What does Estonia mean to you?

Whether you have grown up in Estonia or abroad, Vabamu wants to hear from you about your experiences, fictional or real, present or past, with the place that we call Estonia. 

Noorte Vabamu therefore invites all youth between ages 15-25 to take part in a writing competition on the theme “My Estonia”. 

The entries can be in either English or Estonian (other languages may also be submitted, but entries will need to be accompanied by a translation into either English or Estonian) and in a freely chosen short text form, whether novella, fiction, essay or poetry. No more than 5 pages. 

Stuck for inspiration, and unsure where to start? Come and gain inspiration from our new exhibition Worldwide Estonia, which focuses on the Estonian diaspora and Estonian migration in the past 150 years.  

Please submit your text by May 1st 2026 to maja.soomagi@vabamu.ee  

The winner of the competition will be announced in June 2026, and awards will be handed out in August 2026. There will also be an opportunity for the winner to present their work in Estonia at a conference at the Estonian Statehood House on 19 August. Travel tickets will be covered by the Estonian Foreign Ministry.  

Jury: 

Liina Viies, Adviser for the Diaspora at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

Piret Noorhani, Chief Archivist at VEMU Estonian Museum Canada 

Marin Laak, Senior Researcher, Estonian Literary Museum 

Iivi Zajedova, Tammepuu Klubi

Ants Veetõusme, 20. augusti klubi

Maja Soomägi, Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom