Thursday 23 May 2024 at 7pm - 8:30pm

Crimean Tatars: 80 Years of Remembrance and Resistance

LH Large Common Room

Join us for the event of the Ukrainian Society to learn about the rich history and culture of Crimean Tatars, the native people of Crimea whose struggle dates back to the 18th century, to the oppression exercised by the Russian Empire, and continues to this day with severe human rights violations by the occupying Russian regime. Despite these challenges, the Crimean Tatars have peacefully fought for their right to live and prosper on their native land, seeking to shape their own political and social future.

This event will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the deportation (Sürgünlik) of the Crimean Tatars carried out by the Soviet regime on 18 May 1944. It will reflect on the hardships of living in exile and the process of returning to the native land in the 1980s. The event will also discuss the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014 and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which have further violated the human rights of Crimean Tatars. The panel will offer an opportunity to delve into the culture, history, and ongoing struggle of the Crimean Tatars, focusing on their resilience and enduring fight for justice.

The event will feature a photo and video exhibition exploring the national heritage, rich traditions, and cultural legacy of the Crimean Tatars through the art of traditional embroidery (Ornek) and filigree jewellery making. 

Speakers:

Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute (Kyiv).

Rory Finnin, Professor of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Elmira Muratova, a post-doctoral researcher at the European Centre for Minority Issues in Germany.

Emine Ziyatdinova, a Crimean Tatar documentary photographer and co-founder and director of the NGO 'Ukrainian Warchive', a digital photo archive of the Russo-Ukrainian war.