23 November 2024
Closing Ceremony of the Second International Conference Crimea Global: Understanding Ukraine through the South
On November 22, the closing ceremony of the Second International Conference Crimea Global: Understanding Ukraine through the South took place. Organizers and participants delivered closing remarks, summarizing two intensive days of discussions and expressing gratitude to all attendees for their attention and support of Ukraine during these challenging times.
Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine Tamila Tasheva emphasized the importance of solidarity, noting that Ukraine has been enduring the full-scale war for nearly three years and has faced Russian aggression for a decade: “I sincerely thank everyone who came to Ukraine and supported us during these difficult days. We are experiencing tough times—every day, Ukraine faces the destruction of infrastructure and numerous civilian casualties. Yet, despite all this, we have successfully held this important and intensive event.”
She expressed gratitude to every participant of the conference, from speakers and moderators to volunteers and students who contributed to its organization. Tamila Tasheva emphasized that the event was not only about Crimea or Ukraine but also addressed global challenges: “We spoke about your countries, about shared problems. It seems that through such communication, we can achieve more for sustainable peace, both for Ukraine and the world.”
Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Rostyslav Tronenko, highlighted the global dimension of the conference and its title: “We hope that the solidarity and empathy you demonstrated today will support our defenders, the Crimean Tatars, Indigenous peoples, and minorities who are fighting for Ukraine and Crimea.”
The Ambassador reaffirmed Ukraine’s unwavering position on Crimea: “Crimea was, is, and will remain part of Ukraine. As President Zelenskyy said, we do not negotiate Ukraine’s territorial integrity.”
Tetiana Pechonchyk, Chair of the Board of the ZMINA Human Rights Center, underlined the significance of the conference as a platform for exchanging ideas and strengthening international cooperation: “My dream is to host this conference again. Let Crimea Global happen once more!”
She spoke about the work of volunteers who contributed to various initiatives, including the “Letters to Free Crimea” campaign, and acknowledged the significant efforts of everyone involved in organizing the discussions, side events, and photo exhibitions held as part of the conference.
The conference’s closing ceremony symbolized international solidarity with Ukraine, its global dimension, and a reminder of the importance of continued collaboration to address global challenges and achieve sustainable peace.
The conference was organized on the initiative of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea/Office of the Crimea Platform, with co-organizers including the Media Initiative for Human Rights, ZMINA Human Rights Center, PEN Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the MFA. Event partners included the Center for Information Resilience, CrimeaSOS, and the East European Development Institute.
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