February 24: Independence Day

The Republic of Estonia was founded on 24 February 1918, when the Salvation Committee (Päästekomitee) declared the independence of the Republic of Estonia. This date was celebrated as Independence Day until the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940.

During the Soviet occupation, Independence Day was celebrated in Estonian communities around the world. Every year, the US Secretary of State honoured this day by sending greetings to the chief diplomatic representative of the Republic of Estonia to the United States Ernst Jaakson.

On 24 February 1989, the red flag of Soviet Estonia was replaced by the blue-black-white Estonian national flag on Toompea, and since that time Independence Day has been celebrated once again as a public holiday.