The Cleveland Estonian community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. The Estonian community participated in the Parade of Flags which had 1500 people from over 53 countries and then hosted visitors in their Garden.
Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev) celebration
The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated June 19, 1966. Each year, the Estonian community and friends gather to celebrate Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev).
Erika Puussaar inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame
Since 2010, the Cleveland International Hall of Fame (CIHF) has inducted people who have made significant and lasting contributions to our multicultural society. Cleveland is home to people representing about 120 different ethnic groups. The CIHF exists not only to honor those special people but also to inspire a new generation of leaders to follow in their footsteps. Over 100 worthy candidates were nominated for the 2024 Class of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.
Erika Puussaar, who has been a leader in the local Estonian, Baltic and broader communities serving as Past Vice President/Board member of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens and Vice President of the Baltic American Committee, was inducted at a sold out (500 people) event on April 23, 2024.
Erika Puussaar giving Hall of Fame acceptance speech
Erika was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame by Estonian Ambassador Kristjan Prikk.
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Erika Puussaar receives award
from Estonian Ambassador Kristjan Prikk
Cleveland Estonians gathered at Faith Lutheran Church in Mentor, Ohio for the traditional Estonian church service led by Pastor Pirn, organist Trina Pirn, with guest viola Lembi Veskimets (Cleveland Orchestra). After the service we gathered in the adjacent church hall for verivorst, hapukapsast and Jõuluvana (Christmas sausage, sauerkraut and Santa).
The children were ready with poetry, song and musical instruments, to show Jõuluvana
what they had learned. A good crowd of fifty enjoyed the afternoon.
Elyse’ Champa and Emmi Puussaar were Santa’s elves, helping carry the gifts
Thanks to Ambassador Toomas Tubalkain for the report.
Estonian Cultural Garden on One World Day 2023
The Cleveland Estonian community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. Over 50,000 people visited the gardens on One World Day 2023.
The Estonian community participated in the Parade of Flags which had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev) celebration in the Estonian Cultural Garden - June 25, 2023
The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated June 19, 1966. Each year, the Estonian community and friends gather to celebrate Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev).
Toomas Tubalkain reports, "We had a wonderful get together in Cleveland for the 105th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. Our gathering included Mr. Kalvis Kampe of the Latvian community, Mrs Ingrida Bublys, the Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Cleveland and Mr. Charles Kroncke, the Honorary Consul of Estonia in Ohio.
Toomas Tubalkain, Ingrida Bublys and Charles Kroncke
From the Estonian American National Council
2022
Estonian Cultural Garden on One World Day 2022
Cleveland's Estonian community was well-represented at the 76th One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens on August 28, 2022. They marched in the Parade of Flags.
Estonian Garden in the Parade of Flags
Then they hosted visitors and shared thewir culture in their beautiful Estonian Cultural Garden.
Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev) celebration in the Estonian Cultural Garden June 26, 2022
The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated June 19, 1966. Each year, the Estonian community and friends gather to celebrate Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev).
Toomas Tubalkain has been representing the Estonian community at various events. He attended the Rally for Ukraine in Parma with the large flag of Estonia.
Toomas Tubalkain at St. Vladimir's
Toomas also gave a presentation to the Mantua/Hiram Rotary Club. He explained Estonian history from Kalevipoeg (the National epic) and how it relates to even recent history. He also talked about the war in Ukraine and how supportive Estonia and Estonians are to Ukraine.
2021
Estonian Cultural Garden on One World Day 2021
Cleveland's Estonian community was well-represented at the 75th One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens on August 29, 2021. They marched in the Parade of Flags and hosted visitors on in their beautiful Estonian Cultural Garden.
The history of Estonian People and the national epic Kalevipoeg
This video is a presentation by Toomas Tubalkain, a board member of the Estonian American National Council, about the history of Estonian People and the national epic Kalevipoeg. This presentation took place as part of the EANC's Inaugural ERKÜ Happy Hour, hosted by Toomas Tubalkain (Jul 13, 2021) More information - https://estosite.org/
Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha)and St John's Day (Jaanipäev) celebration
The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated June 19, 1966. Each year, the Estonian community and friends gather to celebrate Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev).
Toomas Tubalkain served as MC and introduced speakers including Lithuanian Honorary Consul Ingrida Bublys, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Estonian Garden delegate Erika Puussaar.
What a difference some TLC can make. Look at the "before" and "after" pictures from Toomas Tublakain.
Estonian Garden Clean Up
Erika Pussaarr, Teevi Champa and other volunteers worked in the Estonian Cultural Garden on Saturday May 22, 2021. Toomas Tubalkain said "Great work crew at the Estonian Cultural Garden today. Spread six yards of mulch in 1.5 hours."
Cleaning up the Estonian Cultural Garden
2019
Estonian Garden at One World Day
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation hosted the 74th annual One World Day on August 25, 2019. Police estimates say that over 30,000 people visited the Gardens and attended One World Day. There was a lot of activity in the beautiful and historic Estonian Cultural Garden.
Toomas Tubalkain telling visitors about Estonian culture
A highlight of One World Day is the Parade of Flags where people in costumes of their heritage carry the flags. This year was undoubtedly the largest and most colorful in memory. It was extra special because all Parade participants joined hands as a commemoration of the Baltic Way 30 years earlier. The Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian units led the Parade after the Baltic Way remembrance.
Honorary Consul of Lithuania Ingrida Bublys was joined on stage by Honorary Consul of Estonia Mary Nippert to describe the Baltic Way that took place 30 years earlier in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
TV news anchor Chris Tanaka, Honorary Consul of Lithuania Ingrida Bublys and Honorary Consul of Estonia Mary Nippert
The marchers in the Parade of Flags at One World Day, led by delegations from the Baltic countries, commemorated this historic event by forming their own human chain joining hands along Martin Luther King Blvd. in Cleveland.
Baltic Way remembered in Cleveland on One World Day
Watch the video and see more pictures of the Cleveland remembrance of the Baltic Way.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation (CCGF) hosted the 73rd annual One World Day on September 16, 2018. A highlight is the Parade of Flags where people in costumes of their heritage carry the flags. The Estonian Garden was well-represented in the Parade.
Tracing Your Family's Path from a Displaced Persons Camp
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., has created a searchable database of information on the Displaced Persons Camps and the people who passed through them. Earlier this year, the Holocaust Museum partnered with the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland to digitize the UMA's extensive collection of DP Camp periodicals produced by Ukrainian refugees from 1945-51. Working with Kyiv-based Archival Data Systems, researchers have scanned more than 75,000 documents archived at the Tremont museum, creating a resource that scholars and others will now be able to access.
Officials from the Holocaust Museum unveiled the new resource and its search tools at a special presentation in Cleveland, a city that resettled thousands of displaced persons. "Solving the Mystery: Tracing Your Family's Path from a Displaced Persons Camp," was presented at the Slovenian National Home.
Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev) celebration
The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated June 19, 1966. Each year, the Estonian community and friends gather to celebrate Estonian Victory Day (Võidupüha) and St John's Day (Jaanipäev). This year, guests came from as far as Idaho and Estonia!
On the first annual Kid's Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, kids (of all ages) learned about the Estonian language, culture, history, geography and more.
Teevi Champa of the Estonian Cultural Garden was one of the co-chairs of Kid's Day in the Gardens. When the group arrived at the Estonian Garden Teevi and Erika Puussar welcomed them and explained the various activities. The kids colored pictures of a Cornflower which is the national flower of Estonia.
Then story time with Erika Puussar where the kids learned to say dog (koer) in Estonian, and they played the Bees in the Garden game led by Teevi Champa that every kid plays in Estonia.
The Cleveland Estonian Cultural Garden and Estonian community participated in the 71st One World Day on August 28, 2016. They began with the Parade of Flags.
Estonian Garden in Parade of Flags
Throughout the day members of the Estonian community of Cleveland hosted hundreds of visitors in the Estonian Cultural Garden and shared Estonian culture.
The American Nationalities Movement held the annual Captive Nations Dinner in Cleveland on July 14, 2016. Erika Puussaar of the Estonian Community and delegate to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation was honored with the Freedom Award.
Judge Ralph Perk Jr., Irene Morrow and Erika Puussaar
Don't miss Erika's stories from the displaced persons camp during World War II.
Baltic Communities remember Senator George Voinovich
Erika Puussaar, a Director of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation and delegate to the Estonian Garden, told how grateful the people of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were to Senator George Voinovich for his work to get the Baltics into NATO.
2015
Traditional Estonian Clothing
A highlight of the 6th annual Holiday Celebration of Cleveland's Diversity held in the atrium of the Global Center for Health Innovation in the Cleveland Convention Center by the International Community Council-Worldwide Intercultural Network (ICC-WIN) was the multicultural fashion show.
Models Erica Puussaar and granddaughter Emmi Puussaar
The skirt has folds in it which represent waves in the Baltic Sea. The necklace is amber, the traditional Estonian jewelry material.
Emmi and Erika have returned from mushroom picking in the moist Estonian forests.
Senator Portman Meets with Cleveland Eastern European Communities
U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) traveled to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, as well as other government officials. Portman has repeatedly called for increased U.S. military assistance to Ukraine as they continue to face Russian aggression.
Senator Portman and Cleveland Eastern European leaders
On Friday, April 17, 2015 Senator Portman, co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with members of Eastern European communities in Cleveland to discuss his recent visit to Ukraine and Latvia.
Hans and Karin Ruus participated in the 95th anniversary of Lithuanian Independence at St Casimir Church on Saturday February 16, 2012. They were looking forward to Estonia's 95th the following week.
Karin and Hans Ruus
2012
Estonian Community at Opening of Ames Family Atrium Cleveland Museum of Art October 28, 2012
The Cleveland Estonian community was represented at the grand opening of the Ames Family Atrium in the Cleveland Museum of Art on Sunday October 28, 2012.
Erika Puussaar and grandson at Estonian Cultural Garden table
ClevelandPeople.Com Estonian Ambassador Erika Puussaar read a very short poem from Estonia called Apple Tree at the 2012 One World Day celebration in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.
Tell us about the music, food, holidays, traditions, costumes, language and other qualities that make Estonians so special.
From Kalevipoeg: An Ancient Estonian Tale
Aga ükskord algab aega kus kõik piirud kahel otsal lausa lähvad lõkendama;
lausa tuleleeki lõikab käe kaljukammitsasta- küll siis Kalev jõuab koju oma lastel' õnne tooma, Eesti põlve uueks looma.
But one day an age will dawn,
when all spills, at both their ends, will burst forth into flame; and this stark fire will sever the vise of stone from Kalevipoeg's hand. Then the son of Kalev will come home to bring his children happiness and build Estonia's life anew.
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
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