I was impressed by the array of resources and tools available, from grants and scholarships to assistance for those who would like to work in Estonia. It is estimated that 200,000 Estonians live around the world, a substantial number considering the population of Estonia. In Canada alone, there are estimated to be over 24,500 Estonians.
Studies show that 80% of Estonians living abroad want to stay informed about life in Estonia and contribute to the development of Estonian society.
[Editor's note: The GlobalEstonian.com portal was conceived and developed by Marcus Kolga and later augmented with Tarmo Saks in 2013. It was gifted to the Estonian government as part of EV100 and formally signed over to the Estonian Integration Foundation (INSA) on December 16, 2019. While the portal has been further developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its fundamental structure and purpose of creating a global portal of all things Estonian and to connect Estonians and friends of Estonia around the world, remains true to Kolga's Global Estonian vision. Today the portal is the flagship communications platform for the Estonian government's Global Estonian project and movement.]
For children and young people, there are Global Schools, online schools where youth can study Estonian language and literature, as well as other subjects in the Estonian language.
For teens (13-18 years), there are language and culture camps that will help them practice their language skills, discover different places in Estonia, and meet Estonian friends from all over the world.
Internship and scholarship programs are also offered for young adults who would like to study in Estonia and experience what working and living in the country would be like. These programs include a youth exchange program called “Back to your roots”, which includes 20 young adults (between the ages of 18 and 30) who live abroad, and ten young people from Estonia, who practice Estonian and share information about life in Estonia. It's a useful program to see if you are ready to live and work in Estonia.
If you're looking for a job in Estonia and want to know more about career opportunities or the labour market situation, you will find advice, information, and exciting job offers through the Work in Estonia portal and other resources listed on the website.
Globalestonian.com also includes a list of all Estonian community groups, community buildings and churches, a calendar of events, and other stats about Estonians around the world. You can sign up for a monthly newsletter to stay informed about the latest programs, services, and events.
As the Honorary Vice-Consul in Vancouver, I meet many Estonians who may have never travelled to Estonia but are curious about their heritage and want to learn more about this unique country. Global Estonian is a truly valuable resource to expand and develop our reach as a small county and retain our culture through the generations.
