Today, an exhibition titled ‘’Qirim içün / For Crimea’’ opened at the Toompea Castle Gallery, dedicated to the complex historical way of one of Ukraine's indigenous peoples – the Crimean Tatars. The exhibition is related to a resolution project presented by members of the Riigikogu. The resolution is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars, with the goal of recognizing this tragic event as an act of genocide.
The exhibition ‘’Qirim içün / For Crimea’’ is designed in such a way that every visitor can trace the historical way of the Crimean Tatar people – from the merging of the ethnic groups inhabiting Crimea into a single nation, through the so-called golden age of the Crimean Khanate, and up to the present-day struggle for the right to live on their ancestral land. The exhibition features work by various Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar artists, including Anton Logov, Asan Barash, and Rustem Eminov.
The exhibition was opened by the Speaker of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia Maksym Kononenko. The Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Tamila Tasheva, also addressed the attendees via a video message.
‘’The events taking place on the Crimean Peninsula since March 2014 have reopened the wounds of the Crimean Tatars, which have yet to heal. The residents justifiably fear a new wave of mass deportation. We, Estonians, deeply understand this pain and the anxiety of preserving one's homeland and nation. Today, here together with Ukrainians and Tatars, we want to voice our protest against these brutal deportations, especially the deportation of children, which Putin's Russia is practicing in Donbas and other occupied territories of Ukraine," said the Speaker of the Riigikogu, Lauri Hussar.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to Estonia, Maksym Kononenko, noted at the exhibition opening: ‘’I know that the Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee has prepared a draft resolution recognizing the mass forced deportation of the Crimean Tatars as genocide and has submitted it for consideration by the deputies. I invite the Riigikogu to pass this resolution. It will not bring back the dead or heal broken lives, but it will certainly help restore justice, without which it is impossible to achieve the comprehensive, fair, and lasting peace that Ukraine so desperately seeks.
In conclusion, I want to express my gratitude to Estonia and every Estonian for the incredible support that Ukraine and every Ukrainian feel during this dark and difficult time for our country. Your leadership preserves the hope of victory, and your assistance brings that victory closer every day. Thank you for your courage in being true friends and partners. Слава Україні! Elagu Eesti!’’
An important contribution to the preparation of the exhibition was made by the Office of the Crimean Platform, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, Tamila Tasheva, the Foundation ''Partnership for a Strong Ukraine’’, and the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Kyiv.
We thank the Congress of Ukrainians in Estonia for translating the exhibition into Estonian. We also thank photographer Erik Peinar for the wonderful photos.