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Kirjutas Eesti Elu Nr. 39 2019

Avaldatud: 27 September 2019

Kumna mõis, 21. september 2019 – Ülemaailmse Eesti Kesknõukogu (ÜEKN) esimees Aavo Reinfeldt (USA) astus 21. septembril Kumna mõisas, Harjumaal peetud ÜEKN täiskogul ametist tagasi. Teda asendab kuni korraliste valimisteni 2020. aasta kevadel ÜEKN aseesimees Marju Rink-Abel (USA), kes oli ÜEKN esimees ka 2016-2018. Marju Rink-Abel on USA eestlaste keskorganisatsiooni Eesti Rahvuskomitee Ühendriikides (ERKÜ) esimees.

ÜEKN pidas oma täiskogu erakorraliselt 20.-21. septembril Tallinnas ja Kumna mõisas, et tähistada 75 aasta möödumist suurest põgenemisest. Täiskogu liikmed mälestasid 21. septembril pärjaga 1944. aastal Kumna teeristis Keila lahingus hukkunud võitlejaid, tänu kellele pidurdus Punaarmee edasiliikumine Läänemaale ning oli võimalik veel kahe ja poole päeva jooksul sadadel inimestel Haapsalu sadamast üle mere vabasse maailma põgeneda.

Loe edasi: PRESSITEADE - Ülemaailmse...

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Kirjutas Eesti Elu Nr. 39 2019

Avaldatud: 26 September 2019

Kohtumiselt sotsiaaldemokraatliku erakonna esindajatega 18.septembril k.a. (Vas.) EKNi liikmed Marcus Kolga, Mart Leppik, Kairi Taul-Hemingway, SDE juht Indrek Saar, Leelo Pukk (Rootsi), Ivari Padar ja Helmen Kütt (SDE) ning Aho Rebas (Rootsi). (2019)
TALLINN. Ülemaailmsete eestlaste ja Eesti Vabariigi valitsuse koostöökomisjoni esimene koosolek toimus kolmapäeval, 18. septembril Tallinnas siseministeeriumis.

Koosolekut juhatas Eesti Vabariigi rahvastikuminister Riina Solman, osalesid ka välisminister Urmas Reinsalu, haridusminister Mailis Reps jt. riigiteenistujad ning eesti suuremate diasporaakogukondade esindajad Kanadast, Rootsist, USAst ja ÜEKNist.

Eestlaste Kesknõukogu Kanadas võttis 2017. aastal vastu resolutsiooni ning tegi seejärel tihedas koostöös Rootsi Eestlaste Liiduga vastavasisulise ettepaneku, milles kutsuti Eesti Vabariigi valitsust moodustama ametlikku valitsuskomisjoni, eesmärgiga toetada ja kasvatada eesti identiteeti kogu maailmas. Uus komisjon ja MTÜ Globaalsed Eestlased on nende pingutuste otsene tulemus.

Loe edasi: EKNi abiga loodud...

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Kirjutas Estonian Life No. 39 2019

Avaldatud: 26 September 2019

TALLINN- The first meeting of the Estonian Government Committee on Global Estonian affairs took place on Wednesday, September 18, inside the Interior Ministry in Tallinn.

The meeting was chaired by The Estonian Minister Riina Solman with the participation of Foreing Minister Urmas Reinsalu and Education Minister, Mailis Reps, along with several senior public servants and the representatives of Estonia’s largest diaspora communities, Canada, Sweden, US and a representative from The Estonian World Council.

Loe edasi: Estonian Canadian Global...

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Kirjutas Eesti Elu Nr. 37 2019

Avaldatud: 13 September 2019

Ülemaailmse Eesti Kesknõukogu (ÜEKN) 
PRESSITEADE 
8. september 2019 

19. septembril 2019 meenutame Tallinnas Vabaduse platsil ja Jaani kirikus kõiki neid kümneid tuhandeid kaasmaalasi, kes 1944. aasta septembris suure põgenemise käigus olid sunnitud oma kodud maha jätma. Nende valik oli raske – minna ei tahtnud, kuid jääda ei saanud. Kell 18 kõlavad kirikukellad üle Eesti (sh kellademäng Tallinna Jaani kirikus ja Tartu Raekoja platsil) neile, kes põgenemisteekonnal hukkusid. Nende arv on siiani teadmata.

Ülemaailmne Eesti Kesknõukogu (ÜEKN) kutsub Teid osalema 19. septembril kell 17.00-17.45 Vabaduse väljakul valgusfestivali ,,Valgus kõnnib“ 2019 raames toimuval 1944. aasta suure põgenemise mälestusõhtul ja kell 18.00 Tallinna Jaani kirikus toimuval oikumeenilisel mälestusteenistusel ,,Minna ei taha, kuid jääda ei saa“, mille viib läbi EELK peapiiskop emeeritus, Eesti Kirikute Nõukogu president Andres Põder. Osalevad peaminister Jüri Ratas ja rahvastikuminister Riina Solman.

Loe edasi: PRESSITEADE - Ülemaailmne...

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Kirjutas Eesti Elu / Estonian Life Online

Avaldatud: 30 Juuli 2019

TORONTO - Former chessmaster, pro-democracy activist and Russian opposition leader, Garry Kasparov, will deliver the keynote address at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Nazi-Soviet pact, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which facilitated the start of WWII in August 1939.

The September 12 event will take place at the University of Toronto’s Isabel Bader Theatre, and will involve a panel discussion about the legacy of the Nazi-Soviet Pact today, featuring international experts and political leaders. The conference is being organized in cooperation with the Central and Eastern European embassies and communities in Canada.

Loe edasi: GARRY KASPAROV KEYNOTE...

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Kirjutas Estonian Life No. 25 2019

Avaldatud: 23 Juuni 2019

As Estonians in Canada prepare for holidays, summer camps, cottages and trips to Estonia to celebrate ESTO and the song and dance festival, we should also take a moment to appreciate our community’s recent achievements and face our concerns.

Despite the challenges that have developed in our community over the past few years, our future is bright and the incredible opportunities that it holds for our community in Canada and Estonians around the world, are perhaps greater than ever before.

Canadian-Estonians are blazing new trails for our global community.

The Canadian-Estonian vision of a Global Estonian identity, that unites our communities beyond any borders, from Montreal to Auckland and Helsinki to Johannesburg, is being enabled by the Estonian government and will bring all Estonians, around the world, closer together. A council of senior government ministers, including the Prime Minister, will meet regularly with the elected representatives of our communities worldwide, to help foster greater mutual understanding and cooperation in efforts to build and strengthen a global Estonian identity and movement.

Our schools and camps are teeming with Estonian activity as more and more young Canadians of Estonian heritage, embrace their identity and culture in hopes of passing that gift to their children. Their future depends on what we do today, and this must remain the single most important focus for our community. Our community must ensure that these youth organizations continue to receive our support, and that the funding that allows them to provide these critically important programs for our youth, is not reduced.

We can also look forward to the promise of an elaborate and beautifully designed new Estonian Center, which embodies Estonian entrepreneurship. The Center is close to becoming a reality, and will house much of our Toronto community activities in the coming decades. Other centers and camps in Vancouver, Hamilton, Montreal, Elora, Udora and elsewhere, also deserve our attention, and the volunteers who tirelessly maintain and support them, our sincere thanks.

Challenges remain, but can they can be overcome through respectful, friendly cooperation and a unified community.

The new Estonian coalition government has generated significant discussion here in Canada and in many other parts of the world. The voices of praise and accolades that we grew accustomed to over the past decade have become less rosy and more critical in nature over the past few months.

It’s no secret that the positions of certain members of the current Estonian coalition government, conflict, often deeply, with our own Canadian and western values. Our Canadian neighbours and friends may ask us, what’s happening in Estonia. As difficult as it may be to answer this question, we should answer it honestly, without betraying our own principles. The governing Center Party does maintain an agreement with Vladimir Putin’s United Russia, and members of EKRE, whom they invited to join as equal partners of the coalition, have publicly supported racist and homophobic positions.

However, they do not represent the majority of Estonians, who are otherwise tolerant and empathetic. Most Estonians continue to reflect the pioneering and progressive policies their nation embraced during the first period of independence, when minorities were granted broad cultural autonomy and rights under the Estonian constitution.

To those cynical Estonian politicians and media blowhards, who tell tolerant and liberal Estonians that they should move to Canada - we say, you are welcome here.

As Canadians we are well aware, that the small number of refugees that Estonia could provide shelter and safety to, pose no threat to Estonian culture, language or heritage. And we should not be shamefully intimidated into remaining silent about this.

Our experience, as Estonian-Canadians whose families fled terror and repression and who were given the opportunity to live peacefully and contribute to the building of our Canadian community and a greater society, could help inspire a more tolerant and empathetic Estonian policy towards newcomers and refugees. Similarly, Estonians who believe in equality and tolerance, deserve our support and should not be made afraid to speak out in support of these values.

Estonian language is of course an important pillar of Estonian culture but this small global nation, cannot afford to reject those whose Estonian is not perfect, nor those Estonians with different skin tones, sexual preferences, religions or heritages. We must embrace all those who share our Estonian identity and ensure that they never lose that feeling of being Estonian, just as we should not allow anyone to ever feel ashamed for being Estonian.

One serious challenge we face is the active and ongoing attempts by the Russian government, to distort our history and who we are as Canadian-Estonians. The glorification of Soviet symbols and Stalin by Kremlin supported groups are intended to make Canadians and others forget about Soviet terror and the occupation of Estonia and most of Central and Eastern Europe. As unpleasant or tiresome as it may be to some in our community, we must continue to tell our story to our friends and neighbors, so that the world will never allow such terror to threaten our free nation again. In September our community will lead the organizing of a large national event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, which enabled the coordinated start of WWII by both the Soviets and Nazis. All Estonians in Canada should participate and wear the Black Ribbon made famous by Canadian-Estonian Markus Hess.

As we prepare for our holidays, I hope that we can all take a moment to reflect on how much we benefit from being Estonians in Canada. We can all make our community better, by participating, listening and supporting each other - regardless of language, how we look or who we love.

Eesti meeles, elagu meie kogukond Kanadas. Olgu Võidupüha tähindusrikas kõigile.

For more information: See e-posti aadress on spämmirobotite eest kaitstud. Selle nägemiseks peab su veebilehitsejas olema JavaSkript sisse lülitatud. / www.estoniancouncil.ca

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Kirjutas Estonian Life No. 23 2019

Avaldatud: 07 Juuni 2019

The Estonian Central Council in Canada has had an extremely busy 2018-19 advocacy year, with several major achievements reported at it’s Spring National Congress meeting.

EKN’s primary 2018-19 community and advocacy goals and achievements:

- The creation of an Estonian Government parliamentary committee for the coordination and support of the Global Estonian community and identity;
- The stationing of a fully accredited Canadian diplomat to the Canadian Embassy in Tallinn;
- Formally registering EKN federally, completing reforms and clearing inherited issues in order to ensure compliance with regulations;
- Leading efforts to honor the late Russian pro-democracy and human rights leader, Boris Nemtsov, by naming a Toronto street in his honor;
- Working with the Central and Eastern European Council in EKN’s new leadership role at CEEC;
- Creating an outreach and succession strategy to ensure long term sustainability of the organization and ongoing advocacy and leadership of the Estonian community in Canada as well as a process of ongoing renewal;
- Strengthen relations with municipal, provincial and federal Canadian politicians and their counterparts in Estonia;
- Inform Canadian-Estonians about important issues, including organizing a global Estonian pre-election townhall, which was live streamed on Estonia’s national broadcaster, ERR and Postimees;
- Organize major Toronto event with embassies of all CEE nations to mark the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Moltov-Ribbentrop Pact in September 2019.
- Advocacy to remove Soviet symbols from major retail outlets such as Amazon and Walmart, as well as public advocacy against Kremlin attempts to falsify Estonian history, including denial of the occupation and the political repression of Estonians.

Loe edasi: EKN’s recent achievements

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Kirjutas Eesti Elu / Estonian Life Online

Avaldatud: 02 Juuni 2019

MAY 31, 2019

TORONTO - The Estonian Central Council in Canada warmly welcomes the Canadian government’s decision to expand its diplomatic presence to Estonia later this summer and deeply appreciates the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland and Ambassador Kevin Rex for this historic decision.

In addition to frequent reminders about the need for a permanent Canadian diplomatic representative in Tallinn; The Estonian Central Council in Canada co-authored a letter with the members of the Baltic Federation last fall asking the Prime Minister and his government to expand Canada’s diplomatic presence to all three Baltic states to strengthen Canada’s bilateral relations with them.

The presence of a Canadian Charge d'affaires in charge of trade in Tallinn demonstrates Canada’s commitment to expanding relations and trade in Estonia and the region.

Loe edasi: Canadian Government Decision...

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Kirjutas Eesti Elu Nr. 22 2019

Avaldatud: 31 Mai 2019

25. mai 2019

TORONTO - Eestlaste Kesknõukogu Kanadas (EKN), kes esindab Eesti päritolu kanadalasi, ühineb üleilmse eestlaste kogukonnaga, et tänada Eesti Vabariigi valitsust toetuse ja aktiivse osalemise eest valitsuse komisjoni loomisel Globaalse Eesti küsimustes ja koostöös.

Algatust selle komisjoni loomiseks toetasid kõik Eesti poliitilised parteid, kellede osalusel, enne viimaseid Eesti Vabariigi parlamendivalimisi, korraldas Eestlaste Kesknõukogus Kanadas ka valimiste teemalise rahvakoosoleku.

Eestlaste Kesknõukogu Kanadas võttis vastu resolutsiooni Globaalse Eesti komisjoni loomise toetamiseks 2018. aasta sügisel ning on regulaarselt kohtunud erinevate Eesti Vabariigi ministrite ja opositsiooniparteide juhtidega, et arutada seniseid saavutusi ning edasisi samme. ECC / EKN on tänulik kõigile Eesti Vabariigi parlamendiliikmetele nende toetuse eest, eriti välisminister Urmas Reinsalule tema ettevõtlikkuse eest ning rahvastikuminister Riina Solmanile, kes lisas komisjoni oma panuse.

Loe edasi: Eesti-Kanada kogukond tänab...

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Kirjutas Estonian Life No. 22 2019

Avaldatud: 31 Mai 2019

MAY 25, 2019

TORONTO - The Estonian Central Council in Canada (ECC), representing Canadians of Estonian heritage, joins the global Estonian community in thanking the government of Estonia for supporting and actively joining the initiative to create an Estonian government committee of global Estonian affairs and cooperation.

The initiative to create this committee was supported by all Estonian political parties at an Estonian Central Council in Canada organized election town hall before the recent Estonian parliamentary elections.

The Estonian Central Council in Canada adopted a resolution to advocate for the creation of the global estonian committee in the Fall of 2018, and has regularly met with various Estonian ministers and opposition party leaders to discuss the effort. ECC/EKN is thankful to all Estonian parliamentarians for their support, and in particular, to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Urmas Reinsalu for his leadership and Minister of Global Estonian affairs, Riina Solman, for adding the committee to her portfolio.

Loe edasi: Estonian Canadian community...