Silver Tambur

Tallinn

Cofounder and Editor-in-Chief at Estonian World

Estonian. Jewish. European. Editor. Moderator. Civic activist. Cofounder and editor-in-chief of https://t.co/NIbazmeal2

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Articles

Estonia reinforces with Turkish armour

1 week ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur |Sten Hankewitz

The Estonian Defence Forces and the country’s Rescue Board have received a new fleet of armoured vehicles procured from Turkey, significantly strengthening the Baltic state’s defensive posture and emergency response readiness. The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments has formally handed over nearly 50 wheeled armoured vehicles to the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Estonia climbs to second in global press freedom index

2 weeks ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

The news comes against a stark backdrop: RSF has downgraded the global state of press freedom to a “difficult situation” for the first time in the Index’s history. The biggest driver of this decline is not censorship or violence – although those remain widespread – but economic fragility. Across the world, media outlets are buckling under financial strain, with many forced to close, lay off staff, or compromise editorial independence to survive.
Estonia receives first HIMARS launchers in major defence milestone

2 weeks ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

The weapons, formally handed over at Ämari Air Base on 30 April, are part of a trilateral Baltic initiative and among Estonia’s largest-ever arms procurements. Defence minister Hanno Pevkur hailed the event as a transformative step. “Estonia, in close cooperation with our most important and strategic NATO ally, the United States, has ushered in a new era of independent defence capability,” he said.
The quiet power of Estonian: why more foreign students are learning it

2 months ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

On a crisp March morning in Tartu, two international students, Polina and Ana, discuss a subject that surprises many: they speak Estonian. In a country where most foreign students opt for English-language programs, their decision to learn and use Estonian is unusual – but not impossible. And on Estonian Language Day, their voices carry a message: the language is not as difficult as people assume. “Most foreign students are enrolled in English-language programs.
Estonia’s health-care crisis: a system at a breaking point

2 months ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

With an ageing workforce, a dearth of new specialists and an increasing reliance on exhausted personnel working multiple jobs, the system is under immense strain. Nowhere is this more evident than in primary care and mental health services, where gaps are widening at an alarming rate. If urgent reforms are not implemented, Estonia may soon find itself unable to provide even the most basic health-care services to large segments of the population. The most pressing concern lies in general practice.
Arvo Pärt at 90: celebrating 50 years of Für Alina

2 months ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

Composed in February 1976, Für Alina was Pärt’s first public work after a prolonged creative crisis. It introduced his tintinnabuli style – characterised by simplicity, bell-like harmonies, and profound spiritual depth. Minimal in structure yet emotionally vast, the piece has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide. The title echoes Beethoven’s Für Elise, though unlike its mysterious dedicatee, the subject of Für Alina is known: an 18-year-old girl whose parents had separated.
America’s vow to Estonia amid a tangle of doubt

2 months ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

In a moment of both celebration and reflection, the US has reaffirmed its commitment to Estonia on the 107th anniversary of its independence on 24 February – a gesture that resonates deeply amid an era marked by conflicting American narratives.
Kersti Kaljulaid: Europe must prove it means business on defence

2 months ago | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

Writing in the social media and speaking to the Estonian media after the Munich Security Conference, Kaljulaid noted that while the conference had long been a stage for Western unity against Russian aggression, this year’s discussions revealed deep uncertainties about Europe’s ability to stand on its own. Kaljulaid, a seasoned attendee of the conference, remarked on social media that Munich always carries a sense of foreboding.
Estonia marks the anniversary of the Tartu Peace Treaty

Feb 1, 2025 | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur |Sten Hankewitz

The Tartu Peace Treaty, signed on 2 February 1920, was the treaty that ended the Estonian War of Independence that had started in November 1918, a few months after Estonia had declared independence on 24 February 1918. It all happened in the final months and the aftermath of the First World War when, after the capitulation of Imperial Germany, on 28 November 1918 the Soviet forces entered Estonia with the aim of reoccupying the newly independent country.
Estonia’s ambitious dive into seawater heat

Oct 6, 2024 | estonianworld.com | Silver Tambur

Amid rising global temperatures and a pressing need for sustainable energy, the oceans are increasingly seen as untapped reservoirs of renewable resources. A recent report from the Copernicus programme, “Ocean State Report 8“, underscores how oceans worldwide are experiencing rapid, and in some cases devastating, changes – such as marine heatwaves covering 22% of the global ocean surface in 2023 alone. But amid these challenges, opportunities also emerge.