Today, fifty-six main and secondary school pupils, who were chosen from those who responded this spring to the President of the Republic’s appeal to gather the memories of the people who had been deported, leave for an prize excursion in Finland. Also one history teacher from each county and the winners of Soldier Days 2001 from the Pärnu Single Infantry Battalion participate in the excursion.

Tomorrow, the excursion will start with a tour of Helsinki, including the Hietaniemi cemetery, a visit to the graves of the Estonian volunteers who fought in the Finnish Army in the Continuation War, and the graves of cultural figures from Estonia and Finland. There will also be an excursion to the Heureka research centre and the Linnanmäki recreation park. The night will be spent at the Navy School garrison.

On Saturday, the excursion will continue at Luumäki, where a wreath will be laid at the memorial of the Infantry Regiment 200, and the excursion participants will take part of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the memorial to the Estonian volunteers who fought in the Finnish Army in the Continuation War. The best collectors of memories and soldiers who excelled on Soldier Days will also visit Salpalinja and the home museum of President Svinhuvfud. In the evening, they will proceed to Uti and spend the night at the Uti garrison.

On Sunday, a ceremony of commemoration of the fallen Estonian volunteers who fought in the Finnish Army in the Continuation War will take place at the Malmi cemetery in Helsinki at noon, and before departure, there will be a trip to Suomenlinna. The prize excursion will end on Sunday, when the Finnish Navy boats will bring the pupils, the teachers, and the members of the Defence Forces on board MS Meloodia.

The prize excursion is organised by the Office of the President of the Republic, the Ministry of Education, the Embassy of the Republic of Finland in Estonia, and the Cultural Foundation of the President of the Republic. In September, the Office of the President of the Republic, the Ministry of Education, and the publishing House “Tänapäev” will in co-operation also publish a selection of the memories of the deported.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, August 16, 2001

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