Poland Delegation from Gdansk Met Representatives of Local Army of Zaporozhye in Bakhchisaray

26 April 2011

On February 13, 2011 the meeting of Polanddelegation from Gdanskthat made visit to Crimeain theframework of thecultural project “Ethnic Dialogue” with the representatives of LocalArmy of Zaporozhye Vitali Mandyk (Zatopska Sich) and Sergey Shkurko (Kodatska Palanka) took place in Bakhchisaray. The meeting also attended Ali Khamsin,Head of department of foreign affairs of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people and Nedim Useinov, representative of the Crimean Tatar diaspora in Poland, Universityof Gdansk’s postgraduate.

Poland delegation was represented by professor, President of the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Journalism of the University of Gdansk named after Tsezar Obrakht-Prondzynsky, Roman Zela, director of the House of Unity and Meeting named after St. Maksimilian Kolbe in Gdansk, Arkadiush Golynsky, Vice-director on program issues of the House of Unity and Meeting named after St. Maksimilian Kolbe in Gdansk, Renata Mistazh, expert of the Center of education of teachers in Gdansk, Andzhey Bychkovsky, director of Regional training educational complex in Veykherovo, Jerzy Conradi, director of Municipal center of culture, sport and recreation in Reda.

The parties discussed a wide range of questions, related to the history of interrelations of Poland, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar peoples, in particular, they exchanged opinions on the historical ties between Crimean Khanate, Zaporizhska Sich and Rech Pospolita.

In the course of friendly talk they expressed the mutual opinion that the periods of confrontation and wars in the 16^th and 17^th centuries between Crimea, Ukraineand Poland– the leading regional players of Black Searegion – resulted in the fact that despite of the victories or defeats, everyone came off a loser whatever union they entered into. Consequently, at the end of the 18^th and in the 20^th century the Poland, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar peoples suffered the tragic periods in their history that turned for them the loss of their independence and national states, famine-genocide, exile from their native lands, deportation of Crimean Tatar people from Crimea, death of millions of people and genocide.

In conclusion of the meeting the participants called each other to development public initiative among their peoples in order to promote friendly relations between Ukraine, Polandand Crimea.

At the end of the meeting the guests were toured around the KhanPalace.