On Monday, February 13, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center at the news agency Ukrinform held a press conference Return the names – return Crimea, during which the speakers spoke about the importance of restoring historical toponyms in Crimea.
Speakers were:
- Eskender Bariiev – Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, head of the Department for Legal and Foreign Affairs of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people;
- Tetiana Podvorniak – Communications Manager of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center;
- Refat Chubarov – Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people;
- Victor Yelenskyy – Chairman of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience;
- Andrii Yermolenko – cartoonist.
“In the last three centuries, the Crimean peninsula has undergone large-scale Russification and Sovietization, which is clearly reflected in the renaming of various geographical names. First of all, the Russian authorities at various times did this in order to destroy the culture, language and history of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine – the Crimean Tatars, Karaites and Krymchaks, as well as their connection with their native land”,- said Tetiana Podvorniak.
As the communications manager noted, today it is important to work on restoring the historical toponymy of Crimea. That is why the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people have launched a new information and advocacy campaign – Return the names – return Crimea.
Eskender Bariiev informed about when and why historical toponyms in Crimea were renamed and how Russia uses toponyms in the information war.
“At the present stage, the restoration of the historical toponymy of Crimea is not just the restoration of justice, but a tool for the de-occupation of the peninsula”,- he stressed.
The head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, noted the high importance of this topic and told why it is important to restore historical toponyms in Crimea for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine and Ukraine as a state.
“The restoration of the historical toponymy of Crimea, which was purposefully destroyed as a result of the colonial policy of the Russian Empire, and then the USSR, will once and for all knock out Moscow’s desire to seek its spiritual bonds in foreign territories”,- Chubarov emphasized.
Chairman of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky noted how important the restoration of historical justice is for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine.
“Crimea will be finally de-occupied, and justice for its indigenous people will be restored when Isar ceases to be called Kuibyshevo, Uch Dzhilga – Suvorovo, and Yani Kapu – Krasnoperekopsk”,- Mr. Yelenskyy emphasized.
The event was also joined by artist Andrii Yermolenko, who throughout the whole time helped bring the ideas of #LIBERATECRIMEA activists to life in the form of incredible posters.
“It is important to talk about the return of historical names in the Crimea for our complete victory. We survived, now we must win, we will win when Crimea becomes Ukrainian!”,- he added.
It should be reminded that earlier the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people launched a new information and advocacy campaign – ” Return the names – return Crimea “,- which is aimed at restoring historical toponyms in Crimea.
The campaign is implemented with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.