5000 people visited the Riigikogu Open House Day

There were also visitors from different countries, such as Switzerland, China, Germany, USA, Finland, Argentina, Spain, Kenya, Italy, Canada, and Malaysia.

The Riigikogu Open House Day began with a musical greeting by the Brass Quintet of Tallinn Police Orchestra and the Riigikogu Choir. The programme of this year’s Open House Day was dedicated to the Year of the Estonian Book and the forthcoming Song and Dance Celebration.

At the opening, the President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar expressed joy to be able to meet everyone in Estonia’s most important building. “Here, the most important decisions are made. The most important task of the Riigikogu is to adopt laws and resolutions. And this is what the Riigikogu is also capable of doing. Yes, through debates, through heated discussions, but we are able to make decisions. Today, however, besides discussions and engaging conversations, this building is filled with dance and song and celebration,” Hussar said.

Hussar expressed his joy of being part of the Riigikogu choir that greeted the guests on the Open House Day and, by the way, has set its sights on participating in this year’s Song Celebration. “This is a wonderful example of how the parliament can cooperate in a joint effort. The Riigikogu choir has representatives from all political parties and this is the best example of how to build Estonia’s future,” said the President of the Riigikogu.

“The multidimensional idea of the Summer Dance and Song Celebration, ‘Iseoma’ (‘Kinship’), is also the perfect word to describe today’s event. On the one hand, it shows the relationship between a single person and the state. On the other hand, it reminds us that all of Estonia is kinship for us. And we entrust our country to the Riigikogu on every election day,” said the head of the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation Margus Toomla.

The representative rooms and working rooms of the Riigikogu as well as the offices of parliamentary groups, where the people could meet the members of the Riigikogu, were open all day. Guided tours of the Riigikogu and visits to the Tall Hermann Tower were very popular among guests. Members of the Riigikogu Kristo Enn Vaga and Anti Poolamets conducted guided tours.

During the traditional café discussion members of the Riigikogu Kristo Enn Vaga, Ando Kiviberg, Madis Kallas, Rene Kokk, Riina Solman and Lauri Laats discussed how the government and the citizens can prepare for unexpected situations. The discussion was moderated by Urmas Vaino.

Four school teams and two Riigikogu teams took part in the traditional Open House Day Quiz. In a close-run competition for the first place, team Riigikogu 2, including Enn Eesmaa, Andrei Korobeinik, Eerik-Niiles Kross and Toivo Mängel, came out on top. Team Riigikogu 1 took the second place. Third place and the title of the best school team was awarded to Team 1 of Gustav Adolf Grammar School, which consisted of Mirtel Rist, Marie Muinasmaa, Mortimer Tooming, and Mikk Toots. The quiz was prepared and conducted by acknowledged quiz players Indrek Salis and Aare Olander.

The National Library of Estonia, Katariina Jee Mobile Library, Tallinn Libraries, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Estonian Film Institute and State Elder August Rei Foundation organised activities to celebrate the Year of the Estonian Book. The day closed with a concert dedicated to the Song and Dance Celebration, with gigs by Kalamaja Mixed Choir, dance group Sõleke from Tallinn Hobby Centre Kullo, and garmon players Karmoškaässad.

The Riigikogu celebrated its 106th anniversary with this year’s Open House Day. The first representative body elected by the people in independent Estonia – the Constituent Assembly – convened in Tallinn on 23 April 1919. The Riigikogu has been holding an annual Open House Day to celebrate that event since 1999. This year, the Open House Day took place for the 25th time.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu).

Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: 5000 people visited the Riigikogu Open House Day

Source: Parliament of Estonia