This article originally appeared in Estonian in Eesti Päevaleht on April 25, 2008

“Teeme Ära 2008” (Clean Estonia)

Ambassador Stanley Davis Phillips

My wife, Kay, and I have traveled throughout Estonia, and have been impressed by Estonia's natural beauty. From the forests to the seaside cliffs, Estonia's nature is truly magnificent! Your “Teeme Ära 2008” initiative to clean up litter on May 3rd, is an example of how Estonians take pride in their country.

We have learned much press about “Teeme Ära 2008” and we learned that one of the sites designated to be cleaned up was right in our own neighborhood. We put together a team from the Embassy made up of both Estonians and Americans to join this national effort.

The “Teeme Ära 2008” project reminds me of the efforts Americans have made over the years to and preserve the natural beauty of our own country. America has a long-standing tradition of private-public sector collaborative efforts such as “Keep America Beautiful,” which was founded in 1953 by a group of civic and corporate leaders. “Keep America Beautiful” is now America's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization with nearly 1,000 city, county, statewide and international affiliates and participating organizations.

America also has its own version of Foundation Õpilasmalev's "Teed puhtaks!" where high school students clean up the highway between Tartu and Tallinn. The “Adopt a Highway” program provides an opportunity for organizations or businesses to clean up sections of a highway and their name is posted on its section of the highway. The program started in Texas in 1985 and is now active in 49 of the 50 U.S. States.

As guests in Estonia, we hope our participation in “Teeme Ära 2008” will make a small contribution to the greater goal of this nationwide effort.