Good morning, good people!

Today is a beautiful day – our country’s birthday. The day of freedom. The day of thinking about homeland and folks at home. The day that causes more feelings than usual, and therefore maybe the following thoughts.

By their nature, humans have two wishes – to be free and, at the same time, to be loved. And the things with freedom and with love are the same. If we do not take care of the warm feelings that have risen in human relationships and neglect them, the fire may burn out and the shine fade. Until it is over and gone. It is the same with freedom. Freedom also has to be created anew and protected. And fought for, when there is a need for it! To hold hands, to simply care. So let us create Estonia’s freedom again, once more and always. And not only by singing our national anthem or waving flags, but also with our everyday work and activities. By taking care of the next generation and saying words of thanks to those who were here before us. Because we cannot have any future without freedom.

One of the ways to create freedom anew and again is to go voting. This is freedom, and not an obligation. Free Estonia begins from your freedom to decide your future by yourself. To create this country yourself and with your own hands. To shape it with your deeds and decisions – it all seems so natural.

It is so easy to lose your freedom when you do not care. We know what happened to the nations who shared our fate but could not value their freedom. How much right to speak and decide freely has been left to them.

So let us treat our democracy with responsibility. With patience, like we treat children with growing pains. Strictly, but with love. Without losing hope.

Today, on the anniversary of the free state, we might do something that is not done every day – you never know, maybe even not proper to do every day. When the songs are sung here, the flag is hoisted at the Tall Hermann Tower and the first cup of coffee has been taken, go and knock on your neighbour’s door and wish them too happy independence day. Or phone your family and friends. Especially those who are far from home in a foreign country. That’s what we do when somebody has a birthday, don’t we. And surely it can also be done on the birthday of the Republic of Estonia, because we have not forgotten anybody, and believe me, nothing is more heart-warming than a phone call from home and on such a day. And even if you cannot wish happy independence day to everybody you meet on the street, you can at least smile. Because today is an important day for Estonia and for all of us.

Long live free people in free Estonia!