Centenary of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania celebrates in Skansen with the 14-th Baltic Day
2018 fyller republikerna Estland, Lettland och Litauen hundra år. Detta vill vi ester, letter, litauer och estlandssvenskar fira tillsammans med hela Sverige. Den 26 maj kl 10 inviger Sveriges utrikesminister Margot Wallström en festlig Baltikumdag på Skansen. Alla de tre baltiska utrikesministrarna kommer att delta. Den Baltiska Samarbetsgruppen, som förenar ester, letter, litauer och estlandssvenskar i Sverige, bjuder på folkmusik, dans och god mat!
“Det finns inget land som heter Baltikum. Däremot finns där tre språkligt och kulturellt olika folk men med liknande olyckligt öde under 1900-talet. Samarbete har dock varit viktigt för att överleva och för att kunna återuppstå som självständiga stater på världskartan,” säger Leelo Pukk, projektledare för Baltikumdagen 2018. “Baltikumdagen har en lång historia, och den har förenat våra folkminoriter i Sverige genom många år. Liksom sverige-amerikanerna bevarar även utlandsester, -letter och -litauer sitt kulturella arv, och det vill vi gärna visa upp i samband med hundraårsfirandet.”
“Tillsammans med svenska institutioner och företag bygger Sveriges ester, letter, litauer och estlandssvenskar kulturella och ekonomiska broar över Östersjön. Men som medlemmar i Europeiska unionen borde vi ännu bättre beakta våra gemensamma intressen i Norden och Baltikum. Till dem hör avgjort hela Östersjöområdets säkerhet och en välfungerande gemensam marknad,” säger Sirle Sööt, ordförande för Sverigeesternas Riksförbund.
Projektgruppen för Baltikumdagen 2018
Leelo Pukk, Sverigeesternas Riksförbund (REL)
Sirle Sööt, Sverigeesternas Riksförbund (REL)
Anna-Greta Ter-Borch, Estlandssvenskarnas kulturförening (SOV)
Lars Rönnberg, Estlandssvenskarnas kulturförening (SOV)
Ieva Reine, Letternas Riksförbund i Sverige (ZLA)
Juris Rozitis, Letternas Riksförbund i Sverige (ZLA)
Stefano Giangiacomo, Svensk-Lettiska Föreningen (SLF)
Veronika Paulauskas, Litauiska Riksförbundet (LBS)
Marijus Sabalas, ordförande för Litauiska Riksförbundet (LBS)
Kontakt
Sirle Sööt
072 519 04 80
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PROGRAMM XIV Baltikumdagen
In 1918 the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) declared themselves independent, sovereign states. On the 26 May we will celebrate their Centenary at Skansen.
From the first years of their independence, the Baltic states have had a close cooperation and forged common policies.
All three countries shared a common fate. In the 1940s, all three were invaded by Soviet Russia, then by Nazi Germany, and then by Soviet Russia again. All three were incorporated into the Soviet Union by force at the end of the Second World War. All three rebelled and in 1990 renewed their declarations of independence from 1918.
A clear example of Baltic cooperation in this rebellion was the “Baltic Way” in 1989 – probably the largest peaceful demonstration ever when about 2 million people from all three countries formed a human chain joining the three capital cities: Vilnius, Rīga and Tallinn to peacefully protest against the Soviet occupation.
At the end of the Second World War, hundreds of thousands of people from the Baltic states fled the invading Soviet army. Among the 32 000 refugees who fled from Estonia there were also about 7000 Estonian Swedes who had lived on the Estonian west coast and islands for centuries. In the countries where Baltic refugees had found shelter – Sweden, USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Germany and many more they maintained a strong tradition of Baltic cooperation.
In Sweden the ties between all three Baltic nations have historically been strong, growing even closer during the past 14 years, mainly through the celebration of the annual “Baltic Day” (Baltikumdagen). In this Centenary year we are proud to come together and celebrate Baltic Day with the Swedish public, as well as all visitors to Skansen.
We are happy to share with you how Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians preserve their cultural heritage while living abroad. At the same time, we would like to point out that there is no country called Balticum. There are three independent states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – with different languages and individual cultures, however, sharing many similar traditions such as choir singing, folk dancing, passion for nature and good food.
Welcome to celebrate the Centenary of the Baltic states with us!
Ms Leelo Pukk, Association of Estonians in Sweden (REL)
Ms. Sirle Sööt, Association of Estonians in Sweden (REL)
Ms. Anna-Greta Ter-Borch, the Cultural Association of Estonian Swedes (SOV)
Mr. Lars Rönnberg, the Cultural Association of Estonian Swedes (SOV)
Ms. Ieva Reine, the Association of Latvians in Sweden (ZLA)
Mr. Juris Rozitis, the Association of Latvians in Sweden (ZLA)
Mr. Stefano Giangiacomo, the Swedish-Latvian Association (SLF)
Ms. Veronika Paulauskas, the Lithuanian Community in Sweden (LBS)
Mr. Marijus Sabalas, the Lithuanian Community in Sweden (LBS)
Contact
Ms Sirle Sööt
072 519 04 80
sirle.soot@sverigeesterna.s
PROGRAMME XIV Baltic Day
