Ratas: Every achievement we are proud of is worth celebrating by flying national flag

TALLINN - In his speech on the 137th anniversary of the national flag of Estonia, speaker of the Riigikogu Juri Ratas said that through the ages, the national flag has helped the people of Estonia to achieve everything they undertake with their hearts.

Ratas noted that 140 years ago, learned people who valued the Estonian culture and wished to increase our sovereignty gathered under this flag, spokespeople for the Riigikogu said. 

"At their annual meeting in September 1881, they chose blue, black and white, which in harmony among themselves reflect the character and the ideals of the Estonian people, to be the colors of their organization, the Estonian Students' Society. For, in the words of Jakob Hurt, one of the towering figures of the Estonian National Awakening, as a small nation, we will have to become great in spirit," the president of the Riigikogu said in his speech at the flag raising ceremony in the Governor's Garden at Toompea Hill in Tallinn.

"This outstanding, dignified and great spirit lives on to this day," Ratas added. He noted that the blue-black-and-white flag is flying high in the lives and hearts of the people of Estonia.

"We can feel this when we see the respectfully displayed national colors in many places and on different occasions. On our houses and in our courtyards, on our festive days and at sports events, in our homes and on our clothing, on our products and in our creative work, in our country and in the world. Because both greater and smaller causes to be proud of carrying the spirit of Estonia are worth celebrating by flying our flag," Ratas, chairman of the Center Party, said.

"The spirit of Estonia will live on as long as we carry and share it," Ratas said.

He said it is important to pass the traditions connected with the national flag on to the decision-makers of tomorrow.

"In this way, the blue-black-and-white flag will continue to fly as the symbol of the achievements of each one of us, all families and the whole Estonia. And always, the blue will be keeping our faith and hope in our future, the black will be honoring the hardships and complications of our past and the white will inspire us to keep going further boldly and confidently," the speaker of the parliament said in conclusion of his speech.

The head of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Archbishop Urmas Viilma, said the words of blessing at the flag raising ceremony. Chairman of the Estonian Flag Association Juri Trei also delivered a speech.

Representatives of the August 20th Club and the Estonian Society of Narva assisted at the flag raising, and the Riigikogu and the Estonian Flag Association thanked them by giving them ceremonial flags.

Flag units of the Guard Battalion, Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer corps and its women's, boys' and girls' organizations, Scouts, Guides, schools and patriotic organizations also attended the flag raising ceremony. 

The National Flag Day is celebrated on the anniversary of the consecration of the blue-black-white flag of the Estonian Students' Society. The first blue, black and white tricolor was made in spring 1884, and was blessed and consecrated at Otepaa parsonage on June 4. This year Estonia celebrates the 137th anniversary of the consecration of the flag.