The Qirim Tatar Cultural Association of Canada is based on a dream – a dream that one day, we as Tatars, unite from all over the world and celebrate our traditions in the face of today most turbulent and challenging times. For this reason, we have created a non-profit and non-political organization that promotes our rich Crimean Tatar art and culture across Canada. In addition, the association was established to promote a Tatar network in which members would be able to assist each other in times of need.

Immigrating to a new country with different political, economical, and social standards can be a very exciting but, at times, difficult journey. One of the primary goals of the Crimean Tatar of Canada is to unite the members of the Tatar community so that we may embrace our fellow newcomers as they begin their new lives in Canada. Through our guidance and support, we can help new immigrants and their families access appropriate government services at the federal, provincial, and local levels. Ultimately, we hope that through our united efforts and support, we can help ease their transition process as they adapt to Canadian society. At a national level, we wish to integrate our efforts and provide relief to those who have suffered from epidemics, earthquakes, flood, fire, and other natural disasters.

Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a family of Tatar brothers and sisters and proudly rejoice in our culture and traditions. With your generosity, compassion, and willingness to help each other, we can begin the better life that our ancestors had envisioned for us and provide a brighter future for our children.


The Qirim Tatar Cultural Association of Canada

90TH ANNIVERSARY OF CELEBICIHAN’S BRUTAL MURDER On February 23, 2008 the Crimean Tatars throughout the world will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the brutal murder of their first democratically elected president, Numan Celebicihan by the Bolshevik forces in Sevastopol (Akyar), Crimea.  Celebicihan, as he is known by his people, was not only the first president of the short-lived Independent Crimean Republic, he was also Crimean Tatars’ first Muftu ( religious leader), national poet who was killed at the prime of his life, at the age of 32.  In many ways he was “the John F. Kennedy” of Crimean Tatars, a young intellectual, far sighted, courageous political leader who was expected to lead his nation into a brighter future.  Only in case of Celebicihan, the brutal murder by firing squad in the hands of the Black Sea Sailors cut his life short, and severely jeopardized the future of the Crimean Tatars nation. ... ... ( click to read more )...

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JUSTICE AND UNITY FOR CRIMEAN TATARS

          It has been well documented that after the Russian expansion in 1783, millions of Crimean Tatars were forced to leave their homeland, Crimea.  On May 18, 1944 this culminated to barbaric mass deportation by the USSR government, under inhuman conditions, to central Asia and Siberia.  Consequently, over 5 million Crimean Tatars were exiled and, today, they live in countries such as: Turkey, Romania, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Germany, USA, and Canada. Shortly after the USSR government collapsed in 1991, a significant number of Crimean Tatars returned to their ancestor homeland..... (click to read more)