President Lennart Meri visited Viljandi and the new building of Viljandi Cultural College at noon today. The President looked at the study rooms and visited the classes, and remarked with praise that the school has its own original features as well as the best premises in Viljandi. President Meri and the members of the school council discussed the importance of the past in shaping the future. As the President said, it is always hard to make up for the lost time.

Helir-Valdor Seeder, Governor of the Viljandi County, offered lunch to the Head of State. The County Governor and the President discussed the progress of administrative reform and the Young Family Home project.

From Viljandi, the President proceeded to Karinu, Järva County. He visited the Karinu estate building, where an elementary school had functioned until this spring. Before the school was closed, the teachers, pupils, and their parents had written to the President of the problems the closing of the school would cause – the long way to school and teachers' difficulty to find jobs. So today, the President wanted to see how life had developed in this Järva County village.

The people of Karinu showed the Head of State the former estate of the von Rosén family, which now housed only the village library, and spoke of the children's longer way to school. The President signed the school's guestbook and said that the book still had room for the good wishes of many guests to come. The President wished the people of Karinu strength and stamina for taking care of their former schoolhouse.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, December 3, 1999

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