We are happy to announce that based on (our survey’s) responses and after a long
year of decision-making with Estonian leaders and organizations from
around the world, the SF Estonian community is willing to take on the
responsibility of celebrating the Extraordinary event of the combined
festival of the 60th anniversary of the Lääneranniku Eesti Päevad LEP
(West Coast Estonian Days) and the concluding and final event of the
world-wide ESTO festivals. (The Estonian World Council has in the meanwhile said that that ESTO’s need not be finished yet. Ed.)
It will be a very special event, where we
can look back with pride to the accomplishments of Estonians and to
Estonian history and traditions and look forward to the future with new
hope and energy. Please join us on our Facebook page
(
http://www.facebook.com/pages/...) and invite
all your friends, who you would like to come with you to this festival,
to join us as well. Also check out our constantly developing Web page
(
www.lep-esto2013.com), where you can ultimately find all the necessary
information in regards to the 2013 Festival. Make sure to click on our
LOGO competition page on our webpage and participate by creating a
historical art piece that people from around the world will come to
know. Make a logo that people won't forget and win a prize and
recognition amongst Estonians worldwide.
JOIN US
In addition to that, if you would like to join our organizing team,
give us ideas and suggestions, or if you would like to come and perform
at our event, please send us a note via the website. We are looking
forward to hearing from you. Individuals, businesses and corporations,
we are also working on providing you sponsorship opportunity packages.
Please don't hesitate to contact with any ideas
you have.
Q&A
Since you helped us with your feedback, we would like to address a few
points and concerns that some people have had during this process. One
of the reasons it has taken us so long to respond is because making a
decision in regards to joining LEP and ESTO into a combined festival was
a difficult subject to many. Our decision was based on the majority of
opinions.
DECISION
In regards to ESTO, the Estonian World Council (Ülemaailmne Eesti
Kesknõukogu - ÜEKN), who is responsible for choosing the location of
each ESTO, determined that there were no cities in any country that
belonged to the EWC who were willing to take on this major festival for
the year of 2013. The EWC then approached LEP with the idea of holding
the final ESTO at the next LEP festival. Secondly, it took some
discussion for the governing board of LEP, that started in 1953, to
accept sharing this big historical festival with ESTO that had been a
repetitive 4-year event since 1972.
With the eventual approval of the LEP board and ÜEKN
(
http://www.mydnnwebsite.com/ue..., the organization
governing the location of the ESTO festivals, it was agreed that a
combined LEP-ESTO Festival will be held in San Francisco in June 2013.
ÜEKN has also decided that due to the apparent lack of interest in
organizing the ESTO events, that this one shall be the final and
concluding ESTO festival whose location the ÜEKN will be responsible for
determining. Should anyone wish to organize an ESTO Festival in the
future, they are free to do so without ÜEKN input.
FUTURE
In future years, as LEP continues its tradition of celebrating Estonian
Days every 2 years in 5 major West Coast cities (Vancouver, Seattle,
Portland, SF and LA), ESTO will not continue to be part of it. In 2013
LEP is welcoming and giving ESTO an opportunity to celebrate its past
accomplishments and close the chapter on what it was organized to
accomplish and used to fight for - the freedom for Estonia and the
preservation of the Estonian culture and language. In June 2013, we will
observe the official closing to an event that has had so much meaning to
Estonians everywhere. We will be looking back at the great number of
ESTO accomplishments and celebrate the goals it achieved.
In future years all Estonians world-wide will, as always, be welcome to
join future LEP festivals on the West Coast of the United States and
celebrate the unique culture and traditions of Estonians everywhere.
San Francisco Estonian Society
--
Ingrid Echter
The President of San Francisco Estonian Society
www.lep-esto2013.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/...