The presentation will be opened by Estonian Ambassador to Finland Merle Pajula, director of the Finnish National Archives Jussi Nuorteva, and chairman of the investigative commission Minister Max Jakobson. A greeting has been sent to the presentation by Finnish President Tarja Halonen. The presentation of the book takes place in cooperation with the Finnish National Archives.

A presentation on the activities and the results of the investigation carried out by the commission led by Minister Jakobson will be given by the leader of the commission’s investigative committee Toomas Hiio. Members of the investigative committee Meelis Saueauk and Indrek Paavle will talk about the arrests and deportations carried out in Estonia by Soviet security establishments in the 1940s and 50s and the actions of the German security establishments in accordance with their occupation regime from 1941-44.

The review “Estonia Since 1944” is the result of ten years of work by the investigative commission summoned together by President Lennart Meri. The book comprises five parts. In the first part an overview is given of the historical situation, in the second the oppressive organs of the Soviet regime are described, and in the third and longest part of the book the crimes against humanity committed in Estonia during the Soviet occupation are described. The fourth part of the book contains descriptions of the prisons and prison camps in occupied Estonia and the fifth part contains biographies, a bibliography and appendices.

The commission, which worked from 1998 to 2009, included in addition to Minister Max Jakobson also former Danish Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, security analyst Dr. Paul Goble, member of the board of the American Jewish Committee Nicholas Lane, George Washington University professor Peter Reddaway, chairman of the scientific council of the Russian organisation “Memorial” Arseni Roginsky, and former Bundestag member Professor Baron Wolfgand von Stetten. The first book of the International Commission for Investigating Crimes Against Humanity, which addressed the years 1940-1944, was published in 2006.

Before the presentation, Ambassador Merle Pajula will present Finnish author Sofi Oksanen with the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana IV Class, which the President of the Republic bestowed on Oksanen in recognition of her work introducing Estonian history. Her novel “Purge” and her article compilation compiled together with Imbi Paju “Fear Behind Us All” address the consequences of the Soviet and German occupations in Estonia from many different points of view.

SEMINAR

Time: Thursday April 29th 2010 at 15:00 followed by a reception at 17:00
Venue: Aleksanteri Institute, Unioninkatu 33, 3rd floor

Due to limited number of seats please RSVP by Thursday 22th April, 2010
by an electronic form.

Programme

15:00 Opening Speech
Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Audronius Azubalis

15:15 Panel discussion

• Chair: Prof. Markku Kivinen, Aleksanteri Institute  

• Estonia: Rein Müllerson, Rector, University Nord, Tallinn. Independence Regained: entirely subjective personal reminiscences and some relatively objective legal fictions

• Finland: Jaakko Blomberg, Ambassador, Member of the Advisory Board, Aleksanteri Institute. Finland between Moscow and the Baltics

• Latvia: Atis Lejiņš, Dr.sc.pol.h.c, Professor, Latvian Institute of International Affairs. Nordic countries and restoration of Baltic independence. Case study – Sweden

• Lithuania: Egidijus Aleksandravicius, Professor, Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas), Department of the Lithuanian History, Director of the Lithuanian Emigration Institute. The Singing Revolution and Destiny of the Baltic Unity

Discussion

Closing Words
Prof. Markku Kivinen, Aleksanteri Institute

17:00 Reception

Organisers:
Aleksanteri Institute, the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki, the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in Helsinki and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania

Welcome!

Contact person:
Marjo Kauppinen
tel. +358 9 191 23 657
e-mail: marjo.a.kauppinen at helsinki.fi

18 March, Fashion Show in the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki: trademarks "By Karin E" and "Pohjanheimo Couture"

The trademark By Karin E became successful in the Year 2004. After three years of studies at the Union of Gemmologists of Great Britain. The handwriting of by Karin E is bold and original- the product line reflects colorful emotions of the beauty, character and contrast of gems. After five years of hard work the brand opened its first showroom in central Europe- Geneva.

Ülle Pohjanheimo has been the creative force behind the wardrobe for many Estonian public figures and her work is constantly at the centre of attention.The Pohjanheimo House of Fashion has satisfied loyal customers in Estonia and abroad. A client Pohjanheimo House of Fashion is a woman who is born to an understanding of her own personal style and who is rather trying to understand elegance instead of using external details to get attention. Her dressing style and feel are always consistent with her personality, style and temperament.

Today Foreign Minister Urmas Paet presented Foreign Ministry cultural stipends to two creative Estonians—author, director and journalist Imbi Paju and theatre director Tiit Ojasoo.

Foreign Minister Paet stated that Imbi Paju and Tiit Ojasoo have made a significant contribution to successfully presenting Estonia’s society and culture abroad. “We wish to recognise both of these creative individuals—as a result of their valuable artistic and intellectual work, many more people abroad know about Estonia’s society and history,” stated Foreign Minister Paet.

Tiit Ojasoo is a respected Estonian director who views social life and the events therein with a critical eye. Ojasoo’s production “ГЭП—Garjatšije estonskije parni” has participated in many theatre festivals abroad. The production has travelled outside of Estonia more than any other Estonian production. In March of 2009 the production took the stage at the Russian theatre festival “Golden Mask” and in May at the a/d Werf festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In 2008 performances were given in Cologne, Oldenburg, St. Petersburg, Tampere, Wiesbaden, Vienna, Torun, and Bern, and in 2007 in Poniewiez, Lithuania.

Imbi Paju attempts to look to the future by talking about the past, since the way to a healthier society is by examining its painful areas. Imbi Paju examines history primarily through emotions. In 2009 Imbi Paju premiered her historical-psychological documentary film “Sisters Across the Gulf of Finland”. It premiered in Helsinki, Tallinn and Brussels. Paju’s film talks about the experiences of Estonian and Finnish women through the events of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the Soviet occupation. In 2005 Paju’s documentary film “Memories Denied” was released, which describes two sisters growing up among Stalinism, Soviet occupation and terror, where suppressing one’s memories was the only form of self-defence. In March of 2009, a compilation of articles created in co-operation by Imbi Paju and Sofi Oksanen entitled “Fear Behind Us All” was published on the 60th anniversary of the Estonian deportations.

SPOKESPERSON´S OFFICE
+372 637 7654
+372 521 3085
pressitalitus@mfa.ee

Exhibition in Estonian Embassy, Helsinki
8 June – 2 September, 2009

Exhibition compiled by Kersti Koll and Ülle Kruus
Exhibition designed by Anu Paal

Huge boulders and sea-washed pebbles, limestone fossils or roadside cobbles are sure to catch your eye with their might and exceptional variety of form and colour. These impressions are often caught on photos, used in landscaping and the smallest specimen are sometimes brought home as keepsakes.

Local natural stone was first used in Estonian professional design jewellery at the end of the 1950’s. The intense 1960’s, when great shifts took place in Estonian applied art, introduced new, plain forms and novel materials in local designer jewellery.

One of the first to use natural stone in making ornaments was Adamson-Eric (Erich Carl Hugo Adamson, 1902–1968). Adamson-Eric, above all a painter, was a versatile experimental artist, who generated avant-garde ideas in almost all spheres of applied art.

The exhibition ‘Stones in Estonian Jewellery’ held at the Adamson-Eric Museum in 2008 is now in Helsinki at the Estonian Embassy at a slightly smaller scale. This exhibition presents an overview of the use this very own and location-specific material by Estonian jewellery designers from the 1960’s until today.

In addition to Adamson-Eric, the stone-inspired jewellery by Viivi Aavik, Mari Käbin, Tiina Käesel, Urve Küttner, Lilian Linnaks, Kadri Mälk, Anu Paal, Helge Pihelga, Ane Raunam, Anne Roolaht, Juta Vahtramäe, Harvi Varkki, Kertu Vellerind and Raili Vinn are exposed.

The display demonstrates the variety of ways of using stone as a material, the evolution of form and concepts in time and the value of stone as a symbol in its own right.  Different stones are exposed on opposite shores of the Bay of Finland which have become symbols of identity for the two kindered nations.  The national stone of Estonia is limestone, in Finland it is granite.

Geologists helped to establish the specific types of stone used by the artists. The most common natural stones found in Estonia – granite, gneiss, gabbro, rapakivi-granite, pegmatite, migmatite and quartz-porphyry – are introduced together with jewellery on the photos by Tõnis Saadre, accompanied by Tõnu Oja’s texts.

We are hoping that different interpretations of natural stones captured as jewels and objects besides magnificent photos of mighty boulders with charming microscopic world within rocks will offer inspiration to our viewers.

Welcome!
Kersti Koll and Ülle Kruus

Supporters:
Finish Design Museum
Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design
Estonian Ministry of Culture
Estonian Foreign Ministry

Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Symphony No. 4 will be premiered in Helsinki’s Finlandiatalo concert hall on Thursday, 16 April. This is the European premier of the composer’s newest work. The Helsinki City Orchestra will be conducted by Turkish conductor Cem Mansur.

Nearly 40 years separates Arvo Pärt’s last symphony, Symphony No. 3, from this new work. The subtitle for Symphony No. 4, which is nearly 40 minutes long, is “Los Angeles”—the world premier of the symphony even took place in Los Angeles in the USA in January of this year, where the local orchestra was conducted by its long-time conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.

The composer has dedicated his great composition to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is held in prison in Russia. “With my composition, I would like to reach out, extending a hand to this prisoner and through him to all those imprisoned without rights in Russia. I wish him peace of soul notwithstanding the circumstances, and I hope that my carrier pigeon one day reaches faraway Siberia,” Arvo Pärt wrote in the dedication of his Symphony No. 4.

The concert in Finlandiatalo will begin with a performance of Pärt’s symphony at 19.00. During the second half of the concert, Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with solos by Aleksander Toradze as well as variations on Elgar’s “Enigma” will be performed. The concert will be broadcast live on the radio through co-operation by Estonian Classical Radio and Finnish Yleisradio. During the intermission of the concert, Yleisradio and Estonian Classical Radio will be playing recently recorded interviews with Arvo Pärt. He will discuss the creation of his Symphony No. 4 and his perception of music in general.

President of the Estonian Republic Toomas Hendrik Ilves and his wife will attend the premier of Arvo Pärt’s Symphony No. 4 at the Finlandiatalo concert hall.


SPOKESPERSON’S OFFICE
pressitalitus@mfa.ee

Photo exhibition of Peeter Langovits
Thinking about Lennart Meri
3 April - 5 June 2009
at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki
(Itäinen Puistotie 10)

Here we have only some of the unique moments which were gifts of Time given to me from my meetings with Lennart Meri.

The Great Man of our history whose behavior was often so unpredictable and oblivious; who always spoke up for Estonia, and who rather faced the future than the mundane. Openness and determination, sophistication and a precise perception of details made him a media favorite.

A checkered thread of events and meetings as recorded by a press photographer is part of our common history.

Peeter Langovits


President Lennart Meri (29 March 1929 - 14 March 2006)
http://www.riik.ee/lennartmeri/?lang=en
http://www.president.ee/en/estonia/heads.php?gid=81983

Opening of plenary session: EP marks 60th anniversary of deportation of Baltic citizens to Siberia

At the opening of this week's Strasbourg plenary session, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering made a declaration on the 60th anniversary of the deportation of thousands of citizens of the Baltic states to Siberia by the Soviet regime.

Fear Behind the Wall
Seminar and concert

Monday, 23 March 2009, 17.00-20.30
Helsinki, Cinema Orion, Eerikinkatu 15

* * *
P  R  O  G  R  A  M  M E

* * *
17.00 – SEMINAR

GREETINGS
Merle Pajula, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia
Einars Semanis, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia
Halina Kobeckaité, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania
Anna Žīgure, author and former ambassador of the Republic of Latvia

PRESENTATIONS
Moderator: political scientist and columnist Iivi Anna Masso
Toomas Hiio, Estonian Foundation for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity
Martin Arpo, Estonian Security Police, former investigator of crimes against humanity and war crimes
Professor Seppo Zetterberg

INTERVIEW
Editors of the article compilation "Fear Behind Us All"
Imbi Paju and Sofi Oksanen interviewed by Iivi Anna Masso

INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the film programme "Fear Behind the Wall"
Antti Alanen, Finnish National Audiovisual Archive

* * *
19.30 – CONCERT

GREETING
Marten Kokk, Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

PREMIER
REQUIEM
Jüri Reinvere's music and spoken word composition "Requiem"
will be complemented by a film from Australian director Catherine Jarvis
of documentary video clips from the years 1911 - 1940.
"Requiem" is the message of those we have lost brought to today's audiences.

* * *
The working languages of the seminar are Finnish and English (no translation will occur).
The seminar and concert are free and open to all guests,
although the number of spaces is limited.
Free tickets are available from the box office of the cinema "Orion" on Eerikinkatu 15.

* * *
Organisers: The Estonian Embassy in Helsinki in co-operation with
Sofi Oksanen, Imbi Paju, WSOY, the Finnish National Audiovisual Archive,
and the embassies of Latvia and Lithuania in Helsinki.

* * *
Press releases:
20 Years Since Fall of Iron Curtain to be Observed in Helsinki
Article Compilation "Fear Behind Us All" to Be Released in Helsinki