Dear supporters, friends, ladies and gentlemen,
As the patron of the Carolin Illenzeer Fund I am delighted to welcome you once again at this charity dinner.
Last year I had to leave early as I was due to travel with my Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish counterparts to Ukraine to meet President Zelensky. Ours was the first visit of heads of state to Ukraine since Russia had launched its military invasion against Ukraine on the 24th of February. Not far from Kyiv we visited the cities of Irpin and Borodyanka, from which the Russian forces had withdrawn only weeks before. I will never forget the destruction of war that was so clearly exposed on the streets of those cities: ravaged landscapes, homes destroyed, the ruins of tanks and other vehicles lined the roads leading to the capital.
The Ukrainian prime minister showed us evidence of crimes committed by the Russian forces in those areas on his laptop. It brought the dreadful price of Russia’s aggression home with painful clarity. Each day since has brought with it new evidence of how valuable our freedom and security truly are.
The times we are living in demand much from us as a society: resilience, inner strength and, more than anything else, concrete action. Everything springs from good ideas, but they have to turn into deeds. I can assure you that what I experienced last year in Ukraine made it clear to me that just as we ourselves would need help in the same situation, we must never tire of supporting Ukraine.
We also must bolster our own security, to accelerate the development of the national defence of our country and to forge even closer ties with our allies in NATO.
We must also continue to support our veterans, those injured on duty and the families of those killed in active service. Thanks to the members of our Defence Forces – those who have sacrificed their health or their lives in the name of Estonia’s security – our national defence is stronger than ever. It is because of them that we can feel safe in our homes. We must show our appreciation for and look after these people and their families every single day.
A couple of weeks ago, members of Estonian Defence Forces paid a visit to Kadriorg with their families ahead of being deployed to Iraq. As I said to them at the time, contributing to international military cooperation of this kind is vital, and not just from the point of view of gaining experience or contributing to the stability in regions of strategic importance to Europe.
Military cooperation with our allies is the foundation on which their trust, their solidarity and their experience of working with Estonia is built.
For this reason, I am grateful to everyone here and to all the friends of the Carolin Illenzeer Fund for continuing to find the means to support the well-being and education of the children of Defence Forces personal killed or severely injured in the line of duty.
Those children benefitting from your charity today are their families’ future. They are the future of a well-educated Estonia. The support and attention we give these families through the fund’s activities is of enormous practical value to them. However, I know it is just as important that we also show we care about them.
The fund reached a significant milestone in 2022: Carolin Illenzeer, the first child to benefit from the fund and after whom it was named, celebrated her 18th birthday. In addition to Carolin, 69 other children continue on their educational journeys thanks to the support of the fund, and that number is growing. Carolin herself is set to graduate from high school and has said she is interested in studying cell biology at university. I wish her and all the other young people this fund has supported a lot of curiosity and success in their studies.
Friends,
In addition to the families whom this fund supports, tonight we have the opportunity to also think about our veterans who have done so much to boost our national defence. April is Veterans’ Month, and this dinner is but one event at which we can shine the spotlight on the contribution made by veterans and their families, to show that we have not forgotten them and never will.
Let me thank all of you here tonight once again, including the organisers and companies behind the event and those performing at it, for your contributions. It is truly heart-warming to see that support for the children of those killed and injured on active duty remains as strong and as unwavering as ever.
Have a wonderful night. Thank you!
