Estonians living in various countries throughout the world are united by Estonian national culture, vital beliefs and a worldview, yet one must still acknowledge that the émigré and diaspora generation is experiencing change. In every country and society where Estonians have settled due to the vagaries of fate there exists the local national culture, legislation and the official state language. The successors of the displaced expat generation have adopted the regulations of their resident country, intermixed with other distinct nationalities and are raising their children according to the rules of the countries where they reside. And this is only natural. It is miraculous that people with ancestral Estonian roots attempt over and over to find and establish contacts with the country of their forebears – with the Estonian people and language, often the younger people without knowing even perhaps a word of this language.
The still existing communities that were founded at the end of the nineteenth century have established local lore museums in Alberta in Canada, Siberia, St. Petersburg in Russia, Abkhazia, Crimea, Australia, etc. are deeply rooted in their past and attempt in every way to share in the events taking place in Estonia. It is certainly not amazing, that these communities differ greatly from one another. Their cultural memory and dogged perseverance was precisely what Estonian cultural icon Mikk Mikiver put as follows: Estonian patriotism is a distinct whole entity – “Eestlus on tervik!”
Estonian World Review provides a splendid opportunity to introduce the Estonian language publications issued by these communities throughout the world. And not only for newspapers, but also for scientists, authors, representatives of communities, writers, artists, photographers etc. to publish their world views which can only enrich our readers in different parts of Estonia and elsewhere, this also in the lingua franca of their countries of residence. One of the founding principles of EWR is to support the continued and longer lasting existence of newspapers and magazines published abroad, as the circulation of these publications, especially newspapers is dwindling with the passage of time.
The web address
www.eesti.ca has been in the public eye for over ten years; to date under the name of the Estonian newspaper Eesti Elu, published in Toronto. For almost five years preparation has been under way to launch a new internet portal. Unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that independent media must function independently of social and community organizations, political parties and specific interest groups. Information must be allowed to disseminate freely. On the basis of present statistics 25,000 individual computers visit
www.eesti.ca monthly, which for our numerically small people is a rather considerable number. However, a truly independent and free press does not exist anywhere in the world. Independence is directly tied to the interests of subscribers and readers.
We are thankful in advance to our contributors, sponsors, community and society organizations, economic and commercial organizers who are interested in the longevity of EWR and the existence of its rich content.
Vaado Sarapuu
EWR editor.
