Yoko Alender facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yoko Alender
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Official portrait, 2015
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| Minister of Climate | |
| Assumed office 23 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Kristen Michal |
| Preceded by | Kristen Michal |
| Member of the Riigikogu | |
| Assumed office 30 March 2015 |
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| Member of the Tallinn City Council | |
| In office 15 October 2017 – 3 March 2018 |
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| In office 20 October 2013 – 30 March 2015 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Yoko Alender
13 June 1979 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Political party | Estonian Reform Party (2014–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Isamaa (2013–2014) |
| Spouse | Priit Juurmann |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent | Urmas Alender (father) |
| Alma mater | Estonian Academy of Arts |
| Occupation | Architect • Politician |
Yoko Alender (born 13 June 1979) is an Estonian architect and politician. She is a member of the Riigikogu, which is the Estonian Parliament. Yoko Alender also works as a publisher and educator. She is running in the European Parliament elections in June 2024 with the Estonian Reform Party.
About Yoko Alender
Yoko Alender went to school in Tallinn and Stockholm. From 1999 to 2010, she studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts. She earned a Master's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning. Since 2022, she has been doing more studies to get her doctorate in architecture.
She helped start a production company called Kultorg OÜ from 2001 to 2004. Later, from 2005 to 2006, she co-founded an architecture company, ZiZi & YoYo OÜ. She worked there as an architect and project manager.
From 2008 to 2012, Yoko Alender worked for the Tallinn Cultural Heritage Authority. She was in charge of protecting old buildings and special areas. After that, from 2012 to 2014, she advised the Ministry of Culture on architecture and design.
She has also been a board member for several important organizations. These include AS Riigi Kinnisvara, the National Library of Estonia, and the State Forest Management Centre. Since 2021, she has been part of the Estonian-Swedish Cooperation Fund.
Political Journey
Yoko Alender joined the Estonian Reform Party in 2014. She has been a member of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) for three terms. In her first term, she was on the Culture Committee. In her second term, she was the Vice-Chair and then the Chair of the Environment Committee. Since April 2023, she has been the Vice-Chair of her party's group in the Riigikogu. She is also still a member of the Environment Committee.
She was also a member of the Tallinn City Council from 2013 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2018. When she was with the Isamaa party in 2013, she was the Vice-Chair of the Tallinn City Council.
In the 2015 Riigikogu elections, she ran in electoral district number 4. She received 2,715 votes and was elected to the 13th Riigikogu. In 2019, she was also the Vice-Chairman of the Culture Committee of the Riigikogu.
For the 2019 Riigikogu elections, she ran in electoral district number 5. She received 997 votes and was elected again. From 2019 to 2021, she was the Vice-Chairman of the Environment Committee. Since 2021, she has been its Chairman.
In the 2023 Riigikogu elections, she won 2,051 votes in electoral district number 10 (Tartu). This allowed her to be elected to the Riigikogu once more.
She has also run in elections for the European Parliament. In 2014, she received 1,633 votes. In 2019, she received 1,739 votes.
Other Activities and Interests
Yoko Alender has worked on many creative projects. She has been an event organizer, project manager, and spokesperson. She also works as a publisher and trainer.
She has worked to keep her father's creative works alive. Her father was Urmas Alender, a famous musician. She has published his music (CDs), poetry books, and DVDs. She also helped write a book about him called "ALENDER" (2020). She organized concerts to celebrate his life.
Yoko Alender has also translated and published books by other authors. These include "Cities for People" by Jan Gehl and "The Soft City" by David Sim.
In 2001, she helped start the Estonian Institute of Buddhism. She is interested in Buddhism, yoga, and mindfulness. She also leads training sessions on these topics.
In 2015, she completed a special course on national defense. Since 2019, she has been a trainer for the Alliance of Her. This program helps women politicians in Europe grow and succeed.
Personal Life
Yoko Alender is the daughter of Urmas Alender. She was named after Yoko Ono, who was John Lennon's wife. Her father admired John Lennon very much. Yoko and her father even worked together on a song called "My childhood hero."
She is married to Priit Juurmann, who is also known as DJ P. Julm. They have four children: Kaarel Bo, Herta Ing, Uma Chantal, and Dag Ferdinand.
Yoko and her husband have helped create several popular places in Tallinn. These include FHoone, Frank, Frank Underground, Tabac, and Fono.
