Estonian Prize Winners Visit the President of the Republic of Estonia

President Kaljulaid talking with the young researchers | Photo: Arno Mikkor
TPresident Kaljulaid talking with the young researchers | Photo: Arno Mikkor

On 5 May 2017, the 18th pupil’s history research competition “The Prerequisites of Estonian Independence” was concluded in Tartu. In total, 61 students handed in 51 contributions – 17 from middle school (19 students), 28 from high school (30 students), one of them was written in Russian. In the creative category 6 studies (12 students) were entered. The topic posed some difficulties but the students’ results showed that the main prerequisite for independence is considered to be people, their activities and the maintaining of an Estonian culture and language. You can find a detailed list of the awardees and their projects here.

Due to state commitments, the President of the Republic of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, could not be present for the award ceremony but invited the winners to her castle in Kadriorg. She welcomed the young prize winners and their supervisors at the presidential castle one day later.

President Kersti Kaljulaid and the winners with their tutors in castle Kadriorg on 19 May 2017 | Photo: Arno Mikkor
President Kersti Kaljulaid and the winners with their tutors in castle Kadriorg on 19 May 2017 | Photo: Arno Mikkor

The 19th Estonian history competition will start on 1 September 2017. The new topic was announced to be “100 years of the country of Estonia”. With the studies this year, the students built a bridge to the beginning of the Estonian statehood. For the next competition , they will dedicate their research to everything that has happened within the Estonian state during the past 100 years.


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