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International Event «Night of Museums» Timed to 25th Anniversary of Return of Crimean Tatars to Their Homeland Was Held in Lvov
17 May 2013
The National Museum-Memorial to the Victims of the Occupation Regimes “Lontsky’s Prison” housed the international event “Night of Museums” on May 16, 2013 from 6 to 0 p.m. It was timed to the 25th anniversary of the return of the Crimean Tatars deported by Stalin’s regime to their homeland. Around 500 people visited the event.
The deputy mayor of Lvov on humanitarian issues Mr Vasily Kosov opened the official part of the event.
He recalled the repressions of the Soviet regime that affected his family as well. Mr Alim Aliev – the co-organizer of the festivals of Crimean Tatar culture in Lvov noted that already 25 years the Crimean Tatars have possibility to return home, but have no possibility to feel completely at home.
“That is why it is symbolic that we meet in the prison of the past – we need to go through this comprehension in order not to let the past poisoning our future. Acting together makes us stronger and we make big steps towards construction of the desired country,”- Mr Alieve underscored. Mr Petr Kolodiy, Chairman of Lvov Regional Council also took part in the event. He laid flowers to the memorial cross located in the yard of the former prison and visited the documentary exhibition, titled: “Deportation” timed to the 25th anniversary of the return of the Crimean Tatars to their Homeland.
In his turn the Director General of “Lontsky’s Prison” Mr Ruslan Zabiliy told why he initiated this event. “Living through shootings, humiliations, famine and thirst in 1944 the Crimean Tatars started returning to their native land in 1989. Despite the attempts to ban the actions commemorating those who died and subjected to repressions in Crimea, here in Lvov, we do not loose ties and preserve the memory for the Ukrainians,”- he said.
The Director of the Centre for Hebrew Studies of Lvov Mr Meily Sheihet noted that the present event inLontsky’s Prison testifies to the Ukrainians’ attitude to other nations they coexist with in one state – to their culture and history.
During the lecture, titled: “Who the Crimean Tatars are?” Mr Alim Aliev presented the ethnogenesis, history, national symbols and modern situation of his people. After that he showed pictures and told about the family history of his 87-years-old grandmother Niyara Halilova: how she was deported along with her family and how they returned to their native land. Then everyone had opportunity to watch the video interview with Mustafa Jemilev made in Lvov in 2011 by the bishop, chancellor of Ukrainian Catholic University Mr Boris Gudzyak.
The guests could also enjoy the national Crimean Tatar drinks – flavored coffee with rahat-lukum and receive flyer that could help learning some Crimean Tatar words, such as “selyam” (hello), “sagol” (thank you) and men seni sevem (I’m in love with you) and etc.
The historical reconstructors reproduced the scenes of prison life wearing the uniform of NKVD and Gestapo officers and played a scene of the investigator’s examination and the museum painter-restorer taught how to make postcards himself of anything available.
The significant part of the program was the performance of the prize-winner of the National Award of Ukraine named after T.Shevchenko, writer Igor Kalinets who presented his eighth volume of selected works of the well-known Ukrainian poetess, public figure, active participant of the dissident movement, human rights advocate Irina Kalinets.
The performance in the theatre of shadows “Chudes” started at 11 p.m. and Mrs Viktoria Sadovaya and Mr Alim Aliev read works of Crimean Tatar poets Mr Samadin Shukurdzhi, Mr Refat Muslimov and Mrs Liliya Budzhurova in Crimean Tatar, Russian and Ukrainian languages accompanied by authentic tunes by Mr Enver Sherfedinov, Mrs Zarema Alieva and group “Aqyar”, as well as the demonstration of the film about the history of the Crimean Tatars from early 20th century to early 21st century.
Burning candles arranged in a shape of the national Crimean Tatar and state symbol of Ukraine Tamga and Tryzub finished the “Night of Museums in Lontsky’s Prison”.
