Annual Meeting of Fellow Villagers was Held in Ay-Serez Village of Sudak Region

04 July 2011

On July 3, 2011 the fellow villagers, their children and grandchildren met in Ay-Serez village – an ancient and picturesque village that located next to Kapsikhor village (today Morskoe).

These meetings held annually since the 80-es became traditional and testify to an inextricable link between the elder and young generation and their small homeland.

This year the meeting of fellow villagers was attended by 400 people from various regions of Crimea and outside. Due to the accurate preparatory work made by Ay-Serez Mejlis, veterans of Crimean Tatar national movement, as well as the financial support of natives the meeting turned into a bright and unforgettable festival.

The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev. In his speech he thanked his fellow villagers for their solidarity and love to Ay-Serez and proposed the future steps on revival of their native village. M.Jemilev tries to take part in the meeting of his fellow villagers every year and traditionally visits the house of his parents that preserved until now.

This year the meeting was also visited by the Head of the National Center of Crimean Tatars in the USA Fikret Yurter with his wife. Addressing his fellow villagers and guests he expressed his confidence that Ay-Serez villagers by joint efforts could revive this settlement, thus commemorating their ancestors and preserving their historical heritage for the future generations.

Discussing the questions related to preserving and revival of the village the residents and natives of Ay-Serez village asked the Chairman of Mejlis M. Jemilev to provide them practical assistance in completion of the procedure of execution of necessary documents in order to legalize the land plot under the preserved ancient mosque in Ay-Serez and start its restoration. Mustafa Jemilev assured his fellow villagers that he will render maximum assistance in solving these issues.

Reference:  According to NKVD data, on May 18, 1944 1626 Crimean Tatars were deported from Ay-Serez village.