The Dragon's Egg 25 years old

Making peace on the wreckage of the twentieth century

A third of Estonia's people are Russian, most of them put there by Stalin. For Estonians it is like having a dragon's egg laid in your nest: you wait in fear for it to hatch. The Russians in Klooga, an abandoned Soviet Army base, are struggling to build a community with their new Estonian neighbours. Estonians would rather not give Russians citizenship, residence or jobs: they wish they would go home. But for Russians, Klooga is home. A group of American scholars exploring ethnic reconciliation and democratic practice, led by Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Vamik Volkan, has $50,000 to offer any group of Estonians and Russians who can work together for a common goal. Twenty Russians and Estonians in Klooga form a committee and seize the challenge to build a better life for their children.