Sauna festivals and dance marathons: Estonia knows how to spend EU money

Estonia will allocate part of the EU money received through the Just Transition Fund to finance activities such as a sauna festival, an axe-throwing center and a dance marathon.
The Just Transition Fund, one of the European Union’s key tools to support regions in the transition towards climate neutrality by 2050, allocated €354 million to Ida-Viru County in eastern Estonia, an area that has a long history of industrial development and ambitions to lead the green transition in the country.
The money will be used to diversify economic activity away from fossil fuels, which account for almost half of Ida-Viru’s economic output. The funds will be used to create new businesses based on the circular economy and to support research and development.
Alongside the major regional development projects, a minor part of the fund will be dedicated to entertainment activities which, the Estonian finance ministry says, will give residents the opportunity to participate in the transition process through civic initiatives.
“Anyone with an idea that meets the grant conditions can submit an application to the implementing unit for project support,” ministry spokesperson Irina Satsuta told Estonian news agency ERR.
Among the cultural projects being funded, €200,000 will be allocated to enhance the attractiveness of a water sport center. Another €26,000 will be dedicated to build a disc golf park, while €10,000 each will be used to finance Estonian sauna culture masterclasses and the Estonian Disc Golf Championships.
Other financed cultural activities will include a dance marathon, a digital library and a children’s ice hockey summer camp.