Tarmo Tüür, leader of the Let’s Do It collective action day, said that this year’s collective action day has been long overdue, because people want to meet one another and work together again. “Our county coordinators affirm that controversial feelings abound in the communities regarding this year’s collective works spring – there are big hopes on the one hand, and a sense of cautiousness on the other,” Tüür said. “The separation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic years has left a mark on people’s activity levels, but thousands of Estonian people are anxiously awaiting the excitement of the collective action day regardless.”

Tüür added that as working together provides for a sense of closeness and brings joy from being together, a collective action day is particularly necessary in troubled times like these. Moments spent working together help strengthen the cohesiveness and safety of the society, as well as everybody’s personal sense of security.

As has been customary in previous years, everyone and every community can decide what needs to get done together in their neighbourhood. This spring, our new compatriots who have reached Estonia while fleeing from the war in Ukraine, are also encouraged to participate in the collective works. In cooperation with the Rescue Board, this spring the Let’s Do It team encourages to pay attention to the safety of water bodies in home neighbourhoods. Last year’s collective works aimed at improving biodiversity will also continue this year. In support of creating a species rich patch of meadow flowers, event foremen can apply for a package full of seeds of local flowers. (You can find more information on that www.teemeara.ee.)

Let’s Do It team encourages everyone to follow all safety procedures, and occupational safety is as important as fire and water safety. Upon finding an explosive device or something that look like one, it must not be touched. The object must be cordoned off and the Rescue Board must be notified about it immediately by calling 112. Information about uncovered wells and other dangerous structures should be forwarded to the state helpline by calling 1247. Children participating in the collective works must never be left unsupervised.

Sharing your emotions of the collective action day is also important. Event photographs and videos can be shared on social media with the hashtag #teemeära2022 and @talgupaev, or you can send the link to the photos via e-mail to info@teemeara.ee (please add the name and location of the event). Videos from the collective action day can be uploaded to YouTube (keyword “Teeme Ära 2022”). Fresh picks from event sites can be viewed at www.teemeara.ee/otse.

The all-Estonian Let’s Do It collective action day arose from the big clean-up day of 2008 and the subsequent collective brainstorming of 2009. Since 2010, it has been an opportunity for every active citizen, neighbourhood, and community to do something for their own living environment. This is the 15th time that the annual vernal collective action day Let’s Do It is held in Estonia, and the collective action spring culminates on the first Saturday of May. The organisers of the 7 May collective action day are The Estonian Fund for Nature and Kodukant, the Estonian Village Movement, plus its surrounding network. National Foundation of Civil Society, Rescue Board, Sigrid Rausing Trust, Dentsu X, Bauhof, LHV Youth Bank, Nordic Hotel Forum, Tele2, and others participate as supporters and partners.