New Year’s Eve address of the President of the Republic: We all of us write Estonia’s years together

My fellow Estonians,

In just a few minutes' time, a whole year will become a thing of history. Everything will remain forever as it was: all of the words that were spoken and the deeds that were done; all of the thoughts that were had and the truths that were heard.

No doubt you have already reflected on the year with those close to you, finding in it beautiful moments and joyful get-togethers, but also trying challenges.

We all of us write Estonia's years together. We create the kind of Estonia we want.

Take this summer at the Song Celebration, where we joined as one to remind ourselves what togetherness and being Estonian truly mean.

In autumn, we elected new representatives for our local areas. I hope you are satisfied with the outcome, since after all, this is what we wanted - to give the places we live a face and a plan of action, and to make politics less about slogans and exclamation marks.

At the start of the new school year, we started working with AI in secondary schools to make Estonia smarter, in every sense of the word.

On the global stage, we championed the rule of law and advocated for more effective international organisations so that no one ever has to face things alone again.

And of course, Ukraine is in our hearts as we count down the seconds to the start of another year.

As part of the Year of the Estonian Book, we have talked quite a lot about books. We managed to read and enjoy some of them, too, for our own sake, and to birth new ideas to discuss with our friends.

Some of us even made it across the ocean, on our own, or under our own steam, so as to say: we Estonians can do anything!

It is also true that there was a great deal of tussling and arguing throughout the year. Nevertheless, it is healthy and indeed sensible to focus on the good things in life.

My friends,

The first quarter of the 21st century is all but behind us. What should we take with us into the next 25 years?

What should that be, so that we are able to listen and seek balance? It is not always necessary to start from your own truth: it is important to arrive at the truth.

Let us look beyond our bubbles and try to understand others, truly and in all sincerity. Because the greatest wisdom is born of reasoning.

Let's not belittle or trivialise others, or ourselves. Let us believe in ourselves and our fellow citizens. Let us be more understanding and better intentioned.

Let us say more nice things and look at one another with kinder eyes.

Because we create that Estonia together, every day.

One thing it pays to remember is that years change very quickly. We must make important things happen, and realise that it pays to start living your dreams tomorrow, or at least the day after that - so that in a year's time we can sit around our dinner tables and say that we were slightly better people in 2026, that we gave as much as we were given and that this is the Estonia we wanted.

Happy new year, my beloved Estonia!