Expatriate Estonians in Australia. Film No.1, part 1 (1995-1996)

Ilmar Mägraken, the founding member of the Association of Estonian Societies in Australia, leads the meeting after the 16th Estonian Days in Melbourne have ended and expresses his gratitude to Bruno Metsar, the manager of the organizational committee. At his home in Sydney, Arnold Perendi recollects the founding of the Association of Estonian Societies in Australia in January 1952. Since expatriate Estonians were scattered around Australia, the association was founded on the basis of regional societies, all local societies became members of the association. The most important event was organizing the Estonian Days, national upbringing of local youth, founding further educational institutions and providing teaching and learning materials, foreign propaganda. Baltic Committee was established with Latvians and Lithuanians in 1953. The guiding principle of the immigration ministry was to turn expatriate Estonians immediately into Australians, but the activities of the societies helped to preserve nationality. Photographs about founding activities and the members of the board. Paul Öpik tells about the activities and work of the Relief Centre for the Political Prisoners - nonconformists and their families were supported and helped. Among other issues: the options for sending packages and letters to Estonia occupied by the Soviet Union, submitting petitions to the Parliament of Australia for releasing Mart Niklus, withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Estonia. Tiiu Salasoo continues to talk about the same issues. Protest demonstrations organized by the Baltic Council in 1974 as the response to the declaration by Prime inister Gough Whitlam where the latter recognizes the act of incorporating the Baltic states in the Soviet Union de jure. Tiina Taemets from Brisbane recalls the protest movement and her personal collision into the Prime Minister during a public meeting. Piret Reiljan from Tasmania talks about a history teacher who sued the Prime Minister for the latter's statement that all Baltic States were fascist - and she won the court case. Information about the organization HELP and their newspaper Baltic News that was also given the members of Parliament. In 1975, Malcolm Fraser becomes the Prime Minister who takes back the declaration that expresses recognition of the occupation act of the Baltic States by the Soviet Union. Tiiu Kroll- Simmul from Sydney and Arvi Vainomäe and Maila Taimre from Melbourne are talking about political fighting and awareness-raising.