The autumn edition of the Baltic Heritage Network quarterly newsletter is now available. In these pages, you will find information about our past and future events, new publications, and what is happening across the globe within the diaspora research and archive communities.

80 years ago, thousands of Baltic peoples embarked upon the escape journey. They were fleeing fromthe Red Army since the terror from the previous Soviet occupation was still fresh in their minds and hearts. Escape took place via sea as well as land and was temporary, as far as the escapees knew. But with the passing of time, it became clear that there would be no return — people stayed or relocated to new countries. The ideology of freedom of the Balts was carried forward and preserved around the world until the collapse of the Soviet Union and restoration of independence. This sorrowful occasion was commemorated in Toronto from September 19-21 with a slew of events that had a great turnout.

In August of 2024, Ave-Marleen Rei was in Toronto to conduct interviews with Estonian families who left Estonia in September 1944 to escape the invading Soviet Army. The series “Abroad and Home” visits seven Estonian- Canadian families — each one has their own personal story to tell of how they remained Estonian. In each episode, we will hear from three different generations: those, who had lived through the escape and the tough first years as immigrants, those from the second generation who were born and have grown up abroad and for whom Estonia seemed unreachable, and the youngest generation, who live in an expansive world in which cultural identity needs to be reimagined and recontextualized.

Toronto, Ontario – September 10, 2024 – The Lithuanian Museum Archives of Canada, the nation’s only Museum- Archives dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of Lithuanian Canadians, is thrilled to announce the launch of a new community story on the Digital Museums Canada website, titled “European Traces in the War of 1812.” This initiative aims to capture and share the early history of the first Lithuanians to reach Canada.

September 21, 20243:00 PMTartu College, 3 Madison Ave. Toronto

VEMU in partnership with the Chair of Estonian Studies at the University of Toronto will be hosting a conference dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Escape from Estonia in 1944. The conference will be held in English, on Sept. 19 & 20 at Tartu College (310 Bloor St. W.) from 11:00am-5:00pm on both days.

Join VEMU for a film screening in honour of the 80th Anniversary of the Great Escape of 1944, and meet with the director Helga Merits.

The university city Tartu is also a European Capital of Culture this year. But Tartu also exists in Toronto, Canada and it has travelled to the aforementioned Tartu, Estonia.