Dear Chevaliers of Decorations,

Dear fellow countrymen!

Traditionally, the celebrations of the Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia are accompanied by the State's words of gratitude to those who have helped to shape the present face of Estonia, and without whose activities life would have been much harder for us. Estonia thanks you all for supporting Estonia in your hearts and in your actions.

It is elevating and festive to see you all here, bringing together different ages and professions. Representing Estonia and Estonia's reflections in the world, of which the Republic of Estonia is an integral part.

The past times and the deeds of today have gathered here, and brought with them our aspirations and glances into the future.

Margaretha af Ugglas, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, supported Estonia at a time when we were restoring our national independence; at the time when the support of Sweden and the other Nordic Countries was of utmost importance. The Swedish government whose Minister of Foreign Affairs Margaretha af Ugglas was, played a central role in concentrating the international support, so that we could have encouragement in the negotiations concerning the departure of foreign troops. This is how Margaretha af Ugglas secured her place in the book of Estonian history.

I would like to thank Ihsan Dogramaci, a distinguished Turkish scholar, who has added another, broader, academic plane to the excellent political relations of Estonia and Turkey, so that now our co-operation also covers the educational and humanitarian activities.

At the time of the occupation, when musical culture was our important messenger to the world, Veli Klami and Uolevi Lassander from Finland were a pillar of support to our musical messengers in Helsinki, a real bridgehead to the world.

Endel Lippmaa has successfully defended the idea of the continuity of the Republic of Estonia in arguments with Moscow, to whom this self-evident principle was not quite so evident.

The movement for the preservation of antiquities, as well as patriotic cultural work at Pilistvere, concentrated around Vello Salum. He is one of the restorers of the political party culture in Estonia, as the ERSP (the Estonian National Independence Party) was founded in Pilistvere. Carrying of stones to the cross erected to Pilistvere, the centre of Estonia, was to symbolise independence; the people of Estonia brought the stones and the independence came.

The scientific approach has been brought to the practice of Estonian state-building by a former member of the Board and the Counsellor of the Bank of Estonia, the economist Raimund Hagelberg, and the energetician and once Minister of Energy Arvo Niitenberg.

In recreating the Estonian legal system, and daily application of the principles of law, significant work has been done by Eerik-Juhan Truuväli, Jüri Rätsep, Jüri Raidla, Aare Reenumägi.

Matti Päts and Kaja Tael have conscientiously approached their complicated tasks as public servants.

The proud consciousness of Estonian art has through decades been upheld by the painters Jüri Arrak and Olev Subbi.

The compositions of Erkki-Sven Tüür have sounded in many foreign countries. He is a composer of the world. And we are a proud that he is an Estonian composer. Also the choir conductor Tõnu Kaljuste represents Estonia in the world.

Our folk dances have been taken to the world by Helju Mikkel, who has preserved the centuries-old dancing traditions of Estonia.

We have here Kaie Kõrb, the prima donna of the Estonian ballet, and Elmo Nüganen, the actor and director, developer of the City Theatre.

I wish to thank writers and translators, scholars of literature and folklore who have done their work with quiet absorption, and shaped and strengthened our culture, our people. Honour to you all -- Viivi Luik, Mati Unt, Arvo Valton, Mihkel Mutt, Ülo Tedre, Aarne Vinkel. I am glad to see the representatives of the Literary Museum : Krista Aru, Rutt Hinrikus, Sirje Olesk. And Lembit Laur, whom Estonia thanks for his indefatigable work as a collector and recorder of the memory of our people.

Also, I welcome the Orientalist and theologian Kalle Kasemaa. When the Greek poet Odisseas Elitis got the Nobel Prize of literature in 1979, we already had some of poems translated and ready for print, thanks to Kalle Kasemaa.

Arvo Kruusement has a unique place in the Estonian film art -- he has created films that mean so much to us all, and whose characters got older as the films were made, from spring to autumn.

The teacher Arvi Altmäe has great services in developing vocational education, and especially in recent years, in promoting home decoration.

Estonia thanks Endel Heinleht, the protector of forests, as well as Tõnu Viik from Tõravere, the home of Estonian astronomers. Our esteem belongs to Aili Kogerman, the protector of the elderly.

Estonia thanks the doctors, blood donors, rescue men, soldiers and freedom fighter.

Especially, I would like to point out the youngest chevalier, Silver Parts, a ten-year old boy from Tartu. Silver is a very brave boy, he helped the boy next door out of a burning house, acting with great skill and speed. It is wonderful that you are now learning multiplication of numbers up to one million, and reading ''Kevade'' (The Spring) by Oskar Luts, it is wonderful that you like playing computer games. This is how the world opens to you. Grow up to be a brave man.

Dear friends, I would like to say so much about all of you. Many of you I have met several times, and conversed for hours to get to solve some intricate problem -- I would like to speak of this too. But it would take too long.

Therefore, allow me to greet and thank all of you together, and assure you: Estonia knows you, Estonia loves and respects you, Estonia thanks you.

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