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“Quo vadis, Estonia? Quo vadis, Europe?” symposium to take place tomorrow

30.06.2016

On 1 July in the House of the Blackheads, the "Quo vadis, Estonia? Quo vadis, Europe?" symposium will take place within the framework of the Estonia's Friends International Meeting; digital development and the meaning of Brexit for both Europe and the EU Member States will be discussed at the event.

During the first part of the symposium (from 10 am to 11 am), presentations will be given by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, one of the co-leaders of the World Bank's annual report, "Digital Dividends", and Sten Tamkivi, the establisher of the start-up company Teleport. During the second part (from 12 pm to 1:30 pm), President Ilves and Matthew Kaminski, Managing Editor of POLITICO Europe, will discuss the meaning of Brexit in terms of Europe and globally. The symposium will be moderated by Linnar Viik.

Before starting his career at POLITICO, Matthew Kaminski worked with the Wall Street Journal and has written articles, interviews and opinion pieces (mostly about Europe) about international relations for 15 years. He has won a number of journalistic prizes, including an award for articles on the crisis in Ukraine in 2015. He was also one of the finalists listed for a Pulitzer Prize.

Sten Tamkivi is an IT entrepreneur and one of the founders and CEO of the start-up company Teleport. He has previously worked at Andreessen Horowitz and Skype, where he held a leading role in product development and management. He received his master's degree from Stanford University.

This is the seventh year of the Estonia's Friends International Meeting and it will bring together more than 110 businessmen, politicians, scientists, journalists and opinion leaders from a total of 24 countries. They will be hosted by the initiators of the meeting, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and businessman Margus Reinsalu, Enterprise Estonia (EE) and Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas.

Within the framework of the meeting, Estonia's Friends will meet with Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas, take part in a concert-reception in the country home of businessman Margus Reinsalu and attend a reception in the Rose Garden of the President.

The meeting was launched today with an EE seminar entitled "Estonia and the future – you won't believe what happens next" and tonight the "Great Summer Gathering. Friends" concert by the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Neeme Järvi, will be held. The staging of a concert for the meeting has already become an established tradition. The patron of the concert is the President of the Republic.

This year, visitors from the USA, India, China, Australia, Russia, Canada and several European countries are expected to attend the event, including the former member of the Parliament of Canada, Robert Keith Rae, who will receive the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, which was awarded to him by the President of the Republic in 2011 for starting the tradition of a memorial day for European victims of communism and Nazism; Christopher M. Painter, U.S. Department of State Coordinator for Cyber Issues; advisor on e-issues of the Government of the Netherlands, Roy Tomeij; and Marketing Manager of the town of Eindhoven, Peter Kentie, who suggested a new idea for the image of Estonia.

Estonia's Friends International Meeting is a joint initiative that was launched in 2010. The meeting was established to thank and recognise business, political and cultural figures whose actions and advice have helped Estonia to become a truly European country with a dynamic economy and thriving culture, which may have a key role in bringing foreign investments to Estonia.

NB! Journalists can take part in the symposium. Please register in advance (no later than on the morning of 1 July by 9 am.) Please be present 20 minutes before the official beginning.

Symposium "Quo vadis, Estonia? Quo vadis, Europe?" in the House of the Blackheads (Pikk st 26), 1 July

10:00-11:15 Presentations and discussions on digital development issues:
President Toomas Hendrik Ilves
Co-founder of Teleport, Sten Tamkivi
Moderator Linnar Viik

11:15-12:00 coffee break (short interviews can be conducted)

12:00-13:30 President Ilves and Matthew Kaminski discuss "Brexit and its Effects". Moderated by Linnar Viik

Registration and requests for interviews: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 6316216, 57501959

For additional information, please contact:

Kaidi Aher
Adviser to the Office of the President (in Communication Matters)
Office of the President
Tel: 57501959, 6316216
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