Between 150 000 and 200 000 Estonians live abroad, which is 15% of the Estonian population. These Estonian communities abroad are connected to Estonia in diverse ways – each has its own story and reasons for emigrating. Some of them represent a new generation of people. These individuals were either not born in Estonia or had never visited the country. Nonetheless, Estonia continues to want to keep in touch with all those currently away from it. Estonia values every Estonian, regardless of their origin, migration background, or place of residence.
A study was conducted to gain a better insight into this target group. The study had two main objectives. Firstly, it aimed to understand and provide an overview of the current state of the Estonian “diaspora.” This includes their numbers, profiles, communities, attitudes, and expectations towards the Estonian state, including possible return. Secondly, based on the results and conclusions of the study, it aimed to provide input to policy-making. This input is primarily for the Global Estonia Programme (GEP) and other related programs or policies.
During the study, an analysis of secondary sources was carried out. A theoretical framework for the study was developed based on previous literature. Using this framework and the research questions set out in the baseline, two data collection instruments were designed. These were in-depth interviews and a global questionnaire. The final report’s main findings and conclusions stem from analyzing and synthesizing the results of these two instruments. Chapter two of the report briefly describes the study’s methodology, while the annexe provides a more detailed account.
The results of this study show that Estonian communities abroad are not distant or alienated from Estonia, despite their permanent lives outside it. They are not a completely different or separate community compared to Estonians living in Estonia. On the contrary, they are strongly connected to the country both psychologically and sometimes physically. Even though most of them are satisfied with and settled in their (new) country of residence, they have a strong sense of belonging to Estonia. They actively engage with Estonia in diverse ways. This includes interacting with Estonians in their country of residence through local Estonian communities, organizations, activities, and new media networks (social media), as well as physically visiting Estonia.
More than half of them celebrate Estonian holidays. Like Estonians living in Estonia, they are active in exercising their right to vote through voting in Estonian elections. A substantial proportion of families wish to pass on the Estonian language, culture, and customs to their children. The vast majority also want to retain their Estonian citizenship.
At the same time, we see that Estonia’s “diaspora” is remarkably diverse – there is no such thing as an ideal-typical “Estonian living abroad” just as well there is no single and coherent “Estonian foreign community”. The reasons for the emigration of Estonians are increasingly varied and combined with several factors that cause and encourage emigration. More than one-fifth of the Estonian foreign community is of dual or multiple citizenships, and there are significant differences in attitudes between age groups and generations. More than half of the families are mixed, with one parent being Estonian and the other from a different nationality. These families speak different languages at home, including with their children. Although most Estonians living abroad speak Estonian as their mother tongue, about one-fifth of them have proficiency levels in Estonian that fall below the native level.
In terms of a sense of belonging, a strong sense of belonging to the major ethnic (native) group of the country of residence does not exclude a strong sense of belonging to Estonia or to Estonians living in Estonia (and vice versa). This indicates that many have a multicultural identity. At the level of concepts and terminology, Estonian identity abroad is also changing. There is no single, clear-cut term through which Estonians abroad wish to define themselves. Therefore, caution is needed in using terms associated with this community—whether in policy-making, politics, or the public sphere. Additionally, it is clear that some of the Russian-speaking Estonian population abroad see themselves as members of the Estonian community. They want to get more involved but are afraid to do so because they are unsure if they are welcome.
The study results highlight a broad range of challenges that we need to address. These challenges include improving communication, supporting community organizations, and aiding children and adults in learning Estonian and repatriating. The full report outlines the main recommendations and suggestions for tackling these issues and enhancing the engagement of the Estonian communities living abroad (see the link above).
This study was carried out together with the Institute of Baltic Studies (IBS) and the Center for Applied Anthropology of Estonia (RAK).