Opinion: Culture and history as the backbone of national identity in Iran and Ukraine

Opinion editor Erkki Bahovski argues that shared culture and history are key reasons why Iran and Ukraine have not collapsed under pressure. He draws lessons from both countries' experiences for Estonia and beyond.

What holds a nation together when everything seems to be falling apart? According to Erkki Bahovski, opinion editor and commentator, the answer lies in culture and history — two forces that forge a shared identity strong enough to withstand extraordinary pressure.

Bahovski points to Iran and Ukraine as striking examples. Despite vastly different political systems and circumstances, both countries have demonstrated a remarkable resilience that cannot be explained by military strength or economic power alone. Something deeper is at work — a collective sense of who they are, rooted in centuries of shared memory, language, literature, and tradition.

In Ukraine's case, the ongoing war with Russia has paradoxically strengthened national identity rather than shattered it. The defence of cities, the preservation of language, and the insistence on cultural distinctiveness from Russia have all become acts of resistance as much as survival. Similarly, Iran's long civilisational history — far predating the Islamic Republic — gives its people a sense of continuity that transcends political upheaval.

For Estonia, Bahovski suggests, this is not merely an academic observation. A small nation with a complex history of occupations and foreign dominance, Estonia has long understood that culture and historical memory are not luxuries — they are instruments of national survival. The Estonian Song and Dance Celebration, the preservation of the Estonian language, and the insistence on a distinct historical narrative have all served this function.

The lesson, as Bahovski frames it, is clear: nations that invest in their cultural and historical identity build a kind of resilience that no external force can easily dismantle. In an era of hybrid threats, information warfare, and geopolitical uncertainty, that may be the most important defence of all.