By Zera Mustafaieva
The centerpiece of the evening was a unique exhibition by the Crimean Tatar Foundation USA, brought from Purdue University and created in collaboration with John Martinson Honor College. The exhibition featured a rare collection of world paintings (photographic reproductions) depicting life on the Crimean Peninsula and Crimean Tatar society in the 18th century. Of particular interest were ancient artifacts from the era of the Crimean Khanate and items preserved from the tragic year of 1944 — the time of the forced expulsion of the Crimean Tatars from their ancestral homeland. The exhibition allowed visitors to immerse themselves in the rich culture and traditions of Ukraine’s indigenous people — the Crimean Tatar people.
“When Russian propaganda attempts to rewrite history by calling Crimea ‘primordially Russian land,’ it fears one thing — the truth that lives in the blood of every Crimean Tatar,” said Zera and Zarema, presidents of the Crimean Tatar Foundation USA and researchers at Purdue University, addressing the gathered audience. They also noted a historical fact: “In 1991, it was the Crimean Tatar votes that were decisive in ensuring Crimea’s inclusion in independent Ukraine.”
The Foundation presented disturbing statistics about the situation in occupied Crimea: 62% of political prisoners are pro-Ukrainian Crimean Tatars, while 75% of forced disappearances involve members of this indigenous community.
The spotlight fell on a story that reflects the scale of repression in occupied Crimea: 19-year-old Appaz Kurtamet was sentenced to seven years in prison for transferring just $12 to a classmate later realized serving in the Noman Celebicihan Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was followed by an eight-year sentence for his father, Halil Kurtamet, a successful entrepreneur and hotel owner in Ai-Petri — a practice that international observers characterize as a method of collective family punishment. The same prison holds Bohdan Ziza, a young Ukrainian who dared to make a symbolic act of protest by painting an administrative building in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Bohdan’s story, as an orphaned political prisoner, became known thanks to Appaz’s mother, who, while fighting for her own son’s freedom, became a voice for those political prisoners who have no one to speak for them.
The cultural program included traditional Crimean Tatar dishes and a performance by the “WBENA” ensemble, accompanying on banduras. The highlight was the performance of “Ey Güzel Qırım” (Oh, Beautiful Crimea) sung by Marta Sofia Fraser in the Crimean Tatar language. A special symbolic moment was the appearance of young women portraying Shefika Gasprinskaya and Lesya Ukrainka, wearing costumes created by folk costume designer Elmira Kataki.
The Ukrainian Consul in Chicago, Koledov Serhiy emphasized in his speech: “Dear friends, today we remember Crimea, the cradle of Ukrainian civilization. Regrettably, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol were the first places to suffer Russian aggression. Many people have forgotten that the war began not in 2022, but in 2014 with Russia’s attack on Crimea. Unfortunately, at that time, Ukraine could not withstand this pressure and was forced to temporarily leave this territory. But we know that we always believe in and strive for the return to our beautiful Crimea.”
Today, many Crimean Tatars serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, often using Slavic call signs to protect their families who remain in occupied Crimea. “This war has shown the world that Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians stand shoulder to shoulder against Russian aggression,” foundation representatives stated. “For us, this is not just a war for territory — it’s a struggle for our right to exist as a people, to preserve our language, culture, and traditions.”
The evening concluded with an old Crimean Tatar proverb about the birch tree and the Muscovite, which has taken on special significance in the context of current events: “Never plant a birch tree in your yard, for a Muscovite will come and claim the yard as his own.”
This event was not merely a cultural celebration but an important reminder that the war in Ukraine, which began with the occupation of Crimea in 2014, continues to be an unfinished chapter in the history of two peoples whose destinies are inextricably linked in their struggle for freedom and the preservation of cultural heritage.