The Integration Foundation’s partners – national cultural societies – are organising a wide range of events in Tallinn, Jõhvi, and Pärnu to celebrate the Day of Nationalities. The programme features concerts, ethno fairs, workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and culture festivals, all of which showcase the rich and diverse heritage of Estonia’s ethnic groups.
On 19 and 20 September, the Etnolaat Fair will take place in Tallinn Town Hall Square. The 16th Etnolaat Fair is a joint event bringing together numerous cultural societies of national minorities, featuring a diverse cultural programme. The programme features a variety of workshops, traditional handicrafts and cuisine, as well as a concert programme featuring national cultural groups.
In Tallinn, the programme of celebrations continues on 20 September at the Mere Cultural Centre with the concert titled ‘Under One Sky’. Performers include groups from the Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, the Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia, and the International Association of National Cultural Societies LÜÜRA.
On 20 September, the National Minorities Culture Festival titled ‘National Cultures Creative Pot’ will kick off at Jõhvi Concert Hall, featuring exhibitions and masterclasses in traditional handicrafts on the theme ‘From Grandma’s Dowry to the Present Day’, a folk dance room, and a gala concert.
On 26 September, Pärnu will host presentations introducing several singing, dance and art studios, a handicraft workshop, an art exhibition, a concert programme, as well as snacks and dishes from various national cuisines.
The Day of Nationalities programme runs from 19 September to 24 October, bringing together representatives of different ethnic groups and those interested in celebrating cultural diversity.
DAY OF NATIONALITIES EVENTS 2026
TALLINN
|
Date and time of the event |
Place |
Event description |
Organiser |
|
12–30 September |
Väike-Karja 2 |
Azerbaijani carpet and painting exhibition During this period, workshops will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays: painting workshops from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and carpet weaving workshops from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The fee for the painting workshop is 5 euros for children and 15 euros for adults. The carpet weaving workshop is free for everyone. Registration: rovshannur.art@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/RovshanART |
MTÜ Aserbaidžaani rahvuste art studio Buta |
|
5 p.m. on 19 September 2026 |
Tallinn Town Hall |
Azerbaijani folklore music concert titled ‘Saz Balaban’ The programme centres on five traditional musical instruments: the saz, the balaban, the zurna, the nagara and the qarmon. Each has its own character and distinctive timbre, but together they create the remarkably rich soundscape that is characteristic of Azerbaijani folk music. Tickets: Saz-Balaban Azerbaijani folklore music concert – Tickets | Fienta |
MTÜ Aserbaidžaani rahvuste art studio Buta |
|
19 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 Small hall |
Concert titled ‘Sing and the Heart Will Respond’, featuring Russian choirs from Tallinn The programme features classical choral works performed by women’s, mixed and children’s choirs |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
19–20 September |
Town Hall Square |
Etnolaat Fair |
The Estonian Union of National Minorities |
|
20 September 2026 |
Tallinn Town Hall |
38th Estonian National Minorities Forum The founding date of the Estonian Union of National Minorities is considered to be 24 September 1988 – the day on which the first Estonian National Forum took place. We will celebrate the Day of Nationalities and the 38th anniversary of our organisation with a fair and a forum. Admission by invitation only. |
The Estonian Union of National Minorities |
|
20 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 Great hall |
Concert titled ‘UNDER ONE SKY’ Performances by groups from the Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia, the Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, and the International Association of National Cultural Societies LÜÜRA. |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, the Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia, and the International Association of National Cultural Societies LÜÜRA |
|
21 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Online lecture titled ‘Intercession on the Nerl’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
21 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by cultural historian Tatjana Tšervova titled ‘A Chronicle of Tallinn’s Architecture’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
22 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by artist Sergei Minini titled ‘Pre-Christian Art of Russia’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
22 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by historian Oleg Sidelnikov titled ‘Sofia Kovalevskaya’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
23 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by editor and translator Nelli Melts titled ‘Estonian Russian Writers: Past and Present’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
24 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by artist Valeri Lauri titled ‘The Formation and Blending of National Cultural Narratives in Estonian Art: Paintings by Sjuvalo (Shcherbakova), Yegorov, Kaigorodov, Sokolov, Kormashov and Others in the 20ᵗʰ and Early 21ˢᵗ Centuries’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
24 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Cinema World with Ella Agranovskaya: ‘Jack Lemmon: How to Outshine Marilyn Monroe’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
25 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 3rd floor |
Lecture Hall Lecture by music editor Aleksandr Lukyanov titled ‘Jaan Rääts and His Students Erkki-Sven Tüür and Tõnu Kõrvits’ |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
25 September 2026 |
Azerbaijan House Estonia pst 15 |
Festive cultural evening titled ‘National Minorities Days 2026’ Folk dances and traditional music from various ethnic groups. The evening’s guest of honour will be the Estonian folk dance group RAABIKU TANTSURÜHM |
Azerbaijan House, Turkish Nationalities Society |
|
25 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 Small hall |
The women's choir Viva Musica, conducted by Sergei Mironov, invites you to the concert titled ‘An Evening of Slavic Romance’ The poetic programme features heartfelt folk songs, enchanting Russian romances and choral works from operas by A. Borodin, A. Dargomyzhsky and N. Rimsky-Korsakov |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
26 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 Small hall |
Concert by the soloists of the EHO Vocal Studio titled ‘When a Song Lives in the Heart’ The programme features songs from around the world in Russian, Estonian, Ukrainian and other languages. |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
|
27 September 2026 |
Mere Cultural Centre, Mere pst 5 Small hall |
Autumn concert by the Olga Lund Vocal Studio titled, ‘Folk Songs’ The concert will feature estrada songs, folk songs and romances |
Cultural Association Kirill and Meffodi, Union of Russian Educational and Charitable Organisations in Estonia |
NARVA
|
Date and time of the event |
Place |
Event description |
Organiser |
|
27.09.26 kell 13 |
Narva Cultural Centre Rugodiv |
Narva national and cultural societies’ concert “Unity and Diversity” |
Narva Cultural Centre Rugodiv |
JÕHVI
|
Date and time of the event |
Place |
Event description |
Organiser |
|
20 September 2026 |
Jõhvi Concert Hall Pargi tn 40 |
XXII National Minorities Culture Festival titled ‘National Cultures Creative Pot’ |
Round Table of National Cultural Associations in Ida-Viru County, Ida-Viru County Integration Centre |
PÄRNU COUNTY
|
Date and time of the event |
Place |
Event description |
Organiser |
|
26 September 2026 1 p.m. |
Nooruse House Roheline 1b, |
NPO Union of Minorities Raduga invites you! The programme features presentations introducing singing, dance and art studios, a handicraft workshop, an art exhibition, a concert programme, as well as snacks and dishes from various national cuisines |
NPO Union of Minorities Raduga and its members |
|
24 October 2026 2 p.m. |
Sindi Community Centre Pärnu mnt 44, Sindi |
Concert titled ‘Slavyanochka and Friends’ |
Town of Sindi’s Cultural Association Slavyanochka |