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EESTI ELU reedel, 1. aprillil 2022 — Friday, April 1, 2022
Blacklists, heroes, villains The Kremlin recently announced that 313 Canadians had been sanctioned – blacklisted as enemies of the Russian government. Markus Hess and Marcus Kolga are part of a long list of Canadian cabinet ministers, parliamentari ans, heads of organizations opposing Russian repressions and aggression, exposing Russian influence in the West, etc. Markus Hess and Marcus Kolga have similar paths in this ongoing, righteous battle for truth and justice. Both are former presidents of the Estonian Central Council In Canada (EKN). Hess was the president of the Central and Eastern European Council in Canada (CEEC) prior to handing the reins over to Marcus Kolga, who presides now. The reasons given by Russia for sanctioning the two were curt, somehow assuming Canadians probably know anyway: for Kolga, it was his work at the MacDonald-Laurier Institute; for Hess, his involvement with the Memorial for Victims of Communism in Ottawa. Neither Hess or Kolga have any assets in Russia that can be seized. If Russia intended to fluster, annoy, caution, intimidate, threaten, punish or change the focus and determination of the two, they’ve sorely miscalculated. Hess, well known for his contribution as the founder and international chair of the ‘Black Ribbon Day’ movement, fought a basic falsehood of Soviet-created history – that WWII was initiated by the Nazis and that it was the Soviet ‘liberation’ of Europe that ended the war. The ‘Black Ribbon’ idea stressed the consequences of the Soviet lie, the repressive domination of half of Europe and the impunity with which Moscow and its puppet regimes were continuing to brutally violate the most basic human rights. Some 56 cities worldwide commemorated Black Ribbon Day each August. Kolga enlightened the Canadian public to the aggressiveness of disinformation and influence campaigns of autocratic regimes. Up until recent years, this was seen as a marginal threat to democracies. He was central in helping media to focus on this insidious activity. All the major Canadian print media have published his numerous op-eds and he has spoken on all TV channels and national radio broadcasts. He was one of the main proponents of Canada’s ‘Magnitsky’ legislation sanctioning Kremlin oligarchs and human rights violators worldwide, thus helping to shake the complacency of typical Canadian politicians to the issue. In 2008 Russia compiled a list of 15 blacklisted 15 Estonians including the president, prime minister, defence minister, foreign minister, justice minister, government ombudsman, speaker of parliament, some journalists, ambassadors and this writer, the only targeted Estonian not residing in Estonia. The Russian news agency Tass stated that I was the Estonian Honorary Consul-General in Canada who claimed that the removal of the ‘Bronze Soldier (in 2007) was done “knowingly and with confidence” and that I was one of the “most active advocates of the relocation and desecration of the memorial”. I had also “propagated the idea of Soviet ‘occupation’ in the West” and “proposed the enforcement of harsh sanctions against Russia”. I absolutely rejected desecrating the memory of fallen soldiers but I didn’t deny the rest of their indictment. In fact, I was rather tickled by the recognition. The most interesting part of being singled out was that the Nashi, a youth group aligned with Putin had compiled the list and proposed that we be declared persona non grata. This group wouldn’t have had the resources to be expert in the ‘who’s who’ of their enemies in Canada. Then, who else but…? Congratulations to Hess and Kolga. Bask in the Kremlin’s wrath. It makes us all proud of you. THE EDITOR, ESTONIAN LIFE
Estonian Summer Courses await participants from near and far
Marcus Kolga
Musk sends AKEN Hiigelbasaari stuff into space!
From August 1 to 12, the University of Tartu organises Estonian summer courses, where daily language lessons are combined with engaging after-class cultural activities. The University of Tartu College of Foreign Languages and Cultures has been organising international Estonian summer courses since 1998. An average of 50–60 people from all over the world take part in the courses every year. This summer, the courses will take place from August 1 to 12. The course is open for everyone interested in learning Estonian. Former participants have included people with Estonian roots, entrepreneurs connected to Estonia through their work, or simply eager language enthusiasts. There is no age limit to joining and students usually make up about half of the participants, meaning there is truly a mix of different people. According to the head of the programme, Ms. Tiina Kattel, the summer courses are truly one of a kind: “Learning a language intensively for two weeks can be quite challenging. However, every year our teachers and participants mutually agree that there is a special atmosphere that boosts mo tivation. The programme is somehow emotionally so rewarding that you just forget about the actual number of language lessons. It is a great example of what can happen when people share a goal or are enthusiastic about the same things.” In total, there are five different language levels to choose from, ranging from beginner to advanced levels. The language lessons aim to enhance voca bulary and knowledge of grammar, develop reading, writing, listening, and conversation skills. “I had the best teacher. She only spoke Estonian, but it helped a lot. I didn’t speak Estonian before the course because I am shy and afraid to make mistakes, but she taught me to speak,” praised Anna, one of the participants in the course. “I liked that she used various teaching methods and each lesson was different,” she added. While the academic part is meant to broaden the language skills, the tailor-made culture programme focuses on introducing Tartu through engaging activities. It is also a good opportunity to network with other participants in a more relaxed environment.
Markus Hess
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Registration is open until June 1 and multiple scholarships are available. Find more information here: https://maailmakeeled.ut.ee/en/estonian-summer-courses
Multibillionaire Elon Musk is famous for his largesse. Just this past year alone, he has given $50 million to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and another $30 million to Texas schools. When he heard of a group of Toronto women called “AKEN”, who had hustled for 32 years fundraising to support children’s hospitals and schools in Estonia, he asked “what’s AKEN?” He was told it means ‘window’. “Hm, that makes sense. They’re my kind of people!” So, to help celebrate AKEN’s 32 years of nose-to-thegrindstone charitable efforts, on April 1st, Musk is sending a time capsule into space. The AKEN capsule will be stuffed to the gills with ‘Hiigelbasaar’ donations – a ready-made vintage rummage sale all set to happen when the capsule lands back on earth on April 1, 2322.
Welcome to the 35th West Coast Estonian Days 2022 The 35th West Coast Estonian Days is taking place on July 25 – 27, 2022 at the Suquamish Clearwater Resort – just northwest of Seattle, WA. Situated on the water’s edge, the resort offers an intimate and beautiful venue in nature, on the shores of Puget Sound DID YOU KNOW??? • ADULT (12 and up) LEP “Base Ticket” is $150 + $20 US registration fee • CHILDREN (11 and under) are Free • Rock n’ Roll Gala is $100 US • Children’s Party (ages 3-11) is Free with Adult Gala Ticket Tickets and registration are now available at www.westcoastestoniandays.com/tickets-registration Following the Opening Ceremony, please join us for the Rahvapidu, which includes a Laulu – and Tantsupidu, where Eesti Seltsi groups from across the region will entertain us with wonderful songs and performances. But bring your pastlad, because we’ll get every one dancing. Bring your laulik because we’ll get everyone singing. Spordipäev brings us to a nearby city park (with free transport to and from the resort). There’ll be fun games and tournaments for adults and kids alike, a beer tent to quench your thirst, and a food truck to give you strength. Here you’ll find the deceptively easy looking game of Mölkky for all ages. The Seattle LEP2022 organizing committee recently presented the leadership of L.A, San Francisco, Portland, and Vancouver, B.C. with their own personalized Mölkky game set and challenged her sister west coast cities to a playoff during Spordipäev, the winning city getting bragging rights.
Come to the Rock and Roll Gala, a LEP tradition. Enjoy a delicious Northwest banquet, dance your heart away, sip wine with old and new friends, while the sun slowly dips behind the majestic Olympic Mountains. We are excited to offer participants the use of a mobile sauna throughout the festival. It will be conveniently located behind the resort in the RV parking area. Also in the works is a golf tournament, Native American art and culture tour, an outing to the amazing and beautiful botanical gardens of The Bloedel Reserve and more! Come relive your heady, youthful days. Come and see old friends and make new ones. Come recall your LEP memories from years past and make more in 2022. Come to LEP2022, again – It’s been too long. • Registration and event details are located on West Coast Estonian Days / LEP2022 website https://www. westcoastestoniandays.com/tickets-registration • Discount block of room still available – some with water views. You’ll receive the link once you purchase your tickets. • Airline discounts avail able. You’ll receive your discount code once you pur chase your tickets. Questions? Reach out to us at info@westcoastestoniandays. com
