On 16 November 2019 a conference was held on theme: “Five years of Crimea occupation: projections, reality and challenges”, organized by Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People together with the East European Development Institute with the support of Bureau de Helling.

The participants of the conference were Refat Chubarov, people’s Deputy of Ukraine, the Head of mejlis of Crimean Tatar People, the Head Deputy and the members of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People; Yulia Kozdobyna, Advisor to the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine; Hayana Juksel, Advisor to the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine; Andrew Klymenko, the expert of the civic organization “Maidan of Foreign Affairs”, Yevhen Samukha, the Head of the Department of International Connections of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in ARC; Vitaliy Kononov, the Head of the Party of Greens of Ukraine; Gulnara Bekirova, the Deputy Head of the Henitchesk District State Administration; Volodymyr Kazarin, Professor and Rector of Tavrida National University named after V.I. Vernadsky, scientists, art critics, human rights defenders, Crimeans and other civil society representatives.

During the conference, the current situation of the TOT of Ukraine in Crimea was observed in the light of permanent militarization of the peninsula and the prospects for its de-occupation under these circumstances significantly. The legal consequences of the occupation of the peninsula were highlighted in the context of political, diplomatic and information counteracting the RF and removing obstacles to constructive interaction among the mess media and executive state authorities. The discussion included systemic human rights violations in Crimea, destruction of cultural heritage in the peninsula. The participants emphasized the need to preserve the unique cultural heritage of Crimea and highlighted the issues of education under the occupation.

The officials of the Mission pointed out the current activity of the Mission in counteracting the actions of the occupying authorities in the TOT of Ukraine in Crimea by providing the actual examples of the violation of the right to education in Crimea, particularly elimination of Crimean Tatar Schools, Ukrainian schools and classes and exercising of the right of Crimean youth to education in mainland Ukraine significantly.

During the conference, the attendants took part in the rally to support the Crimean political detainee Edem Bekirov illegally imprisoned by Russia.