Some moments in life are more important than others. For example, the moment when you feel that you have finally found your place. VEMU Estonian Museum Canada is exactly this lovely and homely meeting place for many Estonians abroad. And so, the mission that brought almost a hundred people to the hall on Saturday is all the more important. They didn’t come just for fun, but to develop the same Estonian things that VEMU has officially been doing since 2009, for which the foundation was laid through the work of Tartu College more than 50 years ago.
On April 12, 2025, the 13th annual VEMU fundraising evening was held at Tartu College in Toronto, entitled “Al Dente & Eluvilosoohvia: A Hiiu Mama’s Well Baked Life Lessons.” As we have done in the past, we raised money for VEMU’s new building. This lively evening combined the wisdom of Hiiumaa island with the flavors of Italian cuisine, offering guests a unique cultural experience.
Beautifully set seats awaited the guests around round tables. Tartu College hall had become a magical ballroom, with sky-blue chairs and an elegant atmosphere. This remained a secret for the arriving guests at first, as the celebrants initially gathered in the lobby, which became busier and busier as the popular event had brought many diligent supporters. The guests were in a happy mood and their attire also reflected the importance of the event. An assortment of stylish suits, lace and patterned dresses, and carefully selected jewelry were seen.
The evening began in a festive manner in the hall, where VEMU board member Anne Remmel gave a warm welcome. Ellen Valter, a representative of KESKUS International Estonian Centre, followed with a short speech. The evening’s main organizer and VEMU’s chief archivist Piret Noorhani introduced VEMU’s activities, team, and history. According to Noorhani, this fall marks sixteen years since she began working at VEMU. “I have had the pleasure of being a double tartlane– my home is in Tartu, Estonia, and now I work at Tartu in Toronto,” she said.
In her speech, Noorhani also presented an impressive annual overview: in 2024, VEMU organized a total of 76 events, in addition to opening eight exhibitions. She also shared exciting news about the near future, namely that renovations will soon begin on the VEMU premises, on the ground floor of Tartu College. The collections are planned to be moved to temporary storage by the end of the year in preparation for a new stage of development.
Ambassador Margus Rava also extended his greetings and presented architect Tõnu Altosaar with the Order of the White Star, 4th Class, of the President of the Republic of Estonia. An entertaining interlude was provided by renowned actor Margus Tabor, who performed hilarious excerpts from his popular piece “Mama’s Stories aka Hiiu eluvilosoohvia” and invited the audience to the full-length performance the next day. One of the most surprising and memorable moments of the evening arose when Ivo Lille, director of VABAMU Museum of Occupations and Freedom, picked up the saxophone. It’s rare to see a cultural leader on stage as a musician, but Lille even has a doctorate in saxophone.
The gourmet experience was provided by well-known chef Kristina Lupp, who created a four-course Estonian-Italian fusion menu. The dinner began with appetizers, such as crispy pork lard on polenta, and continued with choices such as juniper-braised lamb ravioli and slow-cooked pork roast with Estonian inspired BBQ sauce. For dessert, black bread tiramisu was served, enriched with Vana Tallinn and spiced apple butter. All dishes were accompanied by carefully selected wines that enhanced the flavor combinations.
Following dessert, Tartu College Manager Linda Karuks took the stage to express her heartfelt gratitude to the evening’s chef, performers, and of course Piret Noorhani. Glasses were raised in honor of Noorhani, who recently celebrated an notable birthday, and the crowd suddenly rose from their chairs to sing “Ta elagu!”, expressing their deep gratitude and appreciation for Noorhani’s years of dedication to VEMU and the local Estonian community.
The evening was concluded by Piret Noorhani in her heartfelt acceptance speech: “It has truly been a wonderful time here with you. It is strange that in the middle of such a big city there is such a small and lovely, homely village. I’m grateful to all of you for creating a new home for me here. Those who have changed countries know that it isn’t the easiest thing. Thank you very much and let’s keep going!”
Monika Siim
# The Estonian version of the article was first published in Eesti Elu /Estonian Life newspaper.