Tallinn began the year of European green capital on Saturday 🌿
Tallinn received the title of European green capital at the festive opening ceremony at the Cruise Terminal. It was handed over by the European Commission’s Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius and the former mayor of Europe’s green capital Grenoble Éric Piolle .
The artistic director of the opening ceremony was Mikk Jürjens. Renowned musicians Vaiko Eplik and Eliit, Puuluup, Andres K muuspper, JT Conception performed with their creations. Two musical works were specially created for the performance: Wooden magnifying glass “What color is Tallinn?”\n ” and Andres K estpper’s “Lennart”, the latter uses thoughts from President Lennart Meri’s speeches.
The artistic director of the opening ceremony was Mikk Jürjens. Renowned musicians Vaiko Eplik and Eliit, Puuluup, Andres K muuspper, JT Conception performed with their creations. Two musical works were specially created for the performance: Wooden magnifying glass “What color is Tallinn?”\n ” and Andres K estpper’s “Lennart”, the latter uses thoughts from President Lennart Meri’s speeches.
16-year-old Liisa-Lotta T Kõiste, the winner of the green capital’s speech contest “Elastic City”, also gave a speech, who asked what kind of city is it where a child, teenager, adult, elderly want to live?
“It is a city where everyone can do their daily activities without depending on arriving by car, where pedestrian areas and the opportunity to move with light transport are guaranteed for every member of society.\n Every resident has the opportunity to drink clean tap water, sort out waste, eat at food places that value local raw materials and use as little single-packaged products as possible,” he said.
Over 650 guests from Estonia and more than 20 countries across Europe were present at the opening ceremony.
In the year of the Green Capital, the main themes of Tallinn are biodiversity conservation, climate, green innovation and leadership based on sustainable principles. 2023 is on the program for Europe’s green capital. exciting activities this year for all Tallinn residents and guests, including over 60 events.
Photos by: Fotograaf Aron Urb

Watch the opening ceremony special program on ERR.
https://etv.err.ee/16088…/roheline-pealinn-tallinn-avapidu
Photo gallery can be found here.