On 26 June 2025, a special screening of the film Haytarma took place at the ML Bhartia Auditorium at Alliance Française de Delhi to mark Crimean Tatar Flag Day, thanks to the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India and the Embassy of Romania in India, in partnership with the Mission. Following the screening, a discussion took place featuring the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to India, Sena Latif, who engaged in conversation with journalist and film critic Murtaza Ali Khan.

During her online address, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko extended her gratitude to the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India for hosting the Crimean Tatar Flag Day event and underscored the importance of unity and solidarity with the peninsula’s Indigenous people. She highlighted the flag’s symbolism as an embodiment of historical continuity, statehood, and dignity:

“Today, under ongoing Russian occupation, when international law is being violated and Crimean land is exploited, this flag has become a powerful symbol of resistance, hope, and resilience. It unites not only Crimean Tatars but also those who stand for freedom, human rights and justice.”

The Permanent Representative added that the film Haytarma serves both as a call to action and a testament to believe in justice and a shared future. She closed by thanking the international community for its steadfast solidarity and urged continued support for the Crimean Tatar people and for Ukraine’s struggle for freedom.

During the panel discussion, Sena Latif, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to India, shared personal stories from her family’s memory and spoke about the Crimean Tatar community in Romania, highlighting the importance of continuity, resilience, and a sense of belonging. The key message of the event was clear and unequivocal: Crimea is Ukraine, and the voice of the Crimean Tatar people must be heard.

Following the screening, guests viewed an exclusive address by Akhtem Seitablaiev, the film’s director, actor, and a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Haytarma (Crimean Tatar for “return”) is a Ukrainian historical drama directed by Akhtem Seitablaiev, a filmmaker of Crimean Tatar origin. The film centers on the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatar people and was Ukraine’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This military-historical drama portrays the tragic events of 18 May 1944, when Stalin’s regime initiated the forced deportation of Crimean Tatars from their homeland in Crimea, recently liberated from Nazi occupation.

The event is organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India together with the Embassy of Romania in India, in partnership with the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Crimea Platform, ATR TV channel, the state enterprise Crimean House, the media initiative Crimea Daily, and Alliance Française de Delhi.

We express our gratitude to the organizers of the screening of the film Haytarma for the opportunity to mark Crimean Tatar Flag Day, and to introduce the international audience to the culture of the Indigenous Crimean Tatar people.