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Apr 28, 2023. Since the restoration of its independence in 1991, Estonia has become a global leader in e-governance. It is the first country to let people from anywhere in the world become one of its 100,000 e-residents, among them Trevor Noah and Angela Merkel. This focus on digital can bring real benefits. All Estonian citizens must register for an electronic ID, and can use it to vote online, register a company in a matter of hours, or declare their taxes in just three minutes. However, it also comes with significant vulnerabilities. In 2007, just seven years after the e-Estonia project began, the country was hit by one of the world’s largest ever cyberattacks. It took down not just government websites but banks, communications systems, and the media. As technology continues to develop, how will Estonia find new ways to bring e-governance to its people? How can it manage fresh challenges? And how can Estonia’s experience as a digital democracy inform other countries’ policies? Join Perry World House and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy for the final installment of this year-long series on Democracy and Emergent Technology, examining the intersection of emergent technologies, politics, and democracy. Hear from Estonia’s Ambassador to the United States Kristjan Prikk about his country’s history pioneering the concept of e-governance and the challenges ahead.