Festival of Hope Brings Inspiring Music and Message of Hope to Estonia

Local Volunteers and 348 Churches Are Preparing for the Event at Saku Suurhall May 29-31

TALLINN, Estonia, May 11, 2009—Joined by high-energy musical artists, and supported by volunteers and 348 churches, U.S. evangelist and relief worker Franklin Graham will bring a message of hope to the people of Estonia May 29-31 at Saku Suurhall in Tallinn.

This is the first time Franklin Graham has held a Festival in Estonia; however his father, Billy Graham, held an evangelistic event in Tallinn in 1984.

"Everyone is welcome," said Graham, who is coming to Estonia at the invitation of local pastors and church leaders. "I hope that anyone in Estonia who is struggling with questions about life or would like a new beginning will come to this Festival of Hope."

This is a country-wide effort, with buses bringing people to the festival from across Estonia and from neighboring Latvia and Finland.  In addition to the festival event, Franklin Graham's international relief organization Samaritan's Purse will also be distributing thousands of Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts to needy children in Estonia. 

During the three-day event at Saku Suurhall, Franklin Graham will present an encouraging nightly message. The Festival of Hope will also feature popular musical performers, including Michael W. Smith, along with musical artists from Estonia, Finland, Belarus and Ukraine.  There will also be a mass choir made up of volunteers from the Tallinn area.  A special KidzFest event for children will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.

All Festival programs will be open to the public and free of charge.

Since 1989, Franklin Graham has held an average of seven festivals each year as an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  Graham is president and CEO of the organization and continues to travel the world as head of the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.

In 2008, Graham held festivals in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Knoxville, Tennessee; Villahermosa, Mexico; Timisoara, Romania; Charleston, South Carolina; and Taipei, Taiwan.

-30-