Circassians experienced one of the greatest tragedies of humankind. The Russian-Caucasian War, which lasted for many decades, ended (21 May, 1864) with wide scale forced deportation of the native peoples of the Caucasus, particularly the Circassians

Millions of people had to leave their homeland, and thousands of them died during the exile.

The tragedy of exile has always remained intact, being transmitted from one generation to the other. The despair of exile has given the entire Circassian diaspora dispersed around the whole world from Turkey to the USA a common identity. Circassians remember the tragedy of the 21st of May every year, and by doing that each time they confirm the sense of belonging to the Circassian community.

The last couple of decades, the Remembrance Day, 21st of May, has been the most important event of all political-cultural organizations of the Diaspora.

The flowers thrown into the sea every year on the 21st of May is a way of easing the souls of those people who lost their lives during the exile in one way or another.