УКРАЇНСЬКА ГРОМАДА В ТУРЕЧЧИНІ: ВІД НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ СПІЛЬНОТИ ДО ДІАСПОРИ

Abstract

Despite the constant interest of historians in Ukrainian-Turkish relations in the past and at the present stage, the issue of formation and activity of the Ukrainian diaspora in this country has not yet been the subject of a separate study. At the same time, the topic is quite relevant both in terms of the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Turkey, in particular cultural diplomacy, and in the context of diaspora studies.
The modern Ukrainian community in Turkey consists mainly of immigrants from already independent Ukraine, currently more than 30–35 thousand people from Ukraine live in Turkey. It is one of the largest Ukrainian national minorities in the East, as well as one of the best organized.
The purpose of this investigation is to analyze the process of consolidation of Ukrainians in Turkey and the transformation of the Ukrainian ethnic community into the Ukrainian diaspora as an organized community, which has created an extensive network of cells and a central coordinating body, has common tasks, ensures the cultural continuity of generations, interacts with the historical homeland, represents it before the society and the authorities of the country of residence.
Materials of the Ukrainian and Turkish mass media, Internet sources, in particular sites and Facebook pages of the Ukrainian organizations in Turkey, embassies of Ukraine in the Republic of Turkey are involved in consideration. During the preparation of the article, special interviews were conducted with three heads of Ukrainian organizations in Turkey – the head of one of the first and largest Ukrainian branches in this country “Ukrainian Family” Vita Mikhailova (Antalya), leader of one of the young communities “Black Sea Association of Ukrainians” in Samsun Lyudmila Shymko, as well as the founder of the “Ukrainian Cultural and Artistic Association” Olesya Merdzhan. These interviews allowed to demonstrate by specific examples the peculiarities of creation and activities of Ukrainian cultural and public organizations in Turkey.
As a result of this study, the following are determined: the main stages and circumstances of the formation of the Ukrainian diaspora in Turkey, the specifics of its activities, cooperation of Ukrainian cells with each other, cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine and Ukraine. The author concludes that, given the peculiarities of the Ukrainian community in Turkey, the main role in its unification was played by the desire to preserve and pass on to their children the Ukrainian language, culture, traditions, to acquaint them with Turkish society. The events in the homeland connected with the Revolution of Dignity and the Russian armed aggression against it became a certain catalyst for the institutionalization of the Ukrainian diaspora and the intensification of its public activities in support of Ukraine. The full assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in the consolidation of the Ukrainian community and organizational development also plays an important role. Given the direction and set of activities of Ukrainian organizations in Turkey, we can talk about the Ukrainian diaspora as a Ukrainian cultural lobby in this country, one of the most important tools of cultural diplomacy to promote Ukraine, shape its positive image and strengthen bilateral Ukrainian-Turkish relations.