Executive Manager of the President of the Republic's Cultural Foundation, the President's Economic Adviser Andrus Alber, today signed in the presence of President of the Republic an agreement with businessman Toomas Luman, Chairman of the Board of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the agreement concerned an endowment to the Cultural Foundation. The Cultural Foundation and Toomas Luman have agreed in establishing the Young Scientist Award issued by the Cultural Foundation, which Toomas Luman has agreed to finance for at least ten years to come. The award of 40,000 Estonian kroons will be issued once a year.

The Young Scientist Award will be issued to young scientists of Estonian origin doing research work in either Estonian or foreign universities or research institutions. Both postgraduates writing their doctor's thesis and those already having a doctor's degree can apply for the award. The candidacies may be nominated by young scientists themselves or their supervisors or employers, or by members of the board of the Cultural Foundation.

The President's Counsellor Toomas Kiho, who is also a member of the board of the President's Cultural Foundation, spoke today also of the Pytheas Scholarship that was founded on the initiative of President of the Republic and announced during the state visit of Konstantinos Stephanopoulus, the President of the Republic of Greece. Citizens of the Republic of Estonia who have promoted the relations between Estonia and Greece are invited to apply for this scholarship. The scholarship of 10,000 kroons will be issued for translation into the Estonian language of texts on the Greek culture, society, or other areas of activity.

In order to apply for the scholarship bearing the name of the Greek geographer, astronomer and mathematician Pytheas, who was the first to explore North-Western Europe in 350-320 BC, a one-page application summarising the content of the text to be translated will have to be submitted to the Cultural Foundation of the President of the Republic, whereas the volume of the text is not limited. The text will be published in the monthly ''Akadeemia'' or some other Estonian publication. When issuing the scholarship, also the applicant's previous contribution to the study of Greek culture and introducing it in Estonia will be taken into account.

President of the Republic thanked Toomas Luman, and added that the occasion gained special significance owing to the long reach of the project – the award will be issued at least for ten consecutive years to come. The President's Cultural Foundation will publish in the newspapers the application requirements for both the Young Scientist Award and the Pytheas Scholarship.

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President of the Republic received the President of the Republic of Greece


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 31, 2000

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