Official visit concluded in Tallinn

Estonia and Norway both have highly digitalised public and business sectors, and have many interests in common. This was the basis for the seminar that was the first item on today’s agenda for Her Excellency President Kersti Kaljulaid and Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Business seminar

There is extensive, ongoing cooperation in the digital sphere. The Nordic and Baltic countries signed the “Digital North” declaration last year in Oslo as a step in the vision to make the Nordic-Baltic region a frontrunner in digital development. 

Crown Prince Haakon opened the seminar today and pointed out the many similarities and opportunities the two countries share.

Estonian and Norwegian companies have come together both at Tallinn ICT Week and during Oslo Innovation Week. Today the stage was set to establish even more new contacts.

 
The President and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess at the Norwegian-Estonian Business Forum. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix.

 
Telliskivi – urban development in a nutshell

Within walking distance from downtown Tallinn is the district known as Telliskivi (Estonian for “brick”). The former industrial area has been reinvented as a centre for creative activity, with theatre and music, galleries and art. It is a dynamic environment that is home to restaurants, meeting places, modern buildings and organisations. 

Several of the cultural actors in Telliskivi have close ties to Norway, as does the Network of Estonian NGOs (NENO), which plays an important role in Norwegian support for Estonian civil society via the EEA and Norway Grants.

Today the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were given a tour of Telliskivi Creative City, where they learned more about its activities and ties to Norway.

On a walk in Tallinn’s historical Old Town. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix.

Concluded in the Old Town

After experiencing the modern Telliskivi district, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess concluded their official visit in the Old Town of Tallinn. This is one of Europe’s best preserved medieval cities, and figures on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Estonia’s culture and history and its ties to the Nordic region, Russia and the Continent are all reflected within the old city walls. 

The guided walk ended at the Town Hall, centred in the old town square. The Town Hall, a tourist attraction in itself, dates back to the 1400s and houses a collection of paintings from the first half of the 1900s, many by artists who had ties to Norway. 

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess concluded their official visit with a press conference in Tallinn’s Town Hall Square. Photo: REUTERS / Ints Kalnins / NTB scanpix.

The official visit of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess was concluded with a press conference outside the town hall. In the course of four busy days, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have visited Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and participated in each country’s celebration of a century of independence.