One of the missions of the Ministry of Culture is to support the cultural life of ethnic minorities and to contribute to the preservation and development of their languages and cultural authenticity. In accordance with the regulations, the Ministry of Culture supports the activities of cultural societies of ethnic minorities by assisting the promotion of their cultural life in compliance with legal acts currently in force.

The Ministry of Culture is also in charge of integration politics. It coordinates the work of the Estonian Integration Program 2008-2013 and is in charge of the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country nationals 2007-2013. The Ministry works together with the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) with the aim of initiating, supporting, and coordinating projects designed to promote integration in the Estonian society.

The field of Integration is closely related to the sphere of interests of the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of the Interior and other ministries which are occupied with the subject of integration. The integration program is implemented in three spheres: educational-cultural, socioeconomic, and juridical-political.

Complex approach to cultural diversity is stipulated in the UNESCO’s “Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions”, which was approved by the government on 23rd November 2006 and came into effect on 18th March 2007. The convention has been ratified by over 50 states. The Ministry of Culture is responsible for the implementation of the Convention in Estonia.

The Ministry of Culture implements specific tasks connected to cultural relations with the Estonians living abroad and with Finno-Ugric nationalities.The Ministry of Culture supports the preservation of the cultural identity of the Estonians living abroad and of other Finno-Ugric nationalities, living both in Estonia and abroad. The Ministry of Culture contributes also to the elaboration of the Compatriots Program’s cultural part and to the development of cultural relations with the communities of the Estonians living abroad.

• Ethnic minorities in Estonia
  • Cultural societies of ethnic minorities in Estonia
  • The Council for Ethnic Minorities
• Estonian Integration Programme 2008-2013 (.pdf file)
• Integration Strategy Implementation Plan 2008-2010 (.pdf file)
• NEW! The composition of the Integration Strategy Implementation Plan for the years 2011-2013
• Management Chart for the Integration Strategy 2008–2013
• Estonian Integration Strategy steering committee 
• Estonian Integration Strategy steering group
• European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals for the period 2007 to 2013
• Estonians abroad
• Kindred peoples