh virtual forum for Estonians worldwide is held on 2 May at 16.00 Estonian time

This time, we are looking at the opportunities young people of Estonian origin living abroad can find in Estonia – a land that is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea amidst forests and bogs, and is growing unicorns at a heady pace. We will look at the present and peek into the future. We are starting with a new format – a video postcard of the community. The forum is moderated by Ellen Valter, the soul and leader of KESKUS, the International Estonian Centre in Toronto, and music will be provided by musician and poet EiK, who just won the popular vote of the Language Achievement Award.  

We would like to highlight that the virtual forum will include a prize draw for a return plane ticket for two to Estonia with two nights of accommodation in a hotel in Tallinn. The prize draw will be held on 10 May at 12.00 Estonian time. You can enter the lottery by watching the virtual forum later, before 9 May at 23.00 Estonian time.

PARTICIPATION LINK: added shortly before the forum

15.45

• Watch a live stream from an Estonian nature camera

16.00

• Introduction by Ellen Valter
• Words of welcome by Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov
• Tartu - European Capital of Culture 2024
• Panel ‘Estonia as an opportunity’ (Rebeka Dronia, Kristi Marika Lampi, William Persson)
• First-hand experiences from the private IT school kood/Jõhvi (Egon Saks with his wife Cristina)
• Music by EiK

17.00

• Estonia is searching for whom – both today and 10 years from now? (Work in Estonia, Susanna Vatter)
• Estonia as the breeding ground for unicorns (Startup Estonia, Eve Peeterson)
• Video postcard from the Estonian community in Switzerland  
• Marin Mõttus talks to Ellen Valter
• Musical finale by EiK
• Estimated end of the event at 17.45/18.00

The virtual forum’s prize draw for plane tickets

• Everyone who watches the virtual forum for Estonians across the globe on 2 May 2024 at 16.00 Estonian time can enter a prize draw and win return plane tickets for two to Estonia.
• The prize draw is held on 10 May at 12.00 Estonian time, and if you register for subsequent viewing of the virtual forum, you can still enter the draw until 9 May at 23.00 Estonian time.
• The flight must take place during the 2024 calendar year.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contact the winner and will put them in touch with the travel agency in Tallinn where the tickets must be bought (they can be replaced with bus, ferry or train tickets).
• The prize includes a two-night stay at the Hotel in Tallinn.
• We are also offering the winner a tour at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while they are in Estonia.
• As it is a big world and plane ticket fees vary enormously, there is a cap on the ticket price.
• Plane ticket price cap: economy class within Europe up to €600, rest of the world up to €1200.