Celelbration of the Crimean Tatar flag day in Kiev (photo-report)

On Monday, June 26, the Day of the Crimean Tatar flag was celebrated in Kiev. The solemn procession began on Khreshchatyk street and ended with a rally on the Independence Square. Several hundred people of different nationalities joined the rally.

Participants of the activity launched a large Crimean Tatar flag (39 meters), which last year was brought from Turkey, from Ankara. The initiative belonged to the representatives of the Crimean Tatar diaspora. Participants walked along Khreshchatyk street to the Independence Square. At the head of the column – the head and members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, as well as the wife of the leader of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev – Safinar Dzhemileva. In front of all there were small children in national costumes with the Crimean Tatar flag in hands.

Participants chanted the slogans "Crimea is Ukraine", "MİLLET! VETAN! QIRIM! ", "Freedom to Kremlin's hostages", etc.

The official part of the event was held on Independence Square. After the speeches  of Mejlis members and the guests of the  event, the entertaining part began. The participants were Crimean Tatar artists and children from the Crimean Tatar cultural center "Qirim ailesi"(Crimean Family).

The flag was adopted for the first time by the Kurultay (national congress) of the Crimean Tatars in 1917, after the February revolution in Russia. On June 30, 1991, , this flag was re-adopted as a national flag by the newly convened Kurultay.  The Day of the Crimean Tatar flag is celebrated since 2010.

Photo: Elvir Sagirman