Tatar movie screening in Prague

13.04.2017 NGO KITAP with the support of Vaclav Havel Library has screened the Crimean Tatar movie "Haytarma" (2013) of the director Achtem Seytablaev. It is the story of the Tatar nation, in particular, the difficult historical period of the deportation of Crimean Tatars after the II. World War, in year 1944. 

Server Abkerimov, Golden Accordion

The most famous phrase of the talented person, first president of the Czech Republic, dramaturg, and fighter for the human rights - Václav Havel, is "Pravda a láska zvítězí nad lží a nenávistí" or "Truth and love will triumph over the lies and hatred". These words are of a deep meaning. What should we do, in order not to occur in the situation of lie, hate, humiliation, and even war?

Quran, the holy book of Muslims, teaches us to study, to learn, to examine. Why? That is because, the past brings forth to the future and to live in the better future, we should learn from the past, we should collect as much expirience and knowledge as we can. 

The history of some sole nation is not always shared with every nation, but together we are going towards the future, we are creating the future, the history, the life.

In the event, Lilia Gerber-Khousnutdinova (KITAP chairperson), read the page from the book (in Czech "Z dětství čerpám síly")written by her Mother, based on the memories of their family. 

Then, the Golden accordion, musician, accordionist-virtuoso Crimean Tatar Server Abkerimov, talked about his family past, memories of his Grandmother about their deportation from Crimea to the desert steppes of Uzbekistan in 1944, and he played his own compositions, based on these stories - Ana Avasi (native motive) and Hatira (memory).

Why are we doing this - KITAP NGO?

We are often being asked - why are you doing this? why did you establish this KITAP NGO? Are you  paid for that?

And when we answer - we do not have any financing resources, except ourselves pockets, people get shocked.

But seriously, why do we do this?...

... for many years people are trying to understand each other, to know the thoughts of each other, to speake one language (just remember the Babylon tower)... We are learning languages, history, culture, we are trying to wear same clothes (who does not know - jeans?)... We listen same music, and trying to share it with everyone... We are watching films, and trying to make something similar... We are trying to get closer to each other - all the integration processes you see around  (how to not mention the European Union, African Union or even the former Soviet Union)...Isn't it good to be unified? To be all together? Share common values and goodness?... Is it possible? Or it is utopy?

On the other side, remember Orwell's 1984, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 , Zamyatin's "Us" - the description authors used to show - what does it mean, to be the equal, to be the same... Gray clothing, dark future, sad faces...

You might ask, but in our democratic society, shouldn't we be equal and same? A little remark - we should be equal and same in our rights and obligations, but WE ARE DIFFERENT! Our values will never be common and similar, our culture and traditions is always based on something else, our perception of the goodness depends on our mentality. UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - proclaims the necessity of the cultural world heritage on the global level. The EU's motto - "unity in diversity" is the direction of the community. There are plenty of regional organizations, which are trying to save the cultural heritage, wealth of traditions and specifics of each nation. 

We, KITAP, are trying to share with you Tatar and Turkic culture, to show you the brightness of the Turkic nations, to initiate the intercultural dialogue in order to share the common - respect towards each other, tolerance, and inspiration for the future. We are different, but in some points we are the same - we are people. We love, we hate, we laugh, we cry, we curse, we sympathize, we learn. By knowing the cultural differences - we develop, we become better.

Why are we doing this? We want us all together be smarter, brighter, more developed and inspired for peace, understanding, future. 

Come to our events, participate in them, be part of us, learn from the book, or as Turkic people say -KITAP...