Yesterday, First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Portugal to participate in the annual conference in Estoril. The theme of the event was “Time to Rethink.” During her visit, a Ukrainian bookshelf was inaugurated at the municipal library, where the catalog for the exhibition titled “LOMYKAMIN’. Women’s Resistance in Crimea” was also presented. This catalog is dedicated to 10 years of resistance to the occupation of Crimea, particularly focusing on the experiences of women. The catalog features works by Ukrainian artists from Crimea and Donetsk: Emine Ziiatdinova, Mariia Kulikovska, Alevtyna Kakhidze, Yuliia Po, Liia Dostlieva, and activists from the Zla Mavka resistance movement. The project was initiated by the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Tamila Tasheva.

The historical context of the theme is represented by the exhibition titled “Iphigenia in Tauris: Lesya Ukrainka in Crimea,” which explores female imagery from ancient Greek times to Lesya Ukrainka and the early years of Ukraine’s independence. The poetic name, which Lesya Ukrainka used to describe a humble flower, a high-altitude endemic of Crimea — LOMYKAMIN’ (saxifrage) — gave the exhibition its title. The opening and first installation of the exhibition took place at the Crimea Platform Office from February 26 to May 13, 2024.

The purpose of the catalog is to draw public attention to the stories of women who have been illegally imprisoned for supporting Ukraine; to honor the strength and courage of the wives of political prisoners, and those who resist the occupiers daily, demonstrating their fight for rights and liberties.