New Estonian sauna minister recently sworn in

Journalist Rein Sikk was sworn in as Estonia's unofficial sauna minister as part of the Year of the Sauna celebrations in the eastern city of Jõhvi on Saturday.

Rein Sikk, who first came up with the idea of celebrating the Year of the Sauna, was sworn in as sauna minister on the high street of Jõhvi on Saturday where a sauna day was organized by the Jõhvi Central Library. This despite the Estonian proverb according to which "everyone is equal in the sauna." Rein Sikk is an Estonian journalist and sauna culture promoter.

Sauna is an ancient tradition that still plays an important role in Estonian culture. In 2014, UNESCO also included the Southern Estonian smoke sauna tradition in its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

To celebrate the Year of the Sauan, the website Sauna2023 was completed, where all public and rental saunas across Estonia have been mapped.

Read more:

Gallery: Rein Sikk becomes Estonia's sauna minister - ERR NEWS

Sauna in Estonia — heat it up in 2023! - Visit Estonia