The Dinner at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds: Estonia and Botswana are brought together by a shared spirit of independence, integrity and innovation

Your Excellency President Duma Gideon Boko,

Honourable Ministers,

Excellencies,

My brothers and sisters,

It is a great honour to welcome you to Estonia. Your presence here today is more than just a state visit – it is a powerful continuation of a friendship that began taking new shape when I had the privilege of visiting Botswana last year.

I still carry with me the warmth and kindness of your people, the sincerity of our discussions, and the sense of shared purpose that emerged during that visit – my first to Africa as President of Estonia.

Estonia and Botswana may be separated by geography, but we are brought together by a shared spirit of independence, integrity and innovation.

And perhaps it is not a coincidence that both our flags proudly display the same colours: blue, black, and white. These colours reflect not only our histories and landscapes, but also our values – hope, resilience, and peace – and remind us that even distant nations can be deeply connected.

I am particularly glad that we gather tonight in a place that is deeply woven into our national soul. Every five years, tens of thousands of people gather here, at the Song Festival Grounds, united in voice, memory, and hope, joining as one.

It was through singing that we affirmed our identity, even in the most difficult times. And it is through our cultural exchange that we continue to connect with our friends around the world.

Our stories, our languages, our music bind us beyond business and code. By promoting exchanges in education, heritage, and the arts, we not only grow economically but also enrich the spirit of our nations.

Mr President, Botswana has shown remarkable leadership in sustainable development, in managing its natural resources, and in embracing digital transformation.

Your vision for Botswana’s digital future resonates deeply with us. We are honoured to support Botswana’s ambition to build a smarter, more connected future, and I believe we can achieve great things together.

Remarkable progress is possible when technology is placed in the service of people. One inspiring example of this cooperation is the development of the Lekgetho Live Tax Management System, where Estonian know-how is helping Botswana deliver faster, more transparent services to its people. This is a model of practical, forward-looking cooperation.

Estonia and Botswana are part of democracy loving nations which respect the UN Charter and the rules-based international order. This common alliance is our strength in a world increasingly marked by division, armed conflict, displacement, and suffering.

Brutal and unjustified aggression in Ukraine challenges the very foundation of the global multilateral system.

There is still no peace prospect in the Middle East.

Armed conflicts affect some parts of the African continent.

There is still a lot of work to be done around the world to overcome poverty and hunger, violence and injustice.

Each crisis, each lost life, each broken community reminds us of a profound truth: we do not exist in isolation. As the Setswana saying goes: Motho ke motho ka batho – a person is a person because of other people.

Our dignity, our peace, and our future are bound together. When one community is in pain, the ripple reaches us all. Let us not retreat into silence or indifference. Instead, let us recommit to the principles of empathy, solidarity, and shared         humanity, and raise our voices for peace, justice, dignity and the protection of all people.

Dear friends,

Estonia’s national bird, the barn swallow, takes flight each year on its long journey south, passing over distant lands, including the skies of Botswana.

In its graceful migration, the swallow becomes a quiet messenger, carrying in our hearts the best wishes of one nation to another. While the world is vast, the bonds we build – like the flight of the swallow – bridge continents, cultures, and          communities.

Please allow me to propose a toast and raise our glasses to president Boko, to the people of Botswana, and to the enduring friendship between our two nations.

Terviseks!