EWC Statement: The Estonian World Council (ÜEKN) foreign relations committee in collaboration with the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki and the Network of Estonian Organisations in Finland (EOVS) is organizing a hybrid conference, “Security and Defence in the Baltic Sea Region”, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at the Embassy of Estonia in Helsinki. The Estonian Central Council in Canada is sponsoring the event.

The primary objective of the conference is to foster a deeper understanding of the current and emerging security challenges within the Baltic Sea region. Topics of discussion include the implications of Russian aggression and disinformation, the role of NATO in ensuring regional security, and strategies for civil defence preparedness. The conference will be livestreamed by Estonia’s national broadcaster ERR and Finnish media. It will be available for post viewing on ERR and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs webpage as well as globalestonian.com. Start time is 13:00 Helsinki time. The viewing link will be posted one day prior to the start of the conference. Conference program is as follows:

Conference moderator – Reet Marten Sehr, Chair Estonian World Council foreign relations committee, Chair, Estonian Central Council in Canada

13:00 – Introductory remarks

• Sven Sakkov, Estonian Ambassador to Finland 

• Sirle Sööt, Chair, Estonian World Council, Association of Estonians in Sweden

• Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia (Livestream)

13:30 – Introduction of keynote speaker Tuuli-Emily Liivat, Global Estonian Youth Network

• Keynote: Douglas Hickey, US Ambassador to the Republic of Finland

14:00 – Panel discussion: “NATO’s Role in Baltic Sea Region Security”

• Martin Roger, Director-General for NATO and Trans-Atlantic Relations, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

• Joakim Paasikivi, Lieutenant Colonel, Swedish Defence University

• Andres Kasekamp, Professor of History, Chair of Estonian Studies, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

• Moderator Märt Vesinurm, Network of Estonian Organisations in Finland

15:30 – Keynote: Jessikka Aro Finnish journalist and writer, author of “Putin’s Army” and“Putin’s Trolls” 

16:15 – Panel discussion: “Civil Preparedness and Disinformation”

• Jay Janzen, Strategic Communications Director (J10) at NATO

• Jakub Kalensky, Senior fellow, Atlantic Council Eurasia Centre, former Deputy Director of COI Hybrid Influence

• Marko Mihkelson, Member of Estonian Parliament, Chair of Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee

• Moderator Marcus Kolga, President, DisInfoWatch, Fellow McDonald Laurier Institute, Central and Eastern European Council in Canada

17:15 – Closing Remarks – Ilona Kolberg, Network of Estonian Organisations in Finland

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The Estonian World Council (EWC) was established in 1954 in the United States to unite Estonian communities abroad and help international coordination for Estonia’s re-independence. Three large central organizations – Estonian American National Council, Estonian Central Council in Canada, Association of Estonians in Sweden – were founding members of EWC. Today, the Estonian World Council includes 12 members state organizations, representing Estonians from USA, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine. Organizations from