1st of August: Building Future; Homeland; Circassia

1st of August 1998 is the returning day of 124 Circassians living in Kosovo, to their homeland Circassia. The most important feature of this day is, that it is the first mass return movement to their homeland, after the Circassians were expelled from their homeland with the Circassian Genocide and Exile on May 21, 1864.

Circassians, who were in the middle of the war in Yugoslavia at that time, with the efforts of President of the Republic of Adygea; Mr. Aslan Carim, Minister of Culture; Mr. Gazi Chemiso and the converts, and with the planes allocated by the Russian Federation,  returned to their homeland, Circassia.

For the ones, who returned to their homeland from Kosovo, a new life was established in their homeland, with the help of Adygea's administrative centres and their citizens. They were allocated to a place and the village of 'Mafehable' was established for them near Maykop.

This return has been important for us and it went down in history as the first mass return, after the Genocide and Exile.
Unfortunately, in recent years, both  "August 1st Returning to homeland" and the general issue of returning to their homeland have fallen off the agenda in homeland, and diaspora.

However, National consciousness and the Will to Remain Circassian is the identity consciousness.

The 1st of August is important to build our future; our homeland; Circassia…
For us, it is also a memorial celebration day, so we wish everyone a happy 1st of August!

Long Live Our Unity!

Long live Circassia!