In January, free preparatory courses for the citizenship examination will continue
Training programme aimed at young people in Ida-Viru County focussed on introducing future choices
National culture society events
“I Am a Migrant” – fascinating real-life stories of people who live in Estonia
Preparatory courses for citizenship examination
In January, free preparatory courses for the citizenship examination will continue
In 2017, the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) in cooperation with NGO Kodanikukoolitus (Civil Training Centre) will also continue to conduct two-day free preparatory courses for the citizenship examination. The courses will be carried out in Tallinn, Ida-Viru County and, if there are enough participants, elsewhere in Estonia as well.
“The preparatory course for the citizenship examination is meant in the first place for those who are preparing for the citizenship examination. The course is also appropriate for those who do not plan to take the examination yet, but who would like to know how the Estonian legal system and legislation work,” Anu Viltrop, the Project Manager of NGO Kodanikukoolitus introduced the courses.
The two-day course helps get to know the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, which defines our fundamental rights and duties. “It is very often thought that laws are so complicated that they are meant only for lawyers. The course provides participants with courage and inspiration for examining laws independently in more complicated situations in the future as well as for searching for answers from them,” Viltrop added.
The course will last in total for 18 hours, including 14 hours of interactive lectures and discussions, during which the technical organisation of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the citizenship examination itself will also be explained. In order to reinforce the knowledge gained, a four-hour study visit will be paid to some state authority of Estonia. As a group, the participants will additionally work through a trial exam ahead of the actual examination.
Courses for raising awareness of the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia will be held mostly at weekends. The first course in the New Year will already be held in Kohtla-Järve from 11 to 12 January. Anyone wishing to take part in the courses is asked to contact the organiser NGO Kodanikukoolitus by calling +372 506 9028 or sending an e-mail to koolitus@kodanikukoolitus.eu. Information about the training courses and the organiser of the courses can be found on the http://www.kodanikukoolitus.eu homepage.
Examinations on the knowledge of the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia are organised by the Innove Foundation. It is possible to enrol for the examinations through the eesti.ee State Portal.
Training to raise awareness of the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia for less successfully integrated residents of the country and new immigrants from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds is financed from the resources of the ‘Activities supporting integration in Estonian society’ project of the European Social Fund.
For further information please contact: Anu Viltrop | Project Manager, NGO Kodanikukoolitus | Telephone: +372 5665 9118 | E-mail: anu.viltrop@gmail.com
Enrolment for courses by telephone +372 506 9028 or e-mail koolitus@kodanikukoolitus.eu
For further information please contact: Toivo Sikk | Head of Civic Education, MISA | Telephone: 659 9850 | E-mail: toivo.sikk@meis.ee
Summary of 2016 youth programme
Training programme aimed at young people in Ida-Viru County focussed on introducing future choices
For four months young people from Ida-Viru County participated in the activities of a training programme where they managed to visit various organisations and educational institutions as well as to get acquainted with inspiring places and people. The final event of the project was held in Tallinn on 20 December.
The most interesting thing in participating in the project for Darja Poljakova, a student of Form 9 of Narva School No. 6, was getting acquainted with young people from the Kohtla-Järve Youth Centre as well as with the activities of the Youth Centre. “Of the places visited in the course of the project, the one that surprised me the most was the Tartu Observatory in Tõravere, to be more exact, the fact that the ‘Tõravere’ asteroid had obtained its name from this place. I believe that I gained the greatest benefit for the future from the introductory short course on programming carried out by students and a lecturer from the Institute of Computer Science of the University of Tartu. We were introduced to the subject of liquidating problems of Windows 10,” Poljakova explained.
In the opinion of Karina Ivantsova, a student of Form 10 of Narva Kesklinna Upper Secondary School, she obtained much useful information under the programme about various educational establishments. “I liked that in Tartu we could work with computers, which was complicated, but exciting,” Ivantsova admitted.
The activities of the programme of the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) supporting social cohesion and aimed at young people were carried out from September to December 2016. The programme had more than 30 young participants from Narva and Kohtla-Järve who took part in four study trips and courses.
In September, a study day took place in the form of a seminar in the Narva Youth Centre. In order to attract the attention of young people, a seminar was held in the form of a conversation and discussion in order to inspire the participants to think along. A discussion was held with young people on the development opportunities of the region of Ida-Viru County – how and which way young people can themselves affect and develop a living environment suitable for them. Various opportunities (participation in amateur arts activities and in projects) were also introduced for the realisation of one’s own wishes and ideas.
In October, the young people travelled to Võru County. They visited the Võru County Vocational Training Centre and the Observation Tower of Suur Munamägi. An excursion took place in the Võru County Vocational Training Centre where the specialities taught in the Centre were introduced and the students of the educational institution also talked to visitors about their learning experience in the Vocational Training Centre.
In November, a study trip was made to Tartu County during which a visit was paid to the Estonian Aviation Academy, the Institute of Computer Science of the University of Tartu and the Tartu Observatory in Tõravere. The Estonian Aviation Academy introduced the specialities taught in the educational institution and the young people could also test the flight simulator – to sit in the cockpit in the position of a captain and pilot the airplane themselves. The Institute of Computer Science of the University of Tartu organised workshops in the laboratories of the Internet of Things (IoT) and computer graphics / virtual reality. In addition, the young people could also visit the Visitor Centre of the Tartu Observatory in Tõravere.
The last study trip took place in December when the participants visited the Estonian Maritime Academy of the Tallinn University of Technology where the young people got acquainted with the Academy and could test the simulator. In addition, they could talk to students of various specialities of the Maritime Academy and also try to tie a sailor’s knot. The participants also visited the premises of LIFT99 that are a new co-working and event space for startups. The young people also could talk to Vladimir Funtikov who is the founder of Creative Mobile http://creative-mobile.com/.
MISA implements integration-related cooperation activities as part of the ‘Integration cooperation activities’ sub-programme of the ‘Activities supporting integration in Estonian society’ programme of the European Social Fund.
For further information please contact: Natalia Reppo | Head of Cooperation, MISA | Telephone: 659 9840 | E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
National culture society events
“Textile Marina” international textile exhibition
From 6 January to 3 February 2017, the “Textile Marina” international textile exhibition dedicated to the sea is open in Narva.
The exhibition is open every day in the exhibition room of the Narva College of the University of Tartu (Raekoja plats 2). Admission is free of charge. The exhibition displays the work of master craftsmen from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Estonia is represented by Club Patchwork Plus.
In July, the exhibition was opened in Jūrmala, Latvia. From November to December, the work could be seen in Stockholm, Sweden. In January, the exhibition is in Narva and, in February, in Sillamäe. In Sillamäe, the exhibition will be open in Sillamäe’s Ulei Hobby and Youth Centre from 6 to 21 February.
For further information please contact: Natalja Kapajeva | Member of Management Board, Club Patchwork Plus | E-mail: nkapajeva@mail.ru | Telephone: 5399 3703
Eventful January in Kunda
The Läte Slavic Society, which was established 15 years ago in Kunda, will organise two interesting events in January.
At 13:00 on 7 January, children, young people and adults are all welcome to a Christmas event. The programme includes a theatre performance and an exhibition of children’s handicraft and drawings. Children are given presents free of charge and the event ends with drinking tea together.
At 15:00 on 28 January, a poetic evening dedicated to Tatiana Day is held. Local poets read their writing and poems of their favourite poets aloud. The Zarjanka choir sings old romances. All those who write poems or love poetry are welcome to the event. The topic of the evening is lyrics. Tatiana Day, which is on 25 January, is also remembered. The event is taking place for the first time.
Both of the events take place on the premises of the Läte Slavic Society at Mäe 11, Kunda. No prior registration is required.
For further information please contact: Tatjana Kotšetkova | Head of Läte Slavic Society | E-mail: istoki@hot.ee | Telephone: 5157 655
Workshops on traditional Russian guardian dolls in Haapsalu
In the old days, after the cold weather had come and autumn work had finished, Russian people engaged in various handicrafts. In winter, they wove bast shoes, crocheted patterns for shirts and sarafans, made horseshoes and mended agricultural inventory. Young ladies made large and small patchwork dolls – both for guarding and playing purposes.
Guardian dolls such as Koljada, Koza and Spiridon-Solntsevorot are made from 25 December. The guardian doll Koljada brings home satisfaction and joy while the guardian doll Koza helps not to despair in difficult moments of life, teaches to be glad and brings home cheerful and pleasant laughter. The guardian doll Spiridon-Solntsevorot helps life move along in a correct direction.
People did not make traditional patchwork dolls only for themselves in order to generate homely warmth and protect their home, but also as a present for close people, relatives, friends and acquaintances.
The workshops on making guardian dolls take place at Kastani 7, Haapsalu, in January.
- A workshop on the Russian traditional patchwork doll Spiridon-Solntsevorot was held on 2 January 2017.
- A workshop on the Russian traditional patchwork doll Koljada is held at 14:00 on 8 January 2017.
- A workshop on the Russian traditional patchwork doll Koza is held at 12:00 on 9 January 2017.
For further information please contact: Natalja Jampolskaja | Head of Russian Folk Culture Centre Bereginja | E-mail: natalja.jampolskaja@mail.ru | Telephone: 515 0415
Celebration of Seto and Russian Christmas time and reception of Christmas beggars in Haapsalu
The Seto and Russian Christmas time starts from Orthodox Christmas holidays and lasts for almost two weeks until 18 January. During this period, public celebrations are organised in Russia. In the old days, Christmas beggars paid a visit with a goat or a bear and had fun, begged for presents and sang songs as well as wished much health, happiness, and a rich harvest for the whole household. People believed that those whom the Christmas beggars visited would be successful and wealthy in the New Year.
Christmas carols sung by the beggars are short poems and pieces of songs. People treated Christmas beggars to pies, buns and sweets and also gave them money.
At 12:00 on 13 January 2017, a theatrical celebration of the Seto and Russian Christmas time takes place in the Haapsalu Social House at Kastani 7 where everybody can join in. The event is carried out by the Bõliina Folklore Ensemble, Russian Bereginja Folk Culture Centre and students of the DREVO Russian Sunday School.
For further information please contact: Natalja Jampolskaja, Head of the Bõliina Folklore Ensemble, Russian Bereginja Folk Culture Centre and DREVO Russian Sunday School | E-mail: natalja.jampolskaja@mail.ru | Telephone: 5520 094
Pritšudje Cultural Society holding an open Christmas meeting
Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 7 January, which is the start of the Seto and Russian Christmas time, lasting until 18 January. This is the most waited for and jolliest time of the year both for children and adults. It is also the time of celebrations and weddings. It is common to make pancakes and predictions, and Christmas beggars go from house to house. During Christmas time people wish much health and happiness to their close people and acquaintances.
The Pritšudje Cultural Society organises traditional Christmas meetings in which all interested people are welcome to take part. An interesting programme with songs, dances and performances full of humour has been prepared for the Christmas meetings. Santa Claus from the Lake Peipus region is also expected to pay a visit. Santa Claus gives presents and people sitting at each table prepare a performance – they will sing, dance or read poems.
This year the Christmas meeting of the Pritšudje Cultural Society is held in the Old Town of Tallinn at 13:00 on 15 January 2017. Since the number of seats is limited, prior registration is requested. Participants are notified of the exact venue of the event upon registration.
For further information and registration please contact: Zinaida Palk | Member of Management Board, Pritšudje Cultural Society | E-mail: palkpaul@hot.ee | Telephone: 5395 3696
Russian Choir Society in Estonia giving a concert
The 9th International Festival of Russian Academic Choirs – Crystal Key 2017 – takes place in the Grand Hall of the Russian Cultural Centre (Mere pst 5, Tallinn) at 14:00 on 28 January 2017.
Groups from Tallinn, Viljandi, Kiviõli, Narva, Kohtla-Järve and St Petersburg will perform at the concert. Admission to the concert is free of charge.
For further information please contact: Tatjana Semenjuk, Russian Choir Society in Estonia | E-mail: semjana7@gmail.com
The activities of cultural societies of national minorities are financed by the Ministry of Culture from the state budget.
For further information please contact: Kristina Pirgop | Head of Partnership Relations, MISA | E-mail: kristina.pirgop@meis.ee | Telephone: 659 9024
“I Am a Migrant” – fascinating real-life stories of people who live in Estonia
This year we will also recount the stories in our newsletter collected by the Estonian Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) about various people who live in Estonia. These stories bear the uniform subtitle of “I Am a Migrant”.
You have to work hard yourself, if you invest yourself and you will receive additional support from others too – Anatoli’s story
Anatoli is from Ukraine, he came to Estonia in 1978. “Estonia was a place for internal migration within Soviet Union. There were many migrants like me in that time. Estonia is a very beautiful country. Even if the person could not run further to the West from Soviet Union, it was still much calmer and safer to stay in Estonia, especially for Musicians, Artists, and Writers. Also religious people didn’t have any problems here.
Migration was also economical of course. There was stability in Estonia, people could feel well here. There were no such big and vulgar bribes as it was common in Ukraine for many centuries. Estonian people managed to save the goodwill. Of course it was a Soviet Union, but it was another Soviet Union. People who came to visit me saw a bit of a different life.
We are people with our own culture, in my case the Ukrainian culture. When the Soviet Union collapsed, a lot of people had to decide whether to go back or to stay in Estonia. Many had families and work here and didn’t want to return. I went to the head of Ukrainian church and said that I also would like to stay here and there is possibility to build a Ukrainian church in Estonia. If it happened that I stayed in Estonia, it was natural that I should create a sphere of Ukrainian culture for my children. So after the church was established the cultural centre was created nearby.
My wife is a very good person, a person of local culture, more Estonian culture. Her friends told her that while all normal people build houses, your husband is building a church and that is not normal, but she supported me a lot – it was a sacrifice. You have to work hard yourself, if you invest yourself, other people see that it is fair and normal, and you will receive additional support from them too; some will come and help. The church was open in 1991.
We are all different. It would be bad if I wanted to be Estonian. I always knew that I am a person with Ukrainian culture. My Estonian education helps me to show culture and art in a way that Estonian people would understand it, so it is also unfair to call me a purely Ukrainian Artist.
It is very important to learn the language of the country where you live. Estonians are very careful in protecting their culture. I speak Estonian, I cannot say I have learned it fully, I just speak. Our home languages are Russian, Ukrainian and Estonian.”
