Forthcoming events

4 November
Book launch - Piip, Meierovics & Voldemaras: The Baltic States
by Charlotte Alston

November 4 will see the long awaited publication of this book that deals with the Treaty of Versailles 1919 and the Baltic States. The smaller nations on Russia's borders sought self-determination while the Civil War raged between the Whites and the Bolsheviks and the Paris Peace Conference struggled with a situation complicated by mutually exclusive aims. Charlotte Alston is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Northumbria. 

The launch will be at SSEES - the School for Slavonic and Eastern European Studies. Time to be advised.

November 16
Estonia and its Neighbours: The Cold War on the Religious Front

Michael Bourdeaux will give this talk to BEST members at the Embassy. Time and details to be advised.

Michael first visited Tallinn in 1960 when he was a student in Moscow and may well have been the first British person there after the War. He founded Keston College in 1969 for the study of religion behind the Iron Curtain. His best known book is Gorbachev, Glasnost and the Bible, which discusses the role of the church in the Baltic States during the perestroika period.

Recent events

Estonia - travel guide 

On 17 May, Mr Riho Terras, Permanent Undersecretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defence, spoke to BEST members at the Estonian Embassy. He discussed the importance for Estonian policy of the country's participation in NATO - in particular NATO operations in Afganistan. A report on this talk will appear in the next issue of Lennuk.

What's next in Estonian Politics?

On 10 March, Allan Sikk, lecturer in Baltic Politics at the School for Slavonic and Eastern European Studies gave an interesting talk on this lively topic at the Estonian Embassy. A full report on his presentation should appear in the next edition of Lennuk. 

Visitors to Tallinn between the Wars

On 18 January, to launch BOOK NOW, ESTONIA 2010, Ian Thomson gave a fascinating account of British visitors to the Estonian capital in the interwar years, including HG Wells, Arthur Ransome and Bertrand Russell. He gave particular emphasis to Graham Greene and his association with the then British Vice Consul, Peter Leslie. Ian is currently researching a book on Tallinn during WWII and interviewing Estonians with first-hand recollections of that time. 

ESTONIA, LATVIA AND LITHUANIA AT THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1919

On 2 December, Dr Charlotte Alston, Senior Lecturer at the University of Northumbria gave a fascinating talk about her book to be published at the end of next year. Details from Haus Publishing Ltd. www.hauspublishing.com 

Sten Lassmann and the piano works of Heino Eller

On 26 September 2009, Sten Lassmann gave a talk (illustrated by recordings) on Heino Eller and his piano works. Sten, who is a former winner of the Tallinn National Piano Competition, is currently recording all of Heino Eller piano music, in addition to studying for a PhD at Royal Academy of Music in London.

Past events

Most BEST meetings take place at the Estonian Embassy in Hyde Park Gate. We start with a speaker, then have some questions and follow this with a social. We have been fortunate in the range of speakers who have talked to us. During 2008-9 we have welcomed speakers from Estonia such as Laine Jänes, the Minister of Culture, who discussed with us in a very frank way all the problems Estonia has in preserving its monuments, encouraging the contemporary arts and promoting itself abroad. Tarmo Kriis, Chairman of ETTK, the Estonian Employers Confederation, gave a timely talk on October 2008 about how the current economic situation was hitting Estonia and it is good that his realistic prognosis for the future looks as though it will be correct.  We therefore felt we could, in May 2009, ask Rauno Parras, Marketing Director of Estonian Air, to look at plans for the airline when the recession is over. British visitors are likely to have to change planes more often in Copenhagen than they have done recently, but they will in compensation have several connections a day from Heathrow and Manchester.

From the British side, Gordon Marsden brought us up to date with his work as Chair of the UK-Estonia All-Parliamentary group and Alex Jennings gave us a reading of extracts from Edwin Alexander’s novel Theft of the Master which is set in Estonia, In April 2008 Jonathan Black introduced his book Dora Gordine and then in May 2009 gave us a lecture at the exhibition of her work at the Kingston Museum. Probably few residents of Tallinn (or even London) will equal her highly colourful life set against her achievement as a sculptor. In July 2008 John Hiden and Martyn Housden introduced their book Neighbours or Enemies; Germans, the Baltic and Beyond. For the first time at a BEST meeting, we were able to look at Estonia during the first period of independence.

In October 2008 members were able to attend a lecture by President Ilves on European Security Architecture – A Paradigm Shift?

Where appropriate we also hold functions jointly with the BLA (British-Latvian Association) and the BLS (British-Lithuanian Association). In February 2008 Edward Lucas launched his New Cold War at SSEES (School of Slavonic and East European Studies) and in September 2008 Brian Hammett talked about Arthur Ransome. Brian has edited the two books by Ransome that cover his sailing in the Baltics.

Tiina-Maria Varavas, British representative of Enterprise Estonia gave us a talk on June 1, 2009 on British investment in Estonia.

We realise that BEST needs to arrange events outside London and we are now working with Estonian organisations to plan joint activities. These may well be centred on performances, now that so many Estonian musicians are coming here. We also plan to have more London functions on Saturdays as we realise that this will suit many members better.