The Health Board must present an opinion and give guidance to the organisers of these events on the suitability of the risk mitigation plans drawn up to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the organisers, must ensure that the Health Board’s guidelines are followed when organising the events.
Saaremaa Opera Days
The Saaremaa Opera Days are planned to take place in Kuressaare from 20 to 24 July. The event is being organised by Eesti Kontsert. The opera performances will take place in Kuressaare’s historic castle courtyard, where an open-air opera house will be built for the event. To protect the public and organise the opera, the viewing area has fixed seating, the seating areas and the stage are covered by a roof, and the sides of the opera house are covered by rainproof netting, but this does not prevent the circulation of outside air.
Study carried out by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research in 2019 shows that the Opera Days have a significant economic impact on the region: Visitors spent EUR 2.06 million in Kuressaare during the Opera Days in 2018, with an estimated EUR 310 000 in VAT being paid, with EUR 1.75 million added to the turnover of the businesses sector. When evaluating the impact of the Opera Days, it should be taken into consideration that the event’s overall impact is greater than just its direct economic impact, this includes an impact on Estonia’s international profile, and the shaping of Estonia’s image by providing quality international cultural experiences for visitors and promoting Saaremaa as a tourist destination. This year’s Saaremaa Opera Days are also supported by Enterprise Estonia.
The Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples Cultural Landscapes – Language and Mind
The Congress is scheduled to take place in Tartu, at the Estonian National Museum, from 16 through 18 June. The main organiser of the Congress is NGO Fenno-Ugria, which coordinates the participation of Estonians in the world congresses and the work of the Consultative Committee of Finno-Ugric Peoples which prepares the content of the world congresses. The Congress is set to take place in a hybrid format, combining on-site and online participation. The event organiser, together with the performers and the organising team, anticipates up to 150 people on site.
The World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples is the most important representative forum for Finno-Ugric and Samoyed peoples, aiming to develop and protect the national consciousness, cultures and languages of the Finno-Ugric peoples, to promote cooperation among Finno-Ugric peoples and to exercise the right of self-determination of all Finno-Ugric peoples.
The event is important for Estonia to support Estonia’s cultural and foreign policy and the culture of kindred peoples. The importance of the event has also been highlighted by the Tartu City Government, as it contributes to the promotion of Tartu as the European Capital of Culture 2024.
