The opening of the stage was attended by the founder of the ethno-festival, Oleh Skrypka, the Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Territorial Defence Command, Colonel Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, film director and soldier Akhtem Seitablaiev, and a representative of the Crimean Front joint initiative, Feliks Karaiev.

Oleh Skrypka called the Crimean Stage one of the veterans of the ethno-festival movement, as Crimea was represented at the festival even before the occupation of the peninsula by Russia.

“We have been creating Kraina Mrii together with Crimeans for 18 years. You know, when we lose something, we feel the real value. I remember the Crimean grapes, wine, Massandra, beaches… We will bring it all back. We have not let go of Crimea in our hearts,” he said, adding “Qırım serbest olacaq” in Crimean Tatar.

The congratulatory speeches were followed by poetry and prose readings in Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar by the winners of the Crimean Figs / Qırım İnciri contest and a musical performance by the ethnic trio Musafir.

Other attractions included writing letters to political prisoners as part of the Letters to a Free Crimea initiative, a fair of traditional and handmade crafts, a photo exhibition with stories about military men from Crimea who stood up to defend the Ukrainian state, an exhibition titled Stories from Occupied Crimea, Crimean Tatar food, and, of course, fundraising for the needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

Ruslan Bulatov, Aliie Khadzhabadinova, and Elnara Khalilova concluded the musical and choreographic program.

We remind you that today the Crimean Stage will feature performances by Emiliia Bodurova and sisters Oriiana and Mylada Lotsman, panel discussions “Endangered: The Language of the Crimean Tatars” and “On the Road to Crimea: Literature as a Connection and Roots,” a performance by the Crimean Tatar-Ukrainian project from Lviv, Çayır, and an auction to raise funds for the 112th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.

Visit the Crimean Stage: Bağçasaray!

The Crimean Stage program is organized with the support of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea/Office of the Crimean Platform, ZMINA. Human Rights Center, NGO CrimeaSOS, Ukrainian-Crimean Tatar literary project Crimean Figs / Qırım İnciri, state-owned enterprise Crimean House, TRO Media, joint initiative Crimean Front, NGO Kitap Qalesi, NGO Institute for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language, and Musafir Restaurant.

Media partners: QIRIM.Media and Crimea Daily.