2024 has been declared the Cultural Diversity Year in Estonia. We will open the Cultural Diversity Year in all counties with a series of unique events, which you can take part in with your family and friends. Choose a suitable event and join us!
EVENTS
In Saaremaa County: 12 January Kuressaare Cultural Centre – end of the Culture Year, 13 January Orissaare Cultural Centre, kick off celebration for the Cultural Diversity Year and the county’s zither day.
In Jõgeva County: 13 January carolling of all church bells, with workshops, movement games, folk dancing, sleigh rides, and other activities taking place at the Mustvee Cultural Centre as part of the opening event for the Cultural Diversity Year. We also invite all Estonian churches to join the Jõgeva County initiative to ring their tower’s bells at 1p.m. on Saturday, 13 January. The ringing of bells from local church towers on a breathtaking Saturday, in January, is a beautiful moment that offers a sense of security, one that does not cost anything, but which we would like to offer everyone across Estonia.
In Valga County: 13 January At the Otepää, Valga, and Tõrva cultural centres, a family memory game on the topic of cultural diversity.
In Lääne-Viru County: 13 January Opening event at Rakvere Central Square, with local dance groups and the ensemble Põhja-Tallinn; elsewhere, family-centred joint sports games and performances by local cultural associations on Ebavere Hill, in Väike-Maarja; at the Rakke Cultural Centre; Aseri Leisure Centre; Viru-Nigula Sports Hall; and the Kunda Sports Centre.
In Lääne County: 6 January Epiphany Fair, in Haapsalu Old Town, with performances by folklore ensembles Suprjadki, from Narva, and Bõliina, from Haapsalu, gypsy dancers, and others.
In Rapla County: 13 January Folk dance club at the Juuru Community Centre, with introductions to the dances and food culture of Estonians, Maris, and other peoples.
In Ida-Viru County: 13 January The opening event for the Cultural Diversity Year in the Jõhvi Park Centre, with folk songs and dances, a gymnastics party, joint singing games. Performances by Ruslan and Rute Trochinsky.
In Harju County: 13 January Concert at the Loksa Cultural Centre featuring local music and dance collectives, where Estonian, Russian, Belarusian, and Georgian folk songs will be sung.
In Järva County: 13 January Hiking and orienteering in the City of Paide, with a concert by Uku Suviste and the Paide City Orchestra in the courtyard of the Timecenter Wittenstein, workshops on the premises.
In Põlva County: 12 January The Cultural Endowment’s local annual awards gala will weave together the Be Active year , the Year of the Sauna, and The Cultural Diversity Year, with a performance by the Ingrian Finnish dance troupe Röntyskä.
In Tartu County: 13 January Presentation of national music and skating, by the societies representing ethnic minorities in the county, at the Tartu Town Hall Square ice skating rink.
In Viljandi County: 13 January movement game in various municipalities, followed by a party at the Sakala Centre, in Viljandi, introducing Mulgi food culture and joint dances accompanied by Karmoška kamraadid.
In Pärnu County: 13 January Introducing Kihnu and Latvian traditional culture through dances and dishes at the Kabli Society House.
In Võru County: 13 January a cultural bus with performers will be travelling around all of the rural municipalities within the county (Antsla, Rõuge, Võru, Lasva, and Värska), concerts will be held with dancing, choral singing, and folk instrument players.
In Hiiumaa County: 12 January Ringing in the new Cultural Diversity Year at the Kõrgessaare Leisure Centre with societies from Hiiumaa – Kohvilähkrid, Odratolgused, Koldselõuamehed, Vandiraiujad, Varatõusjad, etc. There will be performances with fire by Tsirkusetalu, folk dancers, and from the mainland VLÜ with their accordions.
In Tallinn: 13 January at 1p.m. At the Tallinn School of Music and Ballet, folk dances and songs, workshops, and movement games. Under the leadership of the Minister of Culture, the thematic year will give way from the Be Active Year to the Cultural Diversity Year.
Events that offer the joy of joint activities are carried out by the Integration Foundation, which is organising the Cultural Diversity Year, the Estonian Centre of Folk Culture, which unites Estonia’s cultural associations, and the Estonian Union of National Minorities, which has historically brought together national minorities. Support is provided by the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment, and local governments.
MORE INFORMATION
You can find details in the calendar of the Cultural Diversity Year, where you will find other activities and can also add your own events for free.
