Dear Ms. Tiina Sanila-Aikio
President
Sámediggi (The Saami Parliament) (FINLAND)
Dear Mr. Per-Olof Nutti
President
The Sami Parliament (SWEDEN)
Dear Ms. Aili Keskitalo
President
The Sami Parliament of Norway
On behalf of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and on my own, I sincerely congratulate you on the Sami National Day
Today, on February 6, the Sami people celebrate the 101st anniversary of the Sami National Day. In 1917 there was the first meeting of the Sami where solutions for common problems of unification of the Sami of northern countries were solved in the city of Trondheim.
The Sami people is an example for many indigenous peoples of the world in achieving goals, preserving culture and traditions. This holiday personifies the unification, freedom and independence that the Saami people managed to realize in the process of formation, development and complex struggle for their rights.
The Crimean Tatar people support the processes of unification, self-organization and development of the Sami people. For the Crimean Tatar people, the year 1917 became as historically important as for the Sami people. It was during this period that our people began their way to the restoration of national self-government. On December 9, 1917 the first Kurultay of the Crimean Tatar people was convened in Crimea, that proclaimed the creation of the Crimean People's Republic, adopted its Constitution and state symbols and then declared itself the parliament of the Crimean People's Republic.
We are confident that the progress of friendly relations between our peoples will contribute to strengthening the cooperation in the sphere of protection the rights of indigenous peoples, the exchange of experience and intercultural cooperation.
We sincerely wish the Sami people happiness, joy, prosperity and peace!
Best regards,
The Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center,
Member of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Eskender Bariiev