The Estonia 100 program offers celebrations from Vastseliina to Washington | EV100

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The Estonia 100 program, ongoing until the end of the anniversary period, offers thousands of opportunities to celebrate around the world. Check out what the key events are in 2018 that you should mark in your calendar!

  • The anniversary year of the Republic of Estonia can be celebrated in more than a thousand ways.
  • The Estonia 100 program continues until 2 February 2020. 
  • Everyone has the opportunity to add Estonia 100 celebration events to the program through the Estonia 100 webpage  www.ev100.ee

The Estonia 100 program is divided into 12 sub-programs: 

Estonia 100 key events in 2017 and 2018

  • 28 November 2017: The 100th Anniversary of Estonia’s National Self-Determination

100 years ago, the Estonian Provisional Assembly proclaimed itself the sole supreme authority in Estonia, until the convening of the Estonian Constituent Assembly, thus creating the preconditions for the proclamation of independence. For this reason, a festive sitting in the chamber of the Riigikogu will take place, where delegates of the Young People’s Maapäev will present their manifesto. At the Metsakalmistu (Forest Cemetery), a cenotaph will be opened for nine heads of state whose burial places are unknown.

  • 31 December / 1 January 2018: Beginning of the Anniversary Year

The beginning of the anniversary year will be celebrated with Pärt Uusberg’s “Eestimaa atmosfäärid” (“The Atmospheres of Estonia”), which will premiere at the Solaris Centre. Estonian Public Broadcasting’s end-of-year program will have live streaming from Tallinn’s Freedom Square, bringing the president’s speech, as well as the open air concert and fireworks to audiences all across Estonia.

  • 19-25 February: Estonia 100 Centenary Week

The centenary week will see key anniversary events across Estonia. National cultural and scientific prizes will be awarded in Haapsalu, honourary decorations will be presented by the president in Narva, the religious service will take place in Paide, the gala in Tartu, and the flag raising and parade in Tallinn. On 23 February, the Independence Manifesto will be read aloud in Pärnu, just like 100 years ago.

  • 5 May: Estonia 100 “Let’s Do It!” Cleanup Day

This time, the communal workers are invited to rediscover and reuse the colours of the folk costumes of their home parishes. Whether it will be a granary door, a bus shelter in a village centre or even a cultural centre that will be fixed-up and then painted in folk stripes is, of course, up to the workers to decide.

At this year’s Mother’s Day concerts, audiences can enjoy new works by our famous musicians and singers, created especially for this day. The new works will be performed by the artists together with children on stages all across Estonia.

  • 19-25 August: Estonia 100 Great Summer Week

A national sing-along at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds will take place in the beginning of the Great Summer Week. The week ends with the Night of Ancient Lights on our beaches. Meanwhile, we invite you to discover Estonia – travel by land and water, on foot and by bike, and to listen to concerts in beautiful places all over Estonia.

  • 15 September: Let’s Do It World

Initially, “Let’s do it!” meant that we cleaned up our immediate environment as part of communal work. During the centenary year, we will help clean up garbage the world over. This is Estonia’s gift to our planet.

  • 11 November: Father’s Day

100 years ago, World War I ended.  For Estonia, this was the opportunity to start the construction of an independent state proclaimed in February. However, on 28 November already, the Estonian War of Independence began, which was finally ended by the conclusion of the Peace Treaty in Tartu on 2 February 1920. The Republic of Estonia was born and had survived.
Therefore, the 100th anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty also ends the anniversary period of Estonia 100.

The Estonia 100 program is extensive. Here are some events listed according to sub-program.
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Estonia 100 film program

  • 6 films will be completed for Estonia’s 100th anniversary:  “Seltsimees laps” (Comrade Child), “Võta või jäta” (Take It or Leave It), “Põrgu Jaan” (Jaan of Hell), “Eia jõulud Tondikakul“ (Eia’s Christmas at Tondikaku), “Tõde ja õigus” (Truth and Justice) and “Lotte ja kadunud lohed” (Lotte and the Lost Dragons).
  • A television drama series “Pank” (Bank),
  • A full-length documentary “Tuulte tahutud maa” (Land Hewn by Winds), a series of short documentaries “Juured” (Roots) and mini-documentary: “Leiutades Eestit” (Inventing Estonia).
  • More attention will be focused on Estonian films at various events and festivals in Berlin, Brussels, Lisbon, Reykjavik, Madrid, Cannes and Krakow.

Estonia 100 music program

  • The 100th anniversary of Estonia will feature a great number of noteworthy concerts and musical events in Estonia and abroad. During the centennial year, many new musical pieces commissioned and written for the 100th birthday of the Republic of Estonia will be performed and many musical events will be dedicated to the 100th birthday of Estonia.
  • On 31 December we will celebrate the beginning of the anniversary year with a large-scale concert in Freedom Square in Tallinn. That same evening, et 18:00, Pärt Uusberg’s “Eestimaa atmosfäärid” (“The Atmospheres of Estonia”), will premiere at Nordea Concert Hall. 
  • In the beginning of the year, audiences in Estonia and all over the world will be able to enjoy a new work by Erkki-Sven Tüür as part of the Estonia 100 celebrations.
  • The folk music band Trad.Attack! has set the goal of visiting all the Member States of the European Union during the anniversary year.
  • Estonian jazz artists Kadri Voorand, Peedu Kass and many others will perform at major European jazz events, including in Finland, Germany and England, to celebrate Estonia’s centenary.
  • During the Estonia 100 anniversary week from 19 February to 24 February, a new work by Rasmus Puur will be performed at the Pärnu Concert Hall, which is based on nearly 2000 place names transformed into rhythm by poet Doris Kareva.
  • In the beginning of the summer, as part of the concert series “Teekond” (“The Journey”), string quintets will travel around Estonia, performing concerts at railway stations. The journey will end with a big gala concert at the Tartu railway station and at the Balti Jaam train station in Tallinn.
  • The anniversary year’s Jazzkaar festival will commence with a project of overcoming genres entitled “Saja lugu” (“The Story of One Hundred”), as part of which a new work by Erki Pärnoja will be presented. During the Jõulujazz festival, audiences will be able to enjoy “9 hümni vabadusele” (“9 Anthems to Freedom”).
  • At the beginning of Estonia 100’s Great Summer Week on 19 August, the huge sing-along event for Estonians everywhere “Laulu Võim” (“The Power of Song”) will take place. In addition to the concert at the Song Festival grounds, singing events will take place across Estonia and all over the world. During the Great Summer Week (18 August until 25 August), the Police and Border Guard Orchestra will travel around Estonia with well-known and beloved singers, and give free outdoor concerts “Mööda piiri” (“Along the Border”). The Great Summer Week will end on the Night of Ancient Lights with a concert featuring the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste, at Kakumäe Harbour and on Naissaar island.
  • The ballet “Keres” will soon surprise audiences. “Keres” is a new work by composers Timo Steiner and Sander Mölder.
  • On 15 September, following the “Let’s Do It” Cleanup Day, one of three Clean World concerts will be held in Estonia.
  • A younger audience will surely enjoy the family “Klaveriloomad” (“Piano Animals”) concerts.
  • The Estonia 100 music event “Helifilmi mikstuur” (“The Mixture of Movie Sound”) will premiere at the PÖFF Film Festival in 2018.
  • During the cenntenial year, the new Arvo Pärt Centre as well as the permanent exhibition of the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum “Kuulsuste Koda” (“Hall of Fame”) will be opened.
  • On International Music Day, 1 October, we will celebrate the conclusion of the Estonia 100 gift “An Instrument for Every Child”. At the thank you concerts, children will play the new instruments and with these free concerts across Estonia, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this century’s largest investment in musical instruments and to the future of Estonia’s musical culture.
  • In August, the choral music festival Europa Cantat will bring international attention to Tallinn

Estonia 100 sports program

  • At all Estonian Championships in athletics events taking place during the anniversary year, medals with the Estonia 100 design will be awarded to the top three competitors on the podium.
  • The Estonian Olympic Committee’s gift “100 Days for a Healthy Estonia” offers a challenge to all people living in Estonia, inviting them to train for 100 days during the anniversary year. 
  • The Estonian athletes’ parade uniform collection for the PyeongChang Olympics is named “1918” after the year the Republic of Estonia was proclaimed.
  • In the summer of 2017, the Tallinn action sports event Simple Session extended to Riga in celebration of Estonia’s birthday, and next year, Simple Session will have a pop-up competition in Copenhagen.
  • Among other Estonian Championship competitions, Estonia’s centenary will also be celebrated at the Moonsund (Muhu Strait) Regatta. New maritime sports enthusiasts are being raised by the “Meresõber” (Sea Friend) Sea School, which started during the Year of Maritime Culture (2016) and travels across Estonia in the summers.
  • During the anniversary year, the following major international competitions will take place in Estonia: World Cup event in Nordic Combined in Otepää, the Winter Swimming World Championships, Ironman Tallinn, the UEFA Super Cup final and the Curling European Championships. The extraordinary nature of 2018 is also brought out at major sporting events such as the Tartu ski marathon, Tallinn Marathon, the “Tallinn Open” Kristjan Palusalu Youth Wrestling Tournament and the Simple Session.

Estonia 100 memory and history program

  • Several exhibitions will be opened to celebrate Estonia 100: The Estonian History Museum’s exhibition “Minu vaba riik” (“My Free State”) at Maarjamäe Castle in Tallinn, the Maritime Museum’s exhibition “100 aastat kiilu all” (“100 Years Beneath the Keel”, Estonia’s Story in Ships 1918-2018) at the Seaplane Harbour and the Art Museum of Estonia’s exhibition “Eesti lugu kunstis” (“Estonia’s Story Through Art”) at KUMU. The joint research project of Estonian museums will end with the exhibition “Isetehtud Eesti” (“Self-Made Estonia”) at the Estonian National Museum.
  • In February 2018, the first book of the Estonia 100 book series will be published. This is a book series that concentrates on the story of 100 years in Estonia and consists of 44 books. The range of topics covered in the books of the series is great, covering reviews of Estonian medicine, education, journalism, and even fashion and rock. 
  • Estonian traditional textiles and fashion will be introduced in Bologna, and Estonian Folk Musicians’ workshops will be held in Brussels.

Estonia 100 architecture and public space program

  • The Estonia 100 architecture program “Good Public Space” is planning the construction or reconstruction of public space areas in county centres or major towns (Põlva, Tõrva, Võru, Rapla, Kärdla, Valga, Rakvere, Viljandi, Narva, Kuressaare, Põltsamaa, Elva, Kuremäe, Tallinn and Jõhvi).
  • Estonia’s centenary is a good reason to start many smaller jobs as part of the “Estonia 100 in Each Village” program: parks will be created and several memorials and monuments will be erected. In addition to the 2017 intercultural festival of Transgraffiti Muralism “Mextonia”, art works will be created on surfaces in public space to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Estonia.
  • Through Edward von Lõngus’s graffiti images, Estonians of 100 years ago will appear on the walls of the following European cities: Berlin, Rome, Paris, Copenhagen and Helsinki.

Estonia 100 theatre program

  • As part of the Estonia 100 theatre series “The Story of the Century”, 13 pieces will be created through the cooperation of 22 theatres, with each one reflecting one decade of the last century.
  • The Estonian Writers Union’s gift is a play on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Siuru literary movement, which looks back at a Siuru party evening in Estonia one hundred years ago.
  • Estonian theatre art will reach Europeans through the Estonian National Opera’s tours in Finland and Latvia, the Kanuti Guild Hall’s Performing Arts Weekend in Germany and France, and through many NO99 theatre performances in various European theatres.
  • A branch of the Vaba Lava theatre will be opened in Narva during the anniversary year.

Estonia 100 education and science program

  • The education program of Estonia 100 is focusing on children and young people. Led by the non-profit organisation Tagasi Kooli (Back To School), 100 online guest lessons will take place during the school year of Estonia’s 100th anniversary year, where the role of the teacher will be taken by representatives of various professions, including the president and prime minister.
  • The Estonia 100 team will help provide kids across the country with a chance to engage in robotics and show their skills at Robotex, which, as a joint effort and an anniversary event, will be the world’s largest robotics competition.
  • During the anniversary period, two new student satellites will be launched into orbit. Before that, radio transmitter stations will be built in schools across Estonia in order to capture the signal from the satellite, which is the song “Ta lendab mesipuu poole”, (meaning “Flying Towards the Hive”; i.e. home), sung at the Children’s and Youth Song Celebration in the summer of 2017.
  • On 7 February, schools across Estonia will take part in time travel “A School Day 100 Years Ago”, organised by the Estonian National Museum.
  • The aim of the gift of the University of Tartu is to have over one million articles in the Estonian language Wikipedia by the end of the anniversary period. In addition, scientists from the University of Tartu are working on preserving the curative microbes of 100-year-old Estonians for future generations.
  • In the spring, Estonia’s popular AHHAA Science Theatre will travel to the NEMO Science Centre in Amsterdam.

Estonia 100 food culture program

  • Together, we are looking for a recipe for an Estonia 100 birthday cake that on 24 February will be on every Estonian’s table at home, as well as at the reception of the President of the Republic of Estonia.
  • During Estonian Restaurant Week it is possible to eat at an Estonia 100 birthday table in 100 restaurants across Estonia. The birthday table will be presented at Estonia’s largest street food festival, which takes place in Tallinn and in Tartu. The centenary will also be celebrated during Estonian Food Month in September.
  • During the anniversary period, you can taste Estonia 100 speciality products ranging from ice cream to potato salad.

Estonia 100 art program

  • The Estonia 100 contemporary art program “100 Art Landscapes” consists of 37 art events which will take place in various locations all across Estonia over the course of three years. For example: Maarin Ektermann’s project “Artists in Collections 10 x 10”, where ten contemporary artists will work in ten different small Estonian museums during 2018.
  • The exhibition “Michael Sittow. Estonian Painter at the Courts of Renaissance Europe” will open at the National Gallery of Art of Washington and the KUMU Art Museum in Tallinn. This is the first personal exhibition of the famous Renaissance-period artist originally from Estonia, which brings together Sittow’s surviving work from the largest art museums of the world.
  • As part of the “Young person – Create and Bring Art to the Library!” gift, personal exhibitions of nearly 1,000 young artists will be held in 236 libraries across Estonia during the jubilee year.
  • During the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, KUMU’s exhibition and book “Ajalugu pildis – pilt ajaloos” (“History in a Picture – A Picture in History”) will concentrate on the role of artists in shaping Estonian historical memory.
  • At the Tallinn Art Hall awaits the exhibition “Riik ei ole kunstiteos?” (“The State is not a Work of Art?”), curated by Katerina Gregos, and the annual exhibition of the Estonian Artists’ Association, this time with an updated format.

Estonia 100 communities program

  • The program “Estonia 100 in Every Village” gives each village, town and community the opportunity to choose one day during the anniversary period when they are in the role of the birthday child and celebrate the 100th birthday of Estonia. Every month, one Estonia 100 birthday party like this will take place, where guests and tourists are very welcome.
  • In 2018 the conference “The Wisdom of Well-informed Communities” will bring 500 sustainable lifestyle experts to Estonia from around the world to discuss how to switch to a conscious lifestyle as communities and countries.
  • The 100th anniversary of Estonia will also be celebrated at the 2018 Paide Opinion Festival.

Estonia 100 nature program

  • During the anniversary year, we invite everyone to hike in nature; every month focuses on a different kind of hiking. The great hiking season will start at the Outdoor Trade Fair on 7 April.
  • The State Forest Management Centre RMK’s anniversary gift “The Estonian Forest Tells the Estonian Story” is a nationwide network of hiking trails, where 100 cultural objects related to interesting people and events relating to Estonia’s history are marked. Certain long trails will finally reach completion in 2018 including the Oandu-Aegviidu-Ikla 375 km and the Peraküla-Aegviidu-Ähijärve 820 km hiking trails, and the 633-km-long Penijõe-Aegviidu-Kauksi trail. There are many reasons for hikers to rejoice in 2018.
  • Estonian mountain climbers will conquer the “Estonia” peak in the Pamir Mountains.
  • On 15 September, World Cleanup Day will take place. This is Estonia’s gift to the world, during which the whole planet will be cleaned of illegal waste.

Estonia 100 children’s and young people’s program

  • Much attention is devoted to children and young people in the Estonia 100 program and taking them into account, many unique gifts have been made, which will give reason to look back at the anniversary celebrations for many years to come. For example, children will plant oak trees, which they themselves have grown, in parks across Estonia, as part of the project “Estonia’s 100 oaks”. During the anniversary year, the gift “An Instrument for Every Child” will reach fruition. This is simultaneously the investment of the century by serving to replace old and tired instrument collections. The purpose of this gift is to give every child the opportunity to learn how to make music by playing a new and well-functioning instrument.

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