Here is an overview of the support measures offered by Estonian and international organizations, to which you can apply for assistance in organising events dedicated to cultural diversity and implementing your ideas: overview.

We will update this overview by the first day of each month. If you know of a support measure that should be included, please share the details with us by writing to 2024@integratsioon.ee.

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Here you will find ideas on how you can highlight Estonia's cultural richness, no matter the day, month or time of year you choose to do so. 
 
> Playlist "Music of different cultures"    
Together, make a list of the music that people from different cultures listen to and put together a playlist. Host music days of different nations on local radio. Create playlists for different cultures’ special occasions.

> Cookbook "Our dishes"
Throughout the year, prepare dishes from different cultures (incl. Estonian). Ask members of that national community to prepare and present their dishes. Put together a cookbook from the descriptions/recipes of prepared dishes. In a smaller group, anyone can make a "My Family Cookbook."

> The "Golden Fleece" of cultural diversity
Give short presentations to different cultures, followed by a fun educational guessing game called Golden Fleece (or Kahoot). Invite your guests, let them talk about themselves and come up with tricky questions for the game!

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Let us shape tomorrow together! The future is in the hands of each and every one of us

The upcoming New Year’s Eve inspires us all to think about the future. On the other hand, there are still things that we can do in November when it comes to our cultural diversity. Thinking about the last months of the year, the new year, and the future further away, we can bring up the following issues and reach conclusions: What can we do to make sure that the diversity of our cultures remains a strength of Estonia? Which opportunities will cultural diversity provide us in the future? What do we wish to achieve by preserving and merging our national peculiarities?

We would like to share some recommendations for doing that:

> Take part in the integration conference! The Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Culture will bring together renowned researchers and practitioners on 14–15 November for the integration conference entitled ‘Cultural diversity – An Obstacle or an Opportunity in Shaping a Cohesive Society?’.

Researchers and practitioners from Estonia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and other countries will discuss four themes: cultural diversity and democracy; a common information space, culture space, and values space in the era of digital bubbles; radicalisation and democracy; and electoral and migration trends. The presentations and discussions will be complemented by a debate between Estonian politicians. The conference will also offer the opportunity to watch the film called Salajas (Turning Tables), which explores cultural diversity and is featured in the programme of the Black Nights Film Festival.

The speakers and the programme of the conference can be found on the website of the integration conference. You can register to take part in the conference free of charge until 8 November at www.integrationconference.ee.

> Visit PÖFF (BNFF)! For more than twenty-five years, the Black Nights Film Festival has been bringing the new works of cinematographers from every corner of the world to Estonia. The role of the BNFF in introducing the cultural heritage, customs, and lives of the people from far-away countries to the Estonian audiences cannot be overestimated. The FIAPF certificate grants the BNFF a unique right to include films from all regions in its main competition programme. There are only fifteen of such top festivals in the world.

On the background of the above, it makes perfect sense that the BNFF is cooperating with the Year of Cultural Diversity, thereby enabling you to enjoy several films about cultural diversity from 8–24 November (the films can be found from the programme by using the keyword ‘cultural diversity’ and by watching out for the logo of the Year of Cultural Diversity):

Olla Võitja (Winners)

Salajas (Turning Tables)

Silent Trees (currently unpublished)

Lugedes Teheranis Lolitat (Reading Lolita in Tehran)

Agent of Happiness (currently unpublished)

Tuleriit (Pyre)

Apaatia (Quiet Life)

> Make your way to the St. Martin’s Fair! The St. Martin’s Fair, organised in Tallinn since 1997, is the highlight of the year for the masters of national crafts, as well as for those who appreciate their work. This year on 7–9 November, Unibet Arena (formerly known as Saku Suurhall) in Tallinn will be offering a rich selection of all kinds of artisanal products, national dishes, and beverages. Unlike previous years, there will also be the Cultural Diversity handicraft station at the fair, with the works of Ingerian-Finn and Votic masters on offer.

As the traditional and eagerly awaited St. Martin’s Day Fair of the Tuglas Society in Helsinki has been cancelled this year due to budget cuts, we would like to invite all our Finnish friends to visit the fair in Tallinn!

> Enjoy the all souls’ period! The all souls’ period with its dark, foggy, and dim weather is an ideal time for introspection and relaxation – after the busy harvest and before the hectic Christmas time. Therefore, no noisier work, loud behaviour, or fanfare are allowed in this period. This is the time for paying respects to the souls of our ancestors who have departed and welcoming them back to their former homes, lighting candles for them on the All Souls’ Day, setting the table for them, and asking them to protect us. St. Martin’s Day and St. Catherine’s Day – two holidays which people have traditionally associated with dressing up and asking for luck with their cattle and crop – are also celebrated in the same period in Estonia. Many customs with pagan origins, but Christian traditions have spread all over Europe, such as children going from house to house and begging for sweets, cooking a St. Martin’s Day hen, or eating a lot of meat before the pre-Christmas fast in general.

Please take a look at the calendar of the Year of Cultural Diversity to find various events organised in the all souls’ period, or check out the social media account of the Year of Cultural Diversity for interesting customs and good advice.

Let us know about your cultural diversity-related activities! Include your activities in the calendar of the Year of Cultural Diversity or tell us about them by sending an email to 2024@integratsioon.ee.

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Would you like to know how Estonian culture is preserved by people with Estonian roots living all over the world? Or, if you live abroad yourself, would you like to join the Estonian community? Cultural societies operating in different countries will help you with this. 

Most of the contacts can be found at the Global Estonia information portal. In addition, many contacts are available on the website of the Association of Cultural Societies.

If you would like to supplement the published information, please write to us at 2024@integratsioon.ee.

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Are you interested in different folk customs and languages, songs and dances, food and activities, and everything that distinguishes and unites people who come to Estonia from other countries? The national minority cultural societies have the answers.

The vast majority of national minority cultural societies are made up of associations that are part of the Cultural Advisory Board of National Minorities established at the Ministry of Culture. The 17 organisations unite more than 300 cultural societies, whose contacts can be found here: national minority cultural associations.

In addition, there are several cultural associations operating in Estonia which bring together representatives of the cultures of the people who have created their homes here in recent decades. Their contacts are available here: all cultural associations.

If you would like to supplement the shared contacts, please send the details to 2024@integratsioon.ee.

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Do you want to learn some dialects of Estonian, find out the background of folk customs, or learn the folk dances of your ancestors? Estonian folk cultural societies will support you in this.

More than 1,000 societies, united by the Estonian Folk Culture Centre, help to value and preserve Estonian culture. By agreement with the Centre, we share here the contacts of its member organisations: Estonian cultural societies.

If the contact information needs to be updated, please send the additional information to 2024@integratsioon.ee.

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The Cultural Diversity Year is initiated by the Ministry of Culture and is organised by the Integration Foundation. In strategic matters, the running of the theme year is supported by a steering group formed in the ministry, which acts under the leadership of Chancellor Kristiina Alliksaare. Day-to-day issues are within the competence of the Cultural Diversity Year working group:

> Eero Raun – Project Manager
> Alena Stadnik – Commications Manager 
> Ave Härsing – Head of Cultural Diversity Activities, Integration Foundation
> Katja Sepp – Head of Communications, Integration Foundation
> Olga Sõtnik – Head of Department of Cultural Diversity, Ministry of Culture
> Oksana Talisainen – Adviser (Common Media Space), Ministry of Culture
> Julia Amor – Adviser of Department of Cultural Diversity, Ministry of Culture
> Krismar Rosin – Adviser of Department of Cultural Diversity, Ministry of Culture

If you would like to join the Cultural Diversity Year team as a volunteer, please contact us by writing about your interests, competencies and skills to 2024@integratsioon.ee.
 

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We can contribute to the Cultural Diversity Year's goal both by acting together and by using a common visual identity. It includes a logo for the theme year and templates to facilitate its use.

The logo of the Cultural Diversity Year is a bird's nest, a metaphor for our common home. Just as the bird's nest is strengthened by the intertwining of the materials used to build it, so too the strength of Estonian society is the connections between its people. The colourfulness of the nest references the cultural diversity that is born out of jointly held values. Estonia is a home for everyone who cherishes and enriches it with their culture.

The visual identity of the theme year can be used by anyone who wishes to highlight, value and preserve Estonia's cultural diversity. The use of the logo and the creation of the designs are explained in the visual identity handbook of the Cultural Diversity Year. The files and templates are available both as files and in an online design environment.

The visual identity for the Cultural Diversity year and the according handbook are created by Estonian design agency Kala Ruudus. The work has been financed by the European Union accordingly to the rules of the public procurement.

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The Cultural Diversity Year belongs to all of us, in that each of us contributes to the cultural diversity that surrounds us. Different though we may be, we are all part of one whole – Estonian society, which has been interwoven from different cultures across the ages. At the same time, integration and preserving social coherence is an ongoing process, and the theme year helps to better understand, appreciate and work to preserve the cultural diversity around us.
 
In the theme year, we will come together to elevate the topic of cultural diversity. In other words, we will recognise the cultural characteristics of our communities and people. We will share them, value and create them, cherish and enrich them through everything that unites us – from experiences and myths to creativity and the future, whether that be in everyday life or on special occasions, in research or through events.
 
We hope that the legacy of this Cultural Diversity Year will be to help people better understand, appreciate and cherish the different cultures in Estonia. At the same time, we will try to promote mutual communication and cooperation between the different communities and people in Estonia.

It's worth knowing!

> The calendar of the Culture Diversity year will help you to celebrate the diversity of Estonia´s communities and people. You can also publish your own themed events for free.

> There are other possibilities to participate in the theme year. You can find interesting ideas for almost every day at this link.

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