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Action, timed to the 25th Anniversary of Crimean Tatar Events in Moscow on 1987 Started in Melitopol
08 April 2012
The first action, titled “With Love to One’s People”, timed to the 25th anniversary of the events in Moscow of summer 1987, related to the unprecedented demonstrations of protest of Crimean Tatars on Red Square started in Melitopol on April 7, 2012. Back in those years more than 50 our nationals from Melitopol took part in these events. The ceremonial event was held in the town’s House of Culture named after Shevchenko.
The concert program was prepared by the young performers of the local ensemble “Guzel Qirim”, headed by Zarema Zaretdinova and ensemble “Zaman” from Simferopol. Many of them have parents who took part in Moscow events of 1987 and who were present that day in the event. The master of the ceremony was the Deputy Head of Zaporozhsky Regional Mejlis, an active participant of Crimean Tatar community of Melitopol Leyla Ibragimova.
Crimea was represented at the event by the Head of the Foreign Relations of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ali Hamzin, the veteran of the national movement, one of the leaders of Moscow events of 1987 Bekir Umerov. The ceremony was also attended by the Head of Zaporozhsky Regional Mejlis Ridvan Ibragimov and famous Crimean Tatar historian Gulnara Bekirova. The city authorities were represented by the deputy mayor Irina Donets, Head of the department of culture of the city Natalia Ivanova, member of the City Council Valery Lyabakh, the honored worker of culture of Ukraine Ekaterina Shishmanova. Among the other guests were also the Head of Zaporozhsky Tatar cultural center “Altynay” Rahima Ahmerova and other representatives of the national-cultural centers and societies of Melitopol.
The deputy mayor of Melitopol Irina Donets opening the ceremonial event noted the important role of Crimean Tatar community in Melitopol’s life, its high self-organization, its big role in the establishment of the principles of tolerance, interethnic and interreligious consent. Addressing the participants of the events in Moscow in 1987 that as I.Donets noted were important for the whole Crimean Tatar people, deputy mayor noted that the principles of non-violence and traditional respect of Crimean Tatars to the representatives of other nationalities are the guarantees of their revival in Crimea.
After that Ali Hamzin and Bekir Umerov were invited to the scene and expressed their gratitude on behalf of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people the initiator of this jubilee event, called all the present to develop and to strengthen the public initiative of Crimean Tatars in order to oppose the modern threats and negative challenges that lead to weakening of Crimean Tatar identity. The famous activist and veteran of the national movement Minever Idrisova and Head of Zaporozhsky Tatar cultural center “Altynay” Rahima Ahmerova also addressed the audience with their speeches.
The musical program of the event was full of Crimean Tatar patriotic songs. The choreographic program, dedicated to the deportation and combat of the Crimean Tatar people for the return and restoration of their national rights in Crimea and demonstration of photo-materials of 1987 from Ismail Ibragimov arouse special delight. There was an exhibition of the book, titled: “Longing for the Homeland… Destinies of Crimean Tatars from Melitopol”, that was presented on November 22, 2011 in the Crimean Tatar theatre in Simferopol and then on December 5 in Melitopol.
Reference:
Today there are about 4000 Crimean Tatars living in Melitopol. There is Zaporozhsky regional Mejlis whose members acted earlier as Melitopol regional committee, promoting to the return of Crimean Tatars to their Homeland “Azat”.
