On Wednesday, November 29, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center held a press conference, during which speakers spoke about the interim results of the information campaign Return the names – return Crimea, aimed at restoring historical toponyms on the peninsula.
The speakers were:
— Eskender Bariiev — Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, head of the department for legal issues and foreign affairs of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people;
— Tetiana Savchuk – Communications manager of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center;
— Refat Chubarov — Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people;
— Viktor Kovrei — Head of the department of cooperation with ethnic communities of the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience;
Tetiana Savchuk spoke about the activities of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center as part of the information campaign, noting that it has already reached more than 647 thousand people on social networks.
“It is very important to work on the topic of restoring the historical toponymy of Crimea with Ukrainian and international society. Therefore, as part of our campaign, we use various tools: bright posters, infographics, memes, visuals, tests, cooperation with the media, bloggers, Ukrainian business, etc.”,- she noted.
You can follow the campaign on this page, as well as on the #LIBERATECRIMEA landing page.
Eskender Bariiev spoke in detail about the legislative framework for the restoration of historical toponyms in Crimea. To this end, four laws have already been approved in Ukraine:
— Law of Ukraine On the restoration of the rights of persons deported on ethnic grounds;
— Law of Ukraine On the condemnation of the communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the ban on the propaganda of their symbols;
— Law of Ukraine On Indigenous Peoples;
— Law of Ukraine On the condemnation and prohibition of propaganda of Russian imperial policy in Ukraine and the decolonization of toponymy.
“At the present stage, the restoration of the historical toponymy of Crimea is not just the restoration of justice, but a toolkit for the de-occupation of the peninsula”,- emphasized the Head of the Board of the CTRC.
Mr. Viktor Kovrei noted that SEFC is happy to join the process of restoring toponyms in Crimea.
“We understand how complex and important they are. In this regard, SEFC is working on its part. In particular, discussions take place during meetings of various national commissions and at other venues”,- he emphasized.
Refat Chubarov noted that the restoration of historical toponyms of Crimea is indeed one of the tools for the de-occupation of Crimea. If Aqyar remains Sevastopol, then it will always be the city of Russian glory” However, no one will ever say: “Aqyar is the city of Russian glory.”
“It seems to me that it is no longer very comfortable, in the 33rd year of independence of our state, to talk about the restoration of historical names in Crimea. This thesis why didn’t Ukraine restore justice before is actively promoted by the Russian occupiers on the peninsula in an attempt to compromise Ukraine. At the same time, our state went through a difficult path to understand the importance of decommunization, de-Russification and decolonization. Now it’s Crimea’s turn for this”,- he added.
#decolonization_toponymy_of Crimea
The #LIBERATECRIMEA campaign was presented by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center as part of the Engage Community Engagement Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine. The content of the campaign is the sole responsibility of Pact and its partners and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government.
Photo: CTRC, UCMC