There are thousands, indeed tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people living and working in Estonia who are worthy of being awarded a state decoration. The work we have all done has brought Estonia to its fourth decade of independence. Thanks to you we enjoy a sense of safety and assurance as free citizens in a free country.
Some might raise the spectre of domestic politics as an argument against this, but to that I say: governments come and go, coalitions becomes oppositions and vice versa. That is how it should be.
Estonia is where it is today not in spite of all this, but because of it. A change of government, a reshuffling of the coalition – these are everyday occurrences in a functioning democracy. The alternative is autocracy; contempt for the rule of law.
Hundreds of thousands of people caring so much and showing such determination has helped to sustain just such an Estonia, a democratic one, and will guarantee that it endures.
The 148 individuals we are recognising today are all people whose dedication to their fields or communities should serve as an inspiring example to many others who often put their work, their creative output, their service to the state ahead of themselves.
To you, such dedication comes naturally, artlessly.
Here I am reminded of Fred Jüssi’s recollections from decades ago of when Mikk Mikiver was asked what he thought Estonia lacked or what was in short supply in the country. Mikiver replied that it was artlessness that was in short supply, that was lacking.
You, our esteemed recipients, have that artlessness in you that Mikiver longed to see:
the artlessness to do your work as well as you do;
the artlessness to support your community in thought and deed;
the artlessness to notice those who are worse placed, to do good and to help people, and not just during the pandemic;
the artlessness to throw yourselves into things and to be creative;
the artlessness to protect Estonia, whether it be as frontline defenders on foreign missions or as public officials in ministerial and other administrative posts;
the artlessness to stand by Estonia, as a friend and ally to the country;
the artlessness to have the courage to make decisions, and to understand when someone has made the wrong one, because indecision is a bad thing;
the artlessness to smile and look after those close to you as they look after you.
For all of this, Estonia is grateful.
Thank you.
