At the heart of the head of state’s meetings and appearances in the USA will be closer creative and cultural cooperation, business and economic partnerships, R&D and the use of AI in education. As part of the visit, President Karis will be giving lectures at both Yale University and the University of Chicago. In them, he will focus on the core topics of Estonia’s foreign and security policy, the importance of bolstering democracy in today’s world, Estonia’s digital services and the implementation of AI. TalTech and Tallinn University rectors Tiit Land and Tõnu Viik are accompanying the head of state on the visit.
In addition, President Karis is scheduled to meet with the mayors of New York and Chicago to discuss opportunities for cooperation in the scientific, education, e-governance, economic and cultural spheres. The head of state will also be meeting with AI and innovation specialists from the New York school system.
On Thursday and Friday, President Karis and Sirje Karis will be attending concerts at Carnegie Hall marking the 90th birthday of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, with the Estonian Festival Orchestra, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra performing under conductors Paavo Järvi and Tõnu Kaljuste, with solo performances by soprano Maria Listra, violinists Hans Christian Aavik and Midori Gotō, and pianist Nico Muhly.
While in New York, the head of state will meet with Annalena Baerbock, the president of the United Nations General Assembly, to discuss reforms to and the governance of the organisation, support for Ukraine and Estonia’s second time serving on the Human Rights Council from 2026-2028. He will also be meeting with Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund, and taking part in a roundtable on Estonia’s experience in the use of AI, its impact on education and methods for inclusive education.
President Karis and Sirje Karis will furthermore be attending a reception for creative-industry entrepreneurs from the United States and Estonia at Canvas Soho, a centre for sustainable and ethical fashion. The head of state will also visit Scandinavian House, where there will be a screening of Dorian Supin’s documentary about Arvo Pärt, before learning about the International Studio & Curatorial Program at the Center for Contemporary Art. Accompanied by a creative industries delegation, Sirje Karis will be visiting the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On Sunday, President Karis will head to Chicago, where he will not only be giving a lecture at the University of Chicago and meeting with the city’s mayor, but also participating in a debate on AI organised by one of the world’s most renowned international law firms, Baker and McKenzie, and in a panel being run by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The head of state will also pay a visit to 1oT, a Chicago-based Estonian company that provides global network connectivity for smart devices, and Silen, a manufacturer of office pods, ahead of meeting with the local Estonian community at the city’s Estonian House.
President Karis is being accompanied on his visit to New York by a delegation from Estonia’s creative industries which includes representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the Tallinn Culture & Sports Department, Tallinn Philharmonic, Tallinn Creative Hub, the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency, the Business Incubator of the Tartu Centre for Creative Industries, the Lootsi Koda foundation and the companies Marimo, Sokisahtel and Ateljee Tallinn.
In Chicago, the head of state will be accompanied by a business delegation including representatives of Aristotle, Piar, Thorgate Management, Vaimo, 1oT, Nortal, Silen and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency.
President Karis will be returning to Estonia on 29 October.
Gallery (Raigo Pajula/Office of the President of the Republic): https://www.flickr.com/photos/presidendikantselei/albums
