An exhibition of old photographs of Crimea opened in Kyiv: what is on display?

An exhibition of old photographs of Crimea called YILLAR VE YOLLAR has opened in the Crimean House. This is a unique opportunity for everyone to plunge into the atmosphere of the peninsula in the early twentieth century

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On 25 February, at 17:30, the Crimean House in Kyiv hosted the opening of a photo exhibition of old photographs of Crimea called YILLAR VE YOLLAR. It was organised by the NGO CrimeaSOS with the support of the Crimea Daily media initiative and the Crimean House team.

What is the essence of the exhibition?

The aim of the exhibition is to help restore historical memory by presenting the Crimea of the early twentieth century as it really was, without the distortions of propaganda.

The exhibition is composed of unique photographs dating from 1900 to 1925. The visitors are offered a wide variety of subjects: from portraits and genre scenes to mountain landscapes and streets of cities and villages. A special place is given to the life and culture of the Crimean Tatars, who appear in these photographs in the atmosphere of those years when the peninsula existed in a completely different historical and political context.

According to the author of the idea and creator of the blog Tenzile Topalova, the exhibition aims to erase the time barrier and give viewers a sense of the real life of Crimeans a century ago. ‘I want the guests of the exhibition to feel as if the time barrier has been erased for a while. I want us to walk along familiar roads together; to breathe deeply, feeling the native air; to imagine what life looked like for people of those times, what made them happy, what worried them,’ she says. Topalova emphasises that in this way she reminds us of what Crimea used to be and what it should remain - the homeland of the Crimean Tatar people.

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What will be shown at the exhibition?

The meaning of YILLAR VE YOLLAR goes far beyond a historical tour. The authors of the project emphasise that the exhibition also tells about personal experiences that unite those who were forced to leave Crimea at different times in its history. The photographs help to maintain a connection with the native land and overcome the homesickness that many people feel.

Mila Shevchenko, co-coordinator of CrimeaSOS, recalls the difficult decision to leave Yalta because of the Russian occupation and admits that she took only photographs with her to preserve her memories of her native Crimea. ‘But for 11 years now, I have been following a different path - the path of returning to Crimea. And today, on this path, contemplating the YILLAR VE YOLLAR exhibition, I feel the spirit, history and life of our peninsula and plan to return home...’ she says.

The organisers invite everyone to visit the exhibition to see with their own eyes how diverse and multifaceted Crimea was at the beginning of the last century. These photographs not only reflect the cultural heritage of the peninsula, but also make it possible to understand how important it is to preserve the historical image of Crimea, its authenticity and the memory of generations.

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