1983: A LOOK BACK

World Congress of Free Ukrainians

The quinquennial World Congress of Free Ukrainians took place in Toronto on November 30 through December 3 with some 600 delegates representing Ukrainian communities in North and South America, Europe and Australia in attendance.

The Fourth WCFU got mixed reviews at best, however. Those who foresaw the impending doom of the organization - a la 13th UCCA Congress - emerged from the congress satisfied that at least the congress did not break up and the existence of the world body was probably guaranteed for another five years.

For those who came to the congress hoping to discuss at least some of the concrete problems that face the Ukrainian nation in the diaspora, the congress was a disappointment since, thanks to "political" conflicts among squabbling nationalist organizations and the continuing rift in the Ukrainian American community, there was no time left over to discuss the real issues.

The good news was that by accepting the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council into the WCFU as a national central representation of the U.S. Ukrainian community - that is, on the same level of membership as that held by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America - the WCFU delegates saw to it that all segments of the disunited U.S. Ukrainian community would be represented within the world body. Furthermore, many community observers believe that by having both the UACC and the UCCA within the world congress the first step toward the eventual reunification of the Ukrainian American community has already been taken.

The best news was that the newly elected president of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, Peter Savaryn of Edmonton, a lawyer, Iongtime community activist and chancellor of the University of Alberta, is not a political animal as far as Ukrainian party politics are concerned. His election has already been hailed by many sectors of the Ukrainian community, and the December issue of Lys Mykyta, the Ukrainian-language humor magazine depicted Mr. Savaryn in a manger (messianic hopes?).

Whether Mr. Savaryn turns out to be the savior that the WCFU needs to revitalize its activity remains to be seen. But, at least he has five years to put the WCFU machinery into gear - not two and a half like his two predecessors who shared the previous five-year term because of a compromise deal between two political factions.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 25, 1983, No. 52, Vol. LI

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