Estonia to celebrate Day of Restoration of Independence Tuesday

TALLINN - On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Estonia is to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the restoration of its independence, and to mark the occasion, the Tall Hermann Tower in Tallinn will be open to visitors.

The Tall Hermann Tower is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrance is from the Governor's Garden. In order to ensure smooth entrance, visitors will be distributed free tickets showing the time of entry to the tower. Tours start every hour and half hour. The tower is narrow, so group sizes are limited.

The celebrations will begin at 11 a.m. with a memorial ceremony at the Aug. 20 Memorial Stone at Toompea. Ants Veetõusme, president of the August 20 Club, will deliver a speech. Riigikogu speaker Lauri Hussar will lay flowers at the memorial stone on behalf of the Riigikogu. Prime Minister Kristen Michal will also attend the ceremony.

At noon, the August 20 Club will hold its traditional festive meeting in the White Hall of Toompea Castle. The speaker of the Riigikogu and prime minister will deliver the welcoming address to the club. Member of the August 20 Club Enn Tupp will give a speech, focusing on Estonia's defense policy and the war in Ukraine.

The August 20 Club, founded in 1994, unites the people who were elected to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia in 1990, and voted for the resolution to restore the independence of Estonia.

33 years ago, on Aug. 20, 1991, at 11.03 p.m., the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia adopted the Resolution on the National Independence of Estonia, with 69 votes in favor.