Liina Sadul is an Estonian-Canadian university student who received a 2020 EFC Scholarship with funding from the Martin & Heljo Mäeks Scholarship Fund. Liina is currently in fourth year Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto, specializing in Robotics and Biotechnology.

A graduate of Toronto Estonian Schools, Liina participated in the song festival with the school choir and continues to be active as a guide leader and a member of Korp! Amicitia. In her free time, Liina enjoys reading, cycling, nature and Ultimate Frisbee.

On being Estonian
Being Estonian means that I am connected to the Estonian culture and I am able to share my history and language with other Estonians. I am able to participate in Estonian activities, including folk dancing and singing in choirs. I celebrate the unique culture and values of Estonia, prepare and enjoy traditional foods. It also means that I honor the memories of my grandparents, such as celebrating and preserving the Estonian language and culture. It also means that I have friends and community for a lifetime.

Being Estonian in Canada means that I am able to participate in many organizations and activities that are connected with being Estonian. I think that the social aspect...is very important as having Estonian friends gives us a reason to continue with “Estonianness”. I know that I want to preserve our organisations. And that can happen only if we demonstrate our culture and history so that we can be proud of it.

I believe that the Estonian community in Canada will remain alive but due to different reasons than in the past....As most Estonians in Canada are not planning on moving to Estonia, it is important to protect our heritage and traditions as these are the ties that connect us with our culture, our history and [then] we feel connected to Estonia and Estonians all over the world.

On the role of EFC
I think that the Estonian Foundation of Canada is important to the community because it helps to support Estonian organizations, events, and programs, which may not be able to run without the support. These activities are important because they keep Canadian Estonians in touch with each other, and thus our culture and heritage. It’s easy to forget our culture and history when we’re not surrounded by it every day, and Estonian isn’t our primary daily language, but being able to participate in Estonian activities allows us a chance to connect with other Estonians and keep in touch with our community.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Estonian Foundation of Canada has granted 150 scholarships to Canadian-Estonian students since 2003.

Scholarship details and applications available at www.estonianfoundation.ca/en/e... or by contacting the EFC office at 416-465-5600 or

Scholarship application deadline: June 1, 2021

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