On February 24, Estonia annually celebrates the main public holiday —, Estonian Independence Day (est. Eesti Vabariigi aastapäev), in honor of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the country on this day in 1918 in Tallinn.
It is the date of February 24, 1918, when the country’s independence was declared by the Salvation Committee, that is considered today the date of the formation of the Republic of Estonia.
Estonia gained independence after the First World War and the Estonian War of Independence (1918—1920). In 1940, Estonia came under the control of the Soviet Union as a result of the signing of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) and its secret protocol.
The movement to restore national independence became especially active in Estonia in the second half of the 1980s, and at the same time people began to publicly celebrate Independence Day. On November 16, 1988, the Declaration of Sovereignty of Estonia was issued, which established the sovereignty of the state and the advantage of Estonian laws over the laws of the USSR. Officially, independence, restoring the pre-war (until 1940) status of the state, was proclaimed on August 20, 1991, at a time when a coup attempt was made in Moscow.
The Soviet Union recognized Estonia's independence on September 6, 1991. The last units of Soviet troops were withdrawn from the country on August 31, 1994. The first country to diplomatically recognize Estonia was Iceland.
Since the independence of the Republic of Estonia was restored, Independence Day is again celebrated on February 24 as a public holiday and a day of remembrance for the Estonian people. The holiday begins with a solemn ceremony of raising the national flag over the ancient tower «Long Herman» in Tallinn.
In February, frosts usually intensify, so the celebration is limited to a daytime parade in the center of the capital and a wreath-laying ceremony at the monument to the victory in the War of Liberation of 1918-1920 on Freedom Square, in which top officials of the state take part.
In the evening, it is customary to celebrate the holiday with the family with a feast and watching a live broadcast of the reception of the President of the Republic of Estonia. Members of the government, outstanding cultural people and entrepreneurs are invited to the reception. In the evening, multi-colored fireworks soar into the sky above the Town Hall.