Estonian World bestowed Open Estonia Foundation’s Concord Award

The Open Estonia Foundation, celebrating its 30th birthday this year, founded the Concord Award in 1997 with the purpose to honour the people and institutions whose activities have helped form the society in Estonia and elsewhere, and also those who help the Estonian residents to have a better mutual understanding with each other and therefore build a better country in the future.

“The Concord Award has a huge symbolic significance for us, as all the awarded tell the story of the important issues of the Estonian society,” Mall Hellam, the director of the Open Estonia Foundation, said.

Growing its importance

“Even though this year’s nominee, Estonian World, was selected already before the coronavirus pandemic and the emergency situation, the magazine has during this time even grown its importance in a difficult time,” she stated.

“Already since 2012, Estonian World has taken Estonia to the world and brought Estonia closer to global Estonians, Estonian expats elsewhere and to estophiles. In a world where movement is restricted, the mutual exchange of information and a sense of community becomes even more important.”

Hellam noted that Estonian World deserved rewarding also for its sustained and ongoing activity.

“The situation in the media sphere is difficult. A medium that writes about what is going on in Estonia and also shares its success stories, deserves recognition and financial support. We wish Estonian World many years and its leaders a lot of strength in continuing their efforts.”

Estonian World was founded in London, the UK, in 2012 by Silver Tambur, Sander Saar and Sten Hankewitz. “When we started Estonian World eight years ago in London as a citizen-driven medium, to help other global Estonians share cool stories about Estonia and Estonians all over the world, we couldn’t have imagined where this road would take us,” Silver Tambur, the editor-in-chief of Estonian World, said.

A recognition to all who have contributed

“By today, Estonian World has become a truly global medium with readers in every country in the world, including Estonia. Estonian World was and is a mission – a mission to inform and unite the people of Estonia, the descendants of Estonians and the fans of Estonia all over the world,” Tambur stated.

“We are very glad to accept the Concord Award that recognises this civic-driven mission – it’s a recognition to all these almost 300 people who have contributed to Estonian World during these eight years. I hope that it will inspire many others so that Estonian World would be there for Estonia and Estonians even in 80 years’ time.”

Throughout the years, the Concord Award has been bestowed upon many people and organisations, among them newspapers, schools, journalists, politicians and others. The current Estonian president, Kersti Kaljulaid, was bestowed the award in 2014 (two years before she was elected the president) for her journalistic work in Estonia’s Kuku Radio; she explained in a special programme the ins and outs of the European Union.

The Concord Award is accompanied by a €1,000 prize and a graphic drawing by artist Marje Üksine, called “The Concord Pillar”.

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