On the morning of Friday, August 21st, delegates gathered in the KESKfEST Tent at Toronto’s newly established KESKUS International Estonian Centre for the keynote address of the 2026 Nordic Connect Conference. Presented by Tartu College, VEMU Estonian Museum Canada and its project Estonian Music Week, the session brought together artists, curators, and advocates under the title “Music Without Borders: Diaspora, Diplomacy and the Power of Connection” to discuss “how music, diaspora and cultural exchange can build resilience and strengthen connections between Canada, Estonia and beyond.”
The proceedings opened with a land acknowledgement from Estonian Music Week Artistic Director Sebastian Buccioni, followed by remarks from VEMU Chief Archivist Piret Noorhani. Noorhani highlighted how musical life, between song festivals and refugee camp choirs, has preserved Estonian identity through exile. Eda Silberg, Estonia’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Culture, reinforced this, voicing her gratitude for transatlantic ties and programming like NCC that celebrates “creativity and the power of music to connect people across borders.”
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