Lennart Meri

The annual Lennart Meri Conference focuses on foreign policy and security developments

By / May 19, 2019 / 3 minutes of reading

The annual Lennart Meri Conference is taking place from 17-19 May in Tallinn; it’s a high-level meeting at which foreign and security policy issues are discussed from the perspective of the Northern and Eastern parts of Europe. The first president of the post-occupation Estonia, Lennart Meri, said, “Europe has one …

The annual Lennart Meri Conference focuses on foreign policy and security developments Read More »

Lennart Meri, the president many loved, and everybody respected

By / March 28, 2019 / 14 minutes of reading

Today, the former president and foreign minister, Lennart Meri, would’ve celebrated his 90th birthday; a Statesman with a capital S, he’s one of the founding fathers of the Estonian post-occupation success story, and one of the politicians in Estonia that everybody truly respected. My best friend celebrates his birthday on …

Lennart Meri, the president many loved, and everybody respected Read More »

When Putin couldn’t take the truth spoken by Lennart Meri

By / July 21, 2017 / 12 minutes of reading

The late Estonian president, Lennart Meri, once delivered a remarkable address in Hamburg, Germany, that caused the then-deputy mayor of St Petersburg, Vladimir Putin, to stomp out of the hall. Even Western leaders, who are distinguished by the boldness of their statements on other issues, appear reluctant to speak directly …

When Putin couldn’t take the truth spoken by Lennart Meri Read More »

Paul Goble: Like her predecessors, the new Estonian president understands the transforming power of words

By / October 12, 2016 / 4 minutes of reading

Under the Estonian constitution, that country’s president has few enumerated powers, but he or now she does have the power of words and thus the power to help shape the understanding not only of the residents of that Baltic country but of the Western world of which it is very …

Paul Goble: Like her predecessors, the new Estonian president understands the transforming power of words Read More »

How chili peppers made Estonia famous at The Economist

By / October 5, 2017 / 7 minutes of reading

Chili peppers are not part of Estonian cuisine. But they have helped make some of Estonia’s most distinguished sons and daughters famous at the Economist magazine. I should begin by explaining that my enthusiasm for all things Estonian is not my only eccentricity. Among the others are obsessive interests in …

How chili peppers made Estonia famous at The Economist Read More »

Scroll to Top