An act of charity

On 12 August 2022 an important event took place: the “White Horse” club, which brings together the local business and intellectual elite of eastern Estonia, celebrated its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the society led by Kalev Naur gathered in Iisaku, Alutaguse Parish (Ida-Virumaa).

The meeting was devoted to an important topic. Russia’s war against Ukraine has affected everyone, and Estonian business is not standing aside.

At the Kasevälja farm, where the business meeting was held, a video link took place between Iisaku and Lypovets (Vinnytsia region), which have been twin towns for many years.

Unfortunately, the subject of the video link was dramatic. The Lypovets community and its head of international relations Mykola Obara connected their fellow townsman Ivan Lavryk with Estonia – a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine serving in the marines’ air defence, 35th Brigade. In the fighting near Kherson, Vania suffered many serious wounds and lost his right leg. The meeting at the “White Horse” club was dedicated to raising funds for Ivan Lavryk’s urgent treatment and, above all, for a prosthesis for his injured leg.

In a video message to Ivan, Kalev Naur said: “This meeting of our club members – about 40 people have gathered – is dedicated to you! We want you to get back on your feet as soon as possible, return to your unit and be sure to come and visit us! Today we will try to raise some funds that we hope will help you with this. We are proud of the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers, and we do these charitable things – small ones, in our view – which give the fraternal Ukrainian people faith and strength in standing up to the Russian aggressor.”

The Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia took a direct part in organising the video link and held a charity concert for members of the “White Horse” club. Ukrainian folk songs performed by Liubov Laur and Iryna Solomatina captivated the guests and the Lypovets community. “Oi u luzi chervona kalyna” was sung by everyone together – Estonians and Ukrainians.

AUOE Chairman of the Board Vladimir Palamar warmly thanked the club members for their charity initiative and expressed appreciation to the whole Estonian people for everything they have been doing all this time to support those forced to flee the war in Ukraine who have found a second home in Estonia, noting that the time will come when the Ukrainian people will repay the Estonian people for their kindness.

“At this moment I want both to rejoice and to cry,” said Vladimir Palamar in his speech. “To rejoice because there are many true friends around us who help us from the bottom of their hearts. To cry because terrible things happen in my homeland every day and my people are being destroyed by Russian monsters. But life goes on, and my friends who are now at the front tell me: don’t cry for us, be proud of us – we are alive, we are fighting for you, we are fighting for our country! So I want you to be proud, together with me, of the people of my brave nation who are now defending both you and all European values!”