Weekly Schedule

21/09 The week of high-level events in connection with the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly begins. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the heads of state and ministers will be meeting online, with pre-recorded speeches. The General Assembly speeches will be shown on the large screens in the UN General Assembly Hall. Estonia will be represented by President of the Republic Kersti Kaljulaid, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu. Further details: britta.tarvis@mfa.ee

Main programme:

21/09 The Minister of Foreign Affairs will represent Estonia at the meeting marking the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
24/09 President Kersti Kaljulaid will be participating in the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, this year’s theme being ‘The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism – confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action’. The pre-recorded speeches will be introduced by the permanent representatives of the corresponding countries to the United Nations in the General Assembly Hall.
24/09 President Kersti Kaljulaid will be participating in a high-level discussion of the UN Security Council entitled ‘Global governance in the post-COVID world’.
30/09 President Kersti Kaljulaid will represent Estonia at the Summit on Biodiversity.
1/10 Prime Minister Jüri Ratas will represent Estonia at a high-level meeting on women’s rights.

Several related events will be taking place as well. For instance, on 23 September Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu will be speaking at a business forum on sustainable development goals, while on 25 September he will be participating in a high-level online meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism entitled ‘Our Commitment and Contribution to Building Back Better’, initiated by Germany and France to tackle possibilities for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Four fields will be subjected to scrutiny: health care, climate, the digital environment and gender issues. Minister Reinsalu will also be speaking at a discussion on the digital environment and inviting more countries to join the ‘Closing Digital Divides: the Digital Response to COVID-19’ declaration initiated in cooperation with Singapore on 1 July 2020. A total of 67 countries have already expressed their support for the initiative.

21/09 Estonia’s Permanent Representative to the EU Aivo Orav will represent Estonia at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The meeting will review recent developments and debate issues related to Libya, EU-African Union relations and Belarus. Further details: britta.tarvis@mfa.ee

21/09 Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu will speak via video greeting at the IAEA General Conference. Further details: britta.tarvis@mfa.ee

22/09 Meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels. Estonia will be represented by Undersecretary for European Affairs Märt Volmer. The presiding participant will be presenting an overview of the current state of deliberations on the long-term budget of the European Union for 2021-2027. The topics to be discussed are preparations for the emergency European Council session, the status of negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, issues pertaining to the rule of law, and EU coordination related to COVID-19. On 21 September, Undersecretary for European Affairs Märt Volmer and Director General of the Department for European Affairs Marika Linntam will be meeting with Miroslav Lajčák (EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue), Angelina Eichhorst (Director for Western Balkans, Turkey and the United Kingdom at the European External Action Service) and members of the cabinet of European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. Further details: pia.kuusik@mfa.ee

23/09 Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu will be meeting with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth Keith Krach. They will be discussing relations between Estonia and the USA and aspects of 5G and secure telecom networks. Further details: sandra.kamilova@mfa.ee

24/09 Ambassador at Large for Cyber Security Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar will be participating in a discussion being organised by the U.S. think tank Atlantic Council. The event will be moderated by Dr Michael Klipstein, Director of International Cyber Security Policy at the U.S. National Security Council. The discussion will focus on maritime cyber security. Further details: britta.tarvis@mfa.ee

24/09 Estonian Ambassador to Italy Paul Teesalu will present his credentials to President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella. Further details: pia.kuusik@mfa.ee

Cultural events abroad:

24/09 ORF RadioKulturhaus in Vienna will host a chamber music concert marking the 85th birthday of Arvo Pärt. The concert has been organised by the Estonian Embassy in Vienna in cooperation with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra and Universal Edition. Further details: https://radiokulturhaus.orf.at/artikel/675046/Festkonzert-fuer-Arvo-Paert and https://rso.orf.at/programm/3825

26/09 The Baltic programme entitled ‘Roots to Routes’ continues at the Manifesta Biennial of modern art in Marseille. It includes the ‘Double Exposure’ series of film screenings, among them features by Ingel Vaikla and Kristina Norman. This will be followed by a conversation between Vaikla and Kolektiv Cité Radieuse founder Maxime Forest. Later in the evening there will be a small reception at the Estonian Embassy in Paris. Further details: https://rubimoss.com/projects/roots-to-routes/

Additional information:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Communication Department
press@mfa.ee