Estonia honours Iceland with Iceland Day festival
Sunday 21 August, the Icelandic cultural festival ICELAND DAY will take place throughout Tallinn. By holding a special Iceland day, the Estonian state remembers that Iceland was the first country to recognise Estonia's restored independence in 1991. The President of Iceland, Foreign minister and former foreign minister, as well as Icelandic musicians, photographers, designers and chefs will take part in the festival.
The day will be kicked off at midnight by Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson during the event “Song of Freedom” at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. During the day dedicated to Iceland, over ten musical acts from Iceland will appear in Tallinn's courtyards, venues, and on Iceland Square, Iceland-themed exhibits will be unveiled, and a Nordic-inspired food market will take place.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Estonia's independence, the Foreign Ministry and the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute have organised a conference on 20 August entitled “20.08.1991 – Twenty Years On”, which will see the participation of the current and former foreign ministers and other political figures from neighbouring countries. Amongst the participants are Össur Skarphéðinsson Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson, former Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Iceland Day was made a reality by the Estonian Foreign Ministry and the government of Iceland; events were organised by Musiccase and project partners were Iceland Music Export, Iceland Film Centre, Iceland Design Centre, Literature Fund, Sagenhaftes Island / Fabulous Iceland, Visit Iceland, Tallinn Music Week, Jazzkaar, Konveier, Black Nights Film Festival, Rooftop Cinema, Estonian Association of Designers, Design Night, EMTD, and the Carma Group.