On Friday, 9 August at 10:00 a.m., the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre in Kyiv will host a briefing on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples ‘Indigenous Peoples: Between Identity Preservation and Challenges in the Context of Russian Aggression’.
Speakers:
- Viktor Yelensky, Chairman of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethno-politics and Freedom of Conscience.
- Akhtem Chiygoz, Ukrainian Crimean Tatar politician, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People.
- Eskender Bariiev, Chairman of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Centre (CTRC).
- Yelizaveta Litvinchuk, Member of the Public Organisation ‘Union of Karaites of Ukraine’.
- Vyacheslav Lombroso, Deputy Chairman of the International Public Organisation ‘Fund for Research and Support of Indigenous Peoples of Crimea’, – Representative of the Crimean Tatar indigenous people of Ukraine (online).
- Sires Bolyaen (Alexander Bolkin), an elder of the Erzya people – inyazor of the Erzya people, chairman of the Erzya society in Ukraine ‘Ěrzäń val’ (‘Erzya word’).
- Denis Kovalev (Moksha name: Chóvganon Dónisi), PhD, Chairman of the Moksha National Committee, Member of the Presidium of the League of Free Nations, Director of the Ukrainian Anatoliy Ryabov Centre for Finno-Ugric Studies (online).
- Yuri Radchenko, Head of the Department of Crimean Tatar and Eastern Philology of the Vladimir Vernadsky Taurida National University, Director of the Centre for the Study of Interethnic Relations in Eastern Europe.
During the event, attendees will learn more about the rich history and culture of indigenous peoples in Ukraine, discuss how Russian aggression has affected indigenous peoples’ lives and culture, examine the challenges that indigenous peoples face in their struggle to maintain their identity, and discuss the importance of international support to protect the rights of indigenous peoples.