Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People: The University Pays Tribute

On May 18, the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People, we reflect on one of the most tragic pages in the history of Crimea — the deportation of the Crimean Tatars, the forced expulsion from their homeland that destroyed not only lives, but also culture, language, and identity. This was a crime against an entire people, who were overnight forbidden from being themselves.

"When we return to our native land" — these words by Lili Budzhurova became the voice of the exiled, a symbol of hope for those who were denied the right to live on their own land. In this video, Karazin University community members read a poem by the Crimean Tatar poet, journalist, and human rights defender, who herself walked the path of return from exile to preserve and pass on the memory of her people's tragedy — not as a page of the past, but as a wound that still aches.

The poetry of Lili Budzhurova is a tender yet powerful testimony of what it means to lose one’s home, yet remain unbroken. Her verses were copied by hand, memorized, recited around fires and during the return to their native land. These are not just lines — they are the living history of a people who, against all odds, preserved their dignity, culture, language, and love.

Today, we call on everyone to remember those who suffered from this tragedy. Let us honor their memory.

Join the Day of Remembrance — post a photo with the Crimean Tatar flag, use remembrance hashtags, and speak out loud: we have not forgotten. We stand together.

#KarazinRemembers #May18 #UnbrokenMemory