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EESTI ELU reedel, 28. veebruaril 2020 — Friday, February 28, 2020
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Lukas: Estonian should be protected, other languages can be ERR, February 2020
Upcoming session on March 10 will present IEC’s Nordic style and materials This past week was an exciting one for the International Estonian Centre: the technical drawings have now been submitted to the City of Toronto to secure the building permit for the Centre. “This is a significant milestone,” says Ellen Valter, chair of the IEC steering committee, “the project just got that much closer to putting a shovel in the ground! It has, frankly, been a complex process and I’m over the moon that we’ve crossed that threshold. Thank you not just to David Kalm, Project Manager, and Alar Kongats, Architect, for their perseverance in getting all of the pieces of the puzzle into place, but also to each and every donor to the capital campaign whose contributions energize the project.” Come out to IEC’s next Community Engagement Session on March 10 for a sneak peek at the building materials that will highlight its modern Nordic design. The design team has been hard at work finding just the right materials for the building’s interior and exterior including cladding, plaza paving, walls, floor and ceiling. Alar will describe what the designers have been looking at and bring actual material samples that everyone can see and touch. Bringing the new centre to life at the session will be a virtual reality tour that takes viewers through a lifelike representation of the IEC’s interior space, including the Grand Hall, the main performance and ballroom space
for the new centre. “Everything is really taking shape now,” Alar noted. “This is a very exciting time in the design process, where we are able to show the community just how the new space will look and feel.” Please come out for this informative session. Date and time: Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. Where: Main Hall (Suur Saal) Estonian House, 958 Broadview Ave., Toronto Get involved and help support our future Are you interested in helping build this spectacular new home for the global Estonian community? Please join our growing list of capital campaign donors! The International Estonian Centre’s donor categories are Kalevi poja Laud for gifts over $100,000 (including naming rights for specific areas), Viru Vanemad for gifts over $10,000, and Kungla Rahvas for gifts up to $10,000. Stay tuned for the launch of the Kungla Rahvas campaign in 2020. To make a donation, please contact Urve Tamberg at donations@estoniancentre.ca. Donations may be made as a family gift, or in honour of an individual or family. All Canadian and U.S. donations will be issued a tax receipt. Let’s keep in touch! • Visit our website www.estoniancentre.ca for regular updates • Sign up for our monthly email newsletter at www.estoniancentre.ca • Follow us on Facebook: @ EestiKeskus
Bountiful energy and joy is the key when performing folk dancing at the recent annual celebration of Estonia’s declaration of inde pendence 102 years ago. The instructors at Kungla Folk Dancing group are able to instil plenty of exuberance into the youngsters as they gradually pick up the finer points of their dancing heri tage. Photo: Peeter Põldre
Minister of Culture Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) proposed on social media that cultural events in Estonia, including theater and film festivals, could in the future be re quired to offer Estonian translations. He says in an interview to ERR that the aim is not to punish anyone but to deliver a reminder that the Estonian language environ ment needs to be protected. “It is elementary for Esto nian to be used in public places,” he said, adding that just like TV networks are obligated to add Estonian subtitles, so should theater and film festi vals. “In a situation where there was criticism in the media earlier this week that a documentary festival had next to no Estonian subtitles, I find it unfitting and believe it would be appropriate for the state to require events that it finances to adhere to the Language Act in the future.” Lukas emphasized that the goal is not to have fewer cultural events in Estonia. “The goal is for organizers to take seriously the idea that the Estonian language environment must be protected,” he said, stressing that the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has been exemplary in ensuring Estonian subtitles for nearly 100 movies. “It is a strong achievement, while having subtitles in 100 percent of cases should be strived for. But if the Docpoint festival only has subtitles for two of its 30 films, their fund ing could be called into ques tion next year.” “The goal here is not to punish anyone but to raise awareness, so we would not tire of calling for the Estonian language as many could forget to do so out of convenience. Once there is a reminder, people will return to comp liance,” the minister said, adding that language techno logy must also be promoted. “It provides quicker ways for creat ing subtitles and translations; to have the computer speak the language has been discussed at length, while all manner of technological solutions should be tailored to Estonian quickly. Research and development funding needs to be made avail able to Estonian language tech nology to make it easier for organizers to offer translations.” Tõnis Lukas said that events should highlight translation expenses in project applications. “If it is included in the applica tion, it can be taken into ac count, but I would emphasize that theater festivals have done well in this regard, and I hope film festivals will follow suit.” The minister added that main taining Estonian language envi ronment is no doubt straining. “The Estonian language must be present at public events. There are international work
Members of the masked defense unit during the parade. Photo: Priit Mürk/ERR
Masked defence unit participates in independence parade for first time ERR, February 2020 While more than 900 people took part in the parade on Freedom Square for the 102nd anniversary of the Republic of Estonia on Mon day, for some members it was their first time. This year, for the first time, masked members of the defense league who take part in special operations were present. As is customary in the Special Operations Command, members do not show their faces, “Ak tuaalne kaamera” reported. Defense groups are present in all leagues as troops and as they can operate behind enemy lines, they are not allowed to show their faces. Northern Defense Com man der Janno Märk said: “Combat group training focuses on smallunit tactics, intelligence gather ing, pioneering and shooting skills. Today, battle group mem shops that have mostly foreign participants – I’m not saying everything should be done in Estonian. Estonian needs to be protected, while other languages can also be.” “It is economic strain for major festivals, and some can handle it, I can especially com mend PÖFF here – they’re really making an effort. But we can also see others who cannot be bothered to make the effort, and for them, state funding could be called into question,” he said. Lukas emphasized that we need to take our language environment seriously and de velop it. “Next to other lan guages, it must also be possible to use Estonian here.” “We will call to order people who have forgotten that use of Estonian is important and needs to be prioritized in Estonia,” Lukas said, adding that no one is telling Estonians they can’t read books in English. “Esto nians have always spoken dif ferent languages; they are used in universities and research as some scholars, including myself for a time, did not have access to Estonian specialist literature because it didn’t exist. Using other languages is a matter of honour and Estonians know how to, but we cannot forget our language.”
bers are experts in distributed combat and asymmetric tactics, and they also contribute to the training of other ground defense units.” There were also many new participants from abroad. Mem bers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Flag Committee were also present for the first time. Larger foreign units included the U.S. 9th Cavalry Group. The U.S. leads the NATO Battle Group in Lithuania. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Johnson said: “This is a very rare thing. This is a once in a lifetime experience for us. We don’t get to go to many pa rades, especially independence parades where you see this many countries, this many dif ferent vehicles participate. This is a really unique experience for us.” Training aircraft from the Czech Republic also participat ed in a flyover which are based at Ämari Air Base and the NATO Allies were represented by the Belgians who are stationed at the NATO air policing base in Lithuania.
Imbi Uukkivi and Lief Kolga raise the Estonian flag before celebrations of Estonia’s 102nd anniversary of the country’s Declaration of Inde pendence at Estonian House in Toronto. Photo: Peeter Põldre
ESTONIAN LIFE
