Trivimi Velliste

Trivimi Velliste (born 4 May 1947, in Tartu, Estonia) is an Estonian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1994 and as the Estonian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 1998. He currently is a Member of Parliament in the Riigikogu representing the Pärnumaa Electoral District.

Trivimi Velliste
Velliste in 2016
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office October 1992 – January 1994
Prime Minister	Mart Laar
Preceded by	Jaan Manitski
Succeeded by	Jüri Luik
Personal details
Born	(1947-05-04) 4 May 1947 (age 78) Tartu, Estonia
Political party	Pro Patria Union

Velliste is considered one of the leading forces behind the liberation of the Baltic States. His fight for Estonian identity as a foundation for the struggle to gain independence was an affront to the Russians and was conducted at great personal risk. Velliste deliberately encouraged the drive for national and political freedom. In accordance with his beliefs, he founded a society for the protection of Estonian historical monuments. Velliste considered knowledge of the past to be a necessity in the fight for elementary human rights on the road to self-government and self-confidence.

In 1988, Mr Velliste was awarded the second Rafto Prize. In 2009, he was awarded Order of Polonia Restituta.^[1]