Dear Olavi Granö, Honorary Doctor of Tartu University,
Dear Rectors of Turku and Tartu Universities,
Dear academic family, Ministers and Mayor!

The Villa Tammekann opened today and the co-operation agreement between the Tartu and Turku Universities that is to be concluded tomorrow are part of the centuries-long scientific co-operation between our nations.

Let us not be disturbed by the fact that the meaning of both the word ''nation'' and the word ''science'' were different at the time of kings and emperors.

The festive event that you have witnessed today, and which I regret to have missed, obliges us to consider three conclusions.

First, let us think of the attention that was given to education by the newly independent Estonia and Finland still at the time and already at the time when battles were fought on the frontline. They did not keep the muses silent. Estonia invited professors from neighbouring countries to Tartu. Today, let us above all mention the Finns Johannes Gabriel Granö, Aarne Michael Tallgren ja Arno Rafael Cederberg. Entire schools of thought were born of their devotion. After World War II, August Tammekann was invited to the University of Zurich as a visiting lecturer, first and foremost because he belonged to the Granö school.

Second, independence brought about academic democracy. Open borders opened up new academic horizons. Young August Tammekann studied at the Helsinki University and got his Master's decree there. Science cannot bear political borders. Science trapped in a narrow space, a limited circle of opponents, an atmosphere of stale arguments will lose its competitive ability. Only science that is open to the world can synthesise regional into global and thus preserve and strengthen also the national value of scientific achievements.

Third, I take the liberty to repeat over and over again something that I have already said: if we want to catch the European train, we have to run faster than the train moves. This is the most important historical experience of the Estonians. The competitive ability of the Estonian science and the Republic of Estonia is enhanced by every student and every scientist who returns to his Alma Mater from an international science centre. The co-operation between Tartu and Turku Universities is a long step ahead on this way. And the Villa Tammekann opened today is the protective roof and symbol of this co-operation.

I thank our guests from Turku and wish the whole academic family joy in the new house and strength for the joint scientific work!

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