Public dialogue “Circassian genocide: the greatest crime of Russian imperialism in the 19th century”
On May 21, the Holodomor Museum will host a public dialogue “Circassian Genocide: The Greatest Crime of Russian Imperialism in the 19th Century.”
By colonizing and seizing new territories, the Russian Empire purposefully exterminated people in those territories and even entire nations. Thus, in the 19th century, the desire to seize the lands of the North Caucasus led to a long Russian-Caucasian war. When the resistance of the Caucasian highlanders could not be overcome in an open military confrontation, Russia began to “cleanse the Caucasus of enemy peoples.” May 21 became the date of the genocide of the Circassian people when, in 1865, Circassian soldiers who entered the last doomed battle against Russian troops and died in Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi died.
To date, only one state – Georgia – has recognised the extermination of the Circassians as genocide. Ukraine is also considering this possibility: the Verkhovna Rada has registered a draft “Resolution on recognition of the genocide of the Circassian people committed by the Russian Empire.”
Our speakers will tell more about the crime and its recognition:
Dmytro Bilyi, doctor of historical sciences, head of the Holodomor research department of the National Museum of the Holodomor-genocide;
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, co-author of the resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the recognition of the genocide of the Circassian people.
Moderator:
Andrii Ivanets, candidate of historical sciences, leading researcher of the National Museum of the Holodomor-genocide.
“Now, when Ukraine is waging a war with the Russian invaders, we should know that the genocidal policy of the Russians has not changed and will not change until the peoples give a proper fight back,” Dmytro Bily says. – Ukrainians have their own experience of the Holodomor – the genocide of 1932-1933. But we understand that this experience is shared by all the peoples that the Muscovite Empire, the Russian Empire, the USSR and the modern Russian Federation tried to subjugate. The names of Russian state entities change, but their main weapon against other peoples remains unchanged, and this weapon is genocide. Our response to this is to support the peoples who have suffered genocide and fight together with them to stop this terrible empire of evil.”
When: May 21, Tuesday, at 4:00 p.m
Where: Hall of Memory of the Holodomor Museum (Kyiv, 3 Lavrska Str.)
Entry is free with prior registration: http://surl.li/tnggs