President Alar Karis: Estonians abroad are an influential part of Estonia
The Estonian mentality and spirit [Eesti meel] is the first to connect you all with Estonia, and despite the geographical distance, Estonians abroad are an influential part of Estonia, said President Alar Karis at a virtual forum organized for Estonians around the world.
It is a great pleasure for me to address about 200,000 people with Estonian roots living abroad in the virtual forum. The word "about" shows that the census has not been organized in this matter, and it is not possible to say exactly how many Estonians live outside Estonia.
But there are many of you and despite the geographical distance, you are an influential part of Estonia.
In fact, I could have been a part of you with my family. In the 1990s, I did research for six years in Germany, then in London and finally in the Netherlands, and there was a tangible opportunity for us to stay in Rotterdam. Fate went differently however and I received an exciting offer from the University of Tartu and we moved back to Estonia.
The reasons why Estonians left to live and work in other countries are very different, and these waves of emigration date back to the 19th century. We know, of course, more about the story of emigration after the exodus to the West in 1944 and then the restoration of independence.
I will formulate a question with an egoistic undertone - what does homeland Estonia expect from you?
The answer is simple: that as many Estonians living abroad as possible connect their future with Estonia in one way or another. The world has changed to such an extent that connection with Estonia does not mean an obligatory return to Estonia or moving. The connection with Estonia is now much broader.
It is just partaking in the Estonian cause, doing something for Estonia, or knowing yourself as an Estonian that makes you a part of our common Estonia.
Estonia needs you. It needs your knowledge, your experience, your network of business and other contacts, your culture and spirituality, from choirs to academia. It is also the case that many people with Estonian roots living abroad may be the best political and business diplomats who can represent Estonia with dignity and effectiveness in their current countries of residence.
Estonia needs your Estonian mindset.
Recently, a younger person among you talked about how he is both a Canadian and an Estonian, and although more and more Estonians living abroad are losing their Estonian language, they are still Estonians.
Because they still have an Estonian mindset and spirit [Eesti meel].
The Estonian mindset [Eesti meel] is the first thing that connects you all with Estonia.
Thank you all for keeping the Estonian spirit. [Eesti meel].
