#325 Estonia...Thanks Pirjo!

This FDC was issued on the 1st of June celebrating International Children's Day featuring a design by a 6-year-old girl, Helina Madar, who won the Children and Nature drawing competition organised by Eesti Post in 2009.

The International Children's Day is marked in many world countries, including Estonia, every year on . The tradition goes back to 1925 when the Chinese consul in San Francisco in the United States invited orphaned Chinese children to mark the traditional Dragon Festival. Like then the main aim of the International Children's Day is to bring happiness and pay special attention to the smallest among us. Everyday worries are forgotten on that day and jolly plans are made with family and friends to visit the zoo or the fun fair, to feast on icecream and lemonade or invent quite a new tradition to mark that day in the family. On the International Children's Day all adults focus their attention on children and there are many concerts, plays or open-air events for the whole family to choose from.

It was adopted mostly by former and current Communist and Socialist countries.Many nations declare days for children on other dates.

#268 Estonia...Thanks Tiina!

This nice souvenir sheet was jointly-issued by Estonia,Lativa and Lithuania in 1995 celebrating Via Baltica Highway Project showing Beach Hotel in Parnu,Estonia,Bauska Castle in Latvia and Kaunas , Lithuania.

Via Baltica is a part of European route E 67 running from Prague to Helsinki by way of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.It is a significant road connection between the Baltic states. The final stretch between Tallinn and Helsinki is by ferry.

#182 Estonia...Thanks Kristi!

The left 0.35c stamp was issued in 2010 commemorating 90 years of Treaty of Tartu.

The Treaties of Tartu were peace treaties between the Russian SFSR on one side and newly independent Estonia and Finland, which had previously been parts of Imperial Russia, on the other. They were negotiated and signed in Tartu in Estonia in 1920 after the Civil War in Finland, and after war and a truce on January 1, 1920 between Bolshevik Russia and Estonia. The treaty with Estonia recognized the independence of Estonia. The treaties solved disputes and issues connected with cessation of hostilities, such as delineation of borders and the transfer of property.

By signing the peace agreement the Estonian War of Independence was ended,in which 5000 Estonian soldiers gave their lives and 14,000 were injured.

The middle 0.35c stamp was also issued in 2010 honoring Jüri Jaakson(1870-1942),who was an Estonian businessman and politician.

Jaakson studied law at Tartu University and graduated with a 1st degree diploma.In 1897-1914 he worked as lawyer firstly in Viljandi, and later in Riga. In 1915-1919, Jaakson was a member of the Board of the Tallinn City Bank and also founder of several banks. He was imprisoned by the NKVD in June 1941,during the era of Stalin in Russia.He was sentenced to death and executed the next year.

The 2Kr stamp below is from Christmas issue of 1993 showing Tallinn Bishop's Cathedral.

#147 Estonia...Thanks Pirjo!

This FDC was issued on Mar.11,2010 to commemorate the upcoming 2010 World EXPO featuring Estonian pavilion in Shanghai.

The first world fair, The Great Exhibition of 1851, was held in Hyde Park London under the auspices of Prince Albert. The Crystal Palace, in which the whole world displayed its achievements, was built for the fair. At later world fairs participating countries have built their own pavilions. Since 1928 Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), headquartered in Paris, coordinates holding of the fairs. By today 156 countries have acceded to BIE. Numerous technological novelties of the period, such as the sewing machine (London 1862), the telephone (Philadelphia, 1876) the refrigerator (Paris, 1878) and the postage stamp dispenser (Seattle, 1909), to name a few, have become linked with earlier world fairs. Of buildings the Eiffel Tower erected for the Paris World Fair of 1887-89 is certainly known the best and despite initial criticism has become the symbol of Paris in the course of time. This year’s EXPO will take place from May 1 to October 31 in Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China. Estonia has so far taken part in ten world fairs.