PRESIDENT RÜÜTEL ACCEPTS AS CHIEF PATRON OF THE BALTIC STUDENTS SONG AND DANCE FESTIVAL GAUDEAMUS 2006

The President explained his decision as follows: “The joint song and dance festivals of students are one of the most beautiful symbols of Baltic co-operation. Keeping alive our culture helped us survive in times of despair, while unity helped us regain independence. It is a great pleasure for me to see this tradition of culture and unity continue and I am delighted be able to welcome participants of the Student Song and Dance Festival in Tartu again”.

According to Mr Kulno Kungla, head of the Gaudeamus 2006 Working Group, this year’s festival marks an important anniversary in the history of the event, as it is now 50 years since the first Gaudeamus was organised. “It is a real pleasure to see a tradition that started from the University return to Tartu for the 15th time”, he added.
Kungla estimated that around 6000 singers and dancers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Nordic countries will participate in the event. During the three festival days Tartu will see a variety of shows and performances intended both for the city’s residents and guests and the total numbers of the audience may well reach 60,000 people.

On 31 January 2005, Ms Mailis Reps, Minister for Education and Research appointed the non-profit corporation Tartu Üliõpilasmaja (Tartu Student House) to make arrangements for and organise the XV Student Song and Dance Festival, naming the Estonian Youth Work Centre as the co-organiser.


Illari Lään
Head, UT Public Relations and Information Office

Further information: Mr Kulno Kungla, Head of the Gaudeamus 2006 working group, tel. +372 730 2402, +372 50 49 658