In the ongoing chaos, my husband and I have tried to keep our heads cool, not to panic and to make informed decisions to save resources to help people around. We decided to stay in Kyiv and to volunteer as much as possible. We encountered some incredible unity with people, even those we did not know before, with some unconditional mutual trust. We witnessed some actions that deserve sincere respect. This is what we want to preserve to restore Ukraine. Dramatic and tragic events of our history - the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars, the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the 2022 war - hardened our cultural identity, strengthened resilience and largely shaped our cultural immunity. It is this quality that motivates me to be at the forefront of the cultural effort today. I need to defend the borders of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar cultural heritage, in search of common meanings filled with mutual respect and mutual support of two indomitable peoples.

We move forward to realise our dreams and ideas, despite the challenges posed by a senseless war. So, in the framework of the Swiss-supported project "Meanings that unite People", we gather people regardless of nationality and religion, barriers and distances, around the idea of unity. I am proud that we have such a wonderful country and such incredible, strong-minded peoples.