Today Ukraine and Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities worldwide celebrate the Crimean Tatar National Flag Day.
Kök Bayraq, the national flag of Crimean Tatar People, is a light blue flag with a yellow coat of arms (the Tamğa) in its upper left corner. It was first introduced in 1917 by the First Crimean Tatar Kurultai. During the Soviet times, the flag was prohibited and re-established again as a national symbol in June 1991 by the Second Kurultai. Today the Kök Bayraq is also regarded by Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine worldwide as one of the symbols of resistance to the Russian occupation of Crimea.
We work side by side with the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People and with the World Congress of Crimean Tatars (WCCT) on initiatives, aimed at de-occupation of the Crimea and raising awareness among the global community of issues of blatant human rights violations and political persecutions of Crimean activists by the Russian occupation authorities.
Today we once again proclaim together: Crimea is Ukraine! Qırım – bu, Ukraina! And together we are approaching the day when the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar Flags of Freedom will once again fly over the free Ukrainian Crimea!
