On 31 October, as part of the Crimea Days in Halych, the Mission team participated in a memorial ritual at the 17th–18th century Karaite cemetery — one of the oldest witnesses to the history of Crimea’s diverse heritage.

The commemoration was joined by Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko, Head of the Information Support Department of the Mission Yevhen Bondarenko, Chief Consultant of the De-occupation and Reintegration Department of the Mission Yana Novalenko, Mayor of Halych Oleh Kantor, head of the “Side by Side: United Communities” project Mariana Tomyn, Director General of the “Ancient Halych” National Reserve Volodymyr Oliinyk, Karaite serviceman Andrii Oleinikov, Ms Natalia, the daughter of the oldest Karaite in Ukraine, and Crimean Tatar artist Aziza Eskender.

The event held a deep symbolic meaning: it was a tribute to the communities that for centuries shaped the cultural, spiritual, and ethnic diversity of the Crimean Peninsula. Their memory lives on not only in legends and books but also in stone that has withstood the centuries, and in flowers washed by the winds of the Black Sea, serving as a reminder of the land where these peoples were born and of the spirit it preserves.

During the ritual, a prayer was recited by hazzan Oleksandr Dziuba — the only Karaite cleric in Ukraine. In the past, hazzans were the spiritual and educational leaders of Karaite communities, the keepers of traditions and language, and mentors in matters of faith. Their mission is to preserve the connection between generations by passing on the people’s spiritual experience and cultural memory.

Following the ceremony, a tour of the Museum of Karaite History and Culture took place, after which the team joined the presentation of the collection “Three Stars. Selected Works of Volhynian Karaites”, translated by Volodymyr Shabarovskyi. This is a unique anthology that opens up the literary world of Volhynian Karaites to readers. The publication is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Oleksandr Mardkovych’s birth — a prominent cultural and public figure and a populariser of the Karaite language — whose poem “Three Stars” (“Jarykłar”) gave the collection its name. The book includes translations of works by Yosyf Ben Yeshua, Serhii Rudkovskyi, and Mardkovych himself.