The Round Table of Ethnic Minorities of the President of the Republic will assemble for a session on Friday, April 28, at 10 AM in the conference hall of Hotel Viru in Tallinn. The subject of the session of the Round Table is reflection of the life of ethnic minorities and the problems of integration by the press.

The discussion of the relationship between the ethnic minorities and the press will be opened by President Lennart Meri and Minister of Population Katrin Saks. Representatives of both Estonian and Russian language dailies, Estonian Television and Estonian Radio, and scientists from the University of Tartu and the Institute of International and Social Research of the Tallinn University of Educational Sciences who have studied the problem will all participate in the panel.

At the beginning of the session, President Lennart Meri will appoint the new members of the Round Table. Fractions of Riigikogu, specialists and scientists representing ethnic minorities will be represented among the new members of the Round Table. Two-thirds of the 20 members of the Round Table belong to different ethnic minorities.

Public sessions of the Round Table will from now on be held in the presence and with the participation of the so-called big circle. Representatives of the cultural societies of ethnic minorities belong in the big circle, and members of the Cultural Council of Ethnic Minorities form its core. The Cultural Council of Ethnic Minorities was formed with the decree of the minister of culture on February 16, 2000. Office of the Minister of Population, representatives of foreign embassies and institutions related to the issues of integration will also participate regularly in the sessions of the Round Table.

The following persons will participate in the panel discussions: Ella Agranovskaja from the newspaper ''Molodjozh Estonii'', Ilja Nikiforov from the newspaper ''Estonia'', Pavel Ivanov from Estonian Television, Mary Velmet from Estonian Radio, Rein Sikk from the newspaper ''Eesti Päevaleht'', Teet Kallas from the newspaper ''Postimees'', Raivo Vettik from the Institute of International and Social Research of the Tallinn University of Educational Sciences and Külliki Korts from the University of Tartu.

Information to the press is given from 1.30-1.45 PM. Information about the activities of the Round Table can be found in the Internet at http://www.president.ee/est/ymarlaud.html.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, April 27, 2000

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