Developing democracy through debate
The [Pre]Opinion Festival took place in Tartu Central Park on 17–18 May, bringing together all active residents of Tartu and southern Estonia to discuss shared concerns and challenges. For 10 years now, we have been able to discuss all the important social issues in Paide during the summer, but it is important that everyone also has the opportunity to discuss issues important to the community close to home. The [preliminary] Opinion Festivals have been launched precisely to spread good debate practices throughout Estonia and to provide a neutral platform where people can come together and share their experiences.
In today’s world, dominated by fast-paced online communication, a place to come together is essential for listening to one another, sharing our thoughts in a relaxed atmosphere, and thus, together, gaining a deeper understanding of problems and making sense of the world. The [pre]Opinion Festival also helped to establish the habit of adhering to good debating practice in public discussions.