The Integration Foundation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, is looking for proposals on who among Estonian people and organisations should be awarded for their activities promoting integration. Candidates can be submitted in five categories until 2 October 2024.
Minister of Culture Heidy Purga says that the integration awards are a commendable tradition. ‘Estonia is home to all of us. It is rich due to the diversity of cultures that results from the differences and similarities between nations. Through integration, we create a more cohesive society where everyone can play a part in shaping our common future,’ said Purga.
This year, the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Culture will be giving awards to people and organisations that are developing integration for the 25th time.
Director of the Integration Foundation, Dmitri Moskovtsev invites people to submit candidates from different areas of life. ‘With the integration awards, we recognise people and organisations that have helped to develop cooperation between different ethnic communities and thus improve integration,’ said Dmitri Moskovtsev.
Integration awards are given in five categories:
> Building Integration– raising awareness of the cultural diversity of Estonia and the targeted long-term activities to promote integration;
> Bridgebuilder of the Year – implementation of cooperation projects aimed at residents whose first language is not Estonian;
> Spark of the Year – outstanding activities of a person or organisation in the field of integration;
> Messenger of the Year – shaping attitudes supporting integration through the media;
> Special Award for the Cultural Diversity Year – raising awareness of as well as valuing and promoting the cultural diversity of Estonia in the framework of the Cultural Diversity Year.
Individuals or organisations can be nominated for activities carried out between 1 September 2023 and 31 December 2024. There is no time limit for the Building Integration Award. The competition is not open to self-nominations or nominations from candidates who have received an integration award in the last three years.
This year’s winners will be awarded by Minister of Culture Heidy Purga at a ceremony on 10 December 2024 in Tallinn. The best among all candidates will be selected by a panel of experts in the field. Each of the award winners will receive a €1,000 prize.
Candidates for the Integration Awards can be submitted until 2 October 2024. You can find the application and all the other information at this link.
Winners of the 2021–2023 Integration Awards
> Building Blocks of Integration: 2023 – Pavel Ivanov, 2022 – Jelena Skulskaja and Marju Lauristin, 2021 – Not awarded
> Bridgebuilder of the Year: 2023 – Maria Sakarias, 2022 – Helen Sildna, 2021 – MTÜ Eesti Instituut
> Spark of the Year: 2023 – Kirill Badikin, 2022 – Ukrainian School of the Tallinn Lilleküla Gymnasium, 2021 – Estonian women’s épée team, 2021 MTÜ Sofiit Klubi
> Messenger of the Year: 2023 – editorial staff of Raadio 4, 2022 – Public Relations Department of the Estonian National Museum, 2021 – Tiina Pärtel
Same information at social media
Please find the according post on Facebook at this link.
