President Karis at the Arvo Pärt Centre Foundation Gala in New York: The Music That Gives Us Time and Space

Dear friends and supporters of the Arvo Pärt Centre,

The true weight and greatness of Arvo Pärt's musical legacy will be revealed fully in the years to come. Yet even today, we can already feel it deeply. We sense how his creative voice is utterly unique - how it has touched and influenced over last decades artists across the Western world, from every field of creation. His music, so simple yet so profound, speaks to us without words, without the need for any background knowledge. In its purity and stillness, it reaches directly to the heart. In a world that rushes forward ever faster, his music gives us time.

In a world that feels ever smaller and more crowded, it gives us space. It reminds us of what truly matters - the core values and truths of human life.

This legacy, this creative and spiritual journey, is something we must cherish and carry forward. It is a journey through which a great spirit, a world-expanding creator, has emerged. For Arvo Pärt is not only one of the brightest examples of Estonian culture - he is a creator who has made the culture of the entire world richer.

At the Pärt Centre, I have seen creators of many kinds - from young stundents of music or architect to such big names as Sting, Laurie Anderson, and David Lang. I have brought there presidents and members of royal families. Because the Centre offers something rare: a place to pause, to reflect, and to feel what is truly important. There, time itself seems to stop - just as it does in Arvo Pärt's music.

We have often spoken of Arvo Pärt as one of Estonia's most precious ambassadors to the world. I believe the same can be said of the Arvo Pärt Centre itself. It is an oasis - a place that must be treasured, protected, and shared with the world. Together with Arvo's music, his manuscripts and diaries, and the spirit that both Arvo and Nora, along with their devoted team, have so lovingly sustained.

I invite all of you - if you have not yet been there - to visit the Arvo Pärt Centre at least once in your life. It is something truly special, just like Arvo Pärt's music itself. You will not regret it - believe me.

Long live the extraordinary creators of our world. Long live Arvo Pärt!