Arvo Valton facts for kids
Arvo Vallikivi (born December 14, 1935 – died July 26, 2024) was a famous Estonian writer. He was best known by his pen name, Arvo Valton. A pen name is like a special nickname a writer uses instead of their real name.
Arvo Valton wrote many books and was also a talented screenwriter. He wrote the script for a very popular Estonian movie called Viimne reliikvia. This movie was based on a book by Eduard Bornhöhe called Vürst Gabriel ehk Pirita kloostri viimsed päevad.
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Standing Up for Estonia
In October 1980, Arvo Valton joined many other important Estonian thinkers and artists. They signed a public letter called the "Letter of 40 Intellectuals". An intellectual is someone who uses their mind to study or work on complex ideas.
Why the Letter Was Important
This letter was very brave because it spoke out against the government's policies at the time. The main goal of the letter was to protect the Estonian language and culture.
Protecting Estonian Culture
The letter protested against "Russification" policies. This meant that the government was trying to make people in Estonia speak more Russian and follow Russian culture, rather than their own Estonian traditions. The intellectuals wanted to make sure the Estonian language and way of life stayed strong.
Youth Protests in Tallinn
The letter also mentioned how the government had dealt with young people protesting in Tallinn. These protests started because a popular punk rock band called Propeller was not allowed to perform. The intellectuals felt it was important to support the young people's right to express themselves and their culture.
A Member of Parliament
Arvo Valton also served his country in politics. In 1992, he was elected as a member of the Riigikogu. The Riigikogu is the parliament of Estonia, which is like the main law-making body of the country. Being a member of parliament means he helped make important decisions for Estonia.
See Also
- Viimne reliikvia
- Letter of 40 intellectuals
Images for kids
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Arvo Valton
