The Cultural Diversity Year invites everyone to participate in the events taking place from 14 September until 30 September to celebrate the Day of Nationalities. This holiday, celebrated on 24 September, is dedicated to the communities of Estonians and other nationalities living in Estonia.
The Day of Nationalities was initiated in 2005 by the Estonian Union of National Minorities in order to bring together Estonian and all the other national communities living in Estonia. Since then, the Day of Nationalities has been celebrated with various events all over Estonia.
‘Celebrating the Day of Nationalities gives the national communities an opportunity to introduce themselves to all the people of Estonia. This helps us all realise how different and yet similar we are,’ stated Dmitri Moskovtsev, the Head of the Integration Foundation. ‘The ongoing Cultural Diversity Year gives us an opportunity to celebrate the Day of Nationalities on a larger scale than ever before – in every county and with the participation of even more communities,’ he added.
The comprehensive programme for celebrating the Day of Nationalities was prepared in cooperation with the Estonian Union of National Minorities, the Estonian Folk Culture Centre, The Association of Estonian Cultural Societies, Tallinn Culture & Sports Department, Ida-Virumaa Integration Center and the cultural associations of various nationalities.
‘Together, we can carry on great traditions as well as start new ones. The latter includes a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this holiday in Estonia and abroad – on the Day of Nationalities, i.e. on Tuesday, 24 September, we can all fly the Estonian flag, wear our folk costumes, or add folk elements to everyday outfits,’ said Natalia Ermakov, the President of the Estonian Union of National Minorities.
The events of the Day of Nationalities provide opportunities for people of any age to experience the cuisine, dance, language, music, art, etc. of various nations. The events take place all across Estonia from cultural centres to libraries, from community centres to village squares, from botanical gardens to private yards – and most of them are free of charge.
The programme of the Day of Nationalities is available on the website: https://integratsioon.ee/en/rahvustepaevaprogramm
Important:
- The Cultural Diversity Year is a theme year that takes place under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and the Integration Foundation. Its goal is to celebrate the cultural diversity of the communities of Estonians and other peoples living here.
- The Estonian Union of National Minorities continues the work of the I Forum on Nationalities, which took place on 24 September, 1988 and supported the restoration of Estonia's independence. At the proposal of the association, Paul-Eerik Rummo, the Minister of Population at the time, declared September 24 as the Day of Nationalities.
