[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On April 20-21, representatives from Caucasian House and Institute of Nationalism and Conflict Research with correspondent of Radio Freedom held number of meetings with Internally Displaced People from Donbass and Crimea living in Lviv, also meetings were held with historians, social activists and Mayor of Lviv.
Alimom Aliev, one of the founders of the Public Initiative “Crimea SOS” provided Georgian experts with detailed information regarding his organization and its activities. Also he gave a general overview regarding the situation of IDPs from Crimea, what challenges they are facing today and what are their stances. According to his words majority of Crimean Tatars consider Ukraine as their big motherland but they are eager to go back to small motherland – Crimea. With the invitation of Alimom Aliev, Georgian delegation was invited to public meeting with Akhtem Seitablaev, director of the first Crimean Tatar movie “Haytarma”, devoted to the most painful event in the nation’s history – the Stalin-era deportation to Central Asia in May 1944.
For better understanding of “Ukrainian Nationalism” and current situation in western Ukraine, Georgian experts held a meeting with Vladimir Pavliv, Historian, publicist and social activist. He gave his view over the current situation in Ukraine. He explained what the main risks are facing Ukraine today and why nationalist might become very dangerous. He stressed the point that government should strengthen the unity of Ukraine in different directions; for instance better infrustraction system should be implemented and etc.
Georgian delegation also met Miroslav Marinovich, the Soviet dissident, Ukrainian human rights defender, professor and deputy director of Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. He gave a brief description of main Christian denominations in Ukraine, shortly described their influence on society. He marked the need of reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine. He said that there is this possibility but first Russian government should confess that Russia is the part of the conflict.
Georgian experts had a possibility to meet Andrey Sodovoy, Mayor of Lviv. The Mayor provided the Georgian representatives with detailed information regarding the programs for IDPs. He stated that Lviv was the first city that adopted the strategy for assistance of IDPs. The main programs are oriented toward medical, legal and social assistance of IDPs. He marked the importance of effective implementation of reforms in Ukraine and reduction of bureaucratic system.
During the official trip to Ukraine Georgian experts held more than 15 meetings in three cities: Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv. Main aim of the visit was to receive information regarding the current situation in Ukraine, particularly, regarding the situation with IDPs.
The meeting was organized in the frame of Caucasian House’s project “Ukraine – out of Crisis through Dialogue” with the financial support of the British Embassy in Kyiv.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]