100th Anniversary of the Estonian Republic

The 100th Anniversary of the Estonian Republic (or more commonly used Estonia 100) is an official government program for the celebration of the Republic of Estonia's 100th anniversary. The official birthday of the Republic of Estonian Republic is on February 24, 2018, the centennial will be marked from April 2017 to February 2020.

Historical background 

On 12 February 1919, The Estonian Provisional Government decided to consider 24 February to be the date of the independence of Estonia from Russia which occurred when World War I was nearing its end. However, Estonia's independence came to a de facto end during World War II when the country was illegally occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, then Nazi Germany in 1941 and returned to Soviet rule in 1944 when it became the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. As a result, a government in exile was established.

As the political upheavals taking place throughout the Soviet Union in the 1980s, during the events of Baltic Way, Estonia declared sovereignty on its territory in 1988, which restored its de facto independence on 8 May 1990 and declared Soviet rule illegal. Following the aborted coup in Moscow, the country's full de facto independence was restored after the Soviet troops failed to seize the Tallinn TV Tower on 20 August 1991. The Soviet State Council recognized the Estonian independence on 6 September 1991. Since 2004, Estonia has been a member of NATO and the European Union.

Events 
The birthday celebrations of the Republic of Estonia will take place over the next 3 years. The celebrations will kick off in April 2017 to mark a century since Estonia's administrative borders took their current form, will peak while events on various important dates take place throughout 2018 and 2019, and come to a grand close on 2 February 2020 when the 100th anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty will be honoured.

Centennial parade 
A military parade on Freedom Square in Tallinn was held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary. 1,100 troops and more than 100 pieces of military equipment took part in the parade. The parade was led by Gen. Riho Terras, President Kersti Kaljulaid was present to greet the different units.

All service branches of the Estonian Defence Forces took part in the parade as well as soldiers from countries from NATO and other military partners of Estonia. The foreign countries that were represented were Finland, France, Georgia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, Britain, Denmark, and the United States.

See also 
 90th Anniversary of the Estonian Republic
 Independence Day (Estonia)
 Public holidays in Estonia
 90th anniversary of the Latvian Republic
 100th anniversary of the Latvian Republic
 Centennial of the Restored State of Lithuania

References

External links 
 Official website of the 100th Anniversary of Estonian Republic
 The full footage of the centennial military parade
 Official Youtube channel of the 100th Anniversary of Estonian Republic

Category:Estonian culture
Category:2017 in Estonia
Category:2018 in Estonia
Category:2019 in Estonia
Category:2020 in Estonia
Category:Events in Tallinn
Category:Centennial anniversaries
Category:Military parades
Category:Public holidays in Estonia