By now, you probably all know the story of this building, the Estonian National Museum. You know that only 30 years ago the soil beneath your feet was carrying Soviet bombers capable of bringing unimaginable destruction and devastation. The militant history of this area speaks to us loudly today, as we witness the horrors happening in Ukraine right now.
The airfield is still here as witness to a history that we should not forget. The bombers are long gone but the imperialist mind-set that these planes represented, is very much alive today. Right now, it is launching missiles against Ukrainian hospitals, schools, residential buildings and museums. It is conducting war crimes against innocent civilians, it is perpetrating crimes against culture, crimes against heritage by looting and destroying museums and other cultural values.
It is a painful situation that forces us to ask the questions about what could have been done differently, and what can be done now. I am convinced that important answers to these questions can come from you. Modern museums have proven themselves to be incredibly capable of engaging people, opening new ways to see history and the present, imagining the futures, and discussing issues that have no easy or quick solutions. The ethos of promoting understanding, empathy, respect and openness will contribute to making our societies more resilient to the authoritarian tendencies at the root of much evil in the current world. This is the way in which the global museum community is already contributing to making sure such atrocities will never happen again, and helping to restore our faith in humanity.
Museums have the ability to transport people across space and time. In the end, it is all about the journey, no matter if the exhibition halls are using the latest technological tools or more ancient techniques. These journeys will tell us the story of ourselves in the past, in the present and in the future. Sometimes these stories are painful, but this is exactly why they need to be told.
Dear museum directors,
The time of the pandemic has, no doubt, been difficult for all museums. At the same time, it has reaffirmed their value for society, for local communities. We witness that people are returning to museums, sometimes in even greater numbers than before, indicating that these institutions fill an important role. Maybe the hectic daily routines made us forget what our souls really need, and we only re-discovered this during the forced breaks caused by the virus.
The returning visitors are also testimony to the high quality of work museums are producing. Today, we are recognizing some of these excellent museums. There will be winners. And there will be other museums who are also winners. The truth is that none of you would be here if you had not won the hearts and minds of your communities.
I would like to thank you for your efforts. Forums like these highlight inspiring new initiatives and enable you to learn from each other. I hope you will continue co-creating the future together with your visitors.
Thank you.
