Maria Groeneveld-Savisaar organized a conference in Tallinn. The conference was dedicated to her father, Edgar Savisaar's, 75th birthday. The conference was titled "Global Changes and Future Scenarios: 1987–1992 and 35 Years Later". Maria said that the Estonian public knows little about that time. Therefore, it is important to remember it and compare it with the present.
The conference discussed big ideas that emerge during times of crisis. The first part of the conference focused on the second half of the 1980s. At that time, many scientists entered politics. They brought new ideas with them. The second part of the conference discussed governance models during crises. The experience of the Estonian government of re-independence was analyzed.
Maria explained why they organized such a conference. On May 31st, it was Edgar Savisaar's 75th birthday. They wanted to celebrate it meaningfully. The idea for the conference came when they thought about how to remember Edgar Savisaar's legacy. They also wanted to talk about today's problems.
The conference also discussed how scientists entered politics in the 1980s. The experiences of the re-independence government were also discussed. This year is significant because the Estonian government of re-independence was formed 35 years ago. The conference was organized by Edgar Savisaar's family and members of the re-independence government.
Maria emphasized that the conference is important because it addresses many people. She was happy that they managed to invite both figures from that time and today's figures to the conference. She hopes that the conference will help to better understand that time.
Maria believed that the conference would also discuss how the experience of that time can be used today. She invited both scientists from that time and today's social scientists to the conference. They will discuss how to learn from historical experience.
Maria does not live in Estonia and does not follow Estonian politics every day. She left the analysis of today's Estonian politics to others. She emphasized that both the politics of that time and today's politics are full of changes and unpredictability. This was one of the reasons why they organized the conference.
Maria said that she has no plans to enter Estonian politics. The conference was organized for Edgar Savisaar's birthday. She also talked about Edgar Savisaar's archive. The archive will be handed over to the national archive. Maria does not know exactly what can be found in the archive.
Maria currently works at the European University Institute in Florence. She has no plans to move to Estonia, but she does not rule it out in the future. She recalled that her father was very hardworking and knew a lot about the countries of the world. This inspired her in organizing the conference.