Invited by a good friend of Taiwan, the former Chair of the Estonia-Taiwan Support Group, Mr. Juri Jaanson, Amb. Lee visited Kihnu Island on June 26th.
#Kihnu Island, 7th largest island in Estonia, falls in the west south to Parnu county and north to Riga, although the island is only about 16.4 square kilometers, it is still the largest island in the Gulf of Riga. There are approximately 300 some residents on the island. The island’s culture, clothing, language, music and handicraft arts were proclaimed as a “#Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2003.
The local tour guide accompanied Amb. Lee and Mr. Jaanson’s family to take the uniquely modified “sightseeing truck” circling around the island, and visiting local museum, cemetery, and lighthouse, also spent a night at the local b&b as an islander.
As an islander from Taiwan, Amb. Lee truly shared the sentiment of Kihnu residents, also admired the efforts and devotion that local people devote to preserve their historic and cultural heritage, as well as the strong belief of worshiping ancestors, which is a lesson worthy learning.
