1993: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: The UNA: from one centennial to the next (12/26/93)

1993: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The UNA: from one centennial to the next

The Ukrainian National Association was a regular beehive of activity this past year. The organization, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 1994, continued its century-old tradition of working with Ukrainian communities throughout the North American continent. The year also saw the continuation of UNA efforts at helping Ukraine help itself.

In the past several years the UNA has focused heavily on expanding educational opportunities for Ukraine's people. Just as many U.S. leaders have lately preferred the concept of "empowerment" over traditional forms of public assistance, so has the UNA proceeded in directing assistance to the old country.

The foremost example is the UNA's "Teaching English in Ukraine" program, which over the past two years has exposed over 2,000 Ukrainians of varying ages and all walks of life to instruction in English. This year the program, conducted jointly with the Prosvita Society, sent 82 individuals from throughout the U.S. and Canada to 18 oblasts and 40 cities and towns in Ukraine to teach four-, six- and eight-week courses at all levels of ability.

To underscore the diverse nature of the instructors, there was even a participant from the West African country of Ghana. Forty-four percent of the program's instructors were professional teachers on summer leave; the remaining instructors came from the ranks of college students, professionals, businesspersons and retirees. Some 21 percent of all instructors were under age 25, while 23 percent were second-year participants, having taught in summer 1992.

Prior to their departure for Ukraine, many participants attended a preparatory seminar at the UNA Home Office in late April. There they took part in lectures and discussions with leading Ukrainian American ESL professors concerning effective teaching methods, while Dr. Zirka Voronka, the program director, provided a conceptual framework.

As more than half of all instructors were not professional teachers, non-traditional and informal methods of teaching were often stressed, the fruits of which were most unusually displayed when, in one case, a second-year instructor (a repeat from 1992) was presented with a play (in English, naturally) composed by her 1992 students, upon her return to Ukraine this year. All the instructor-participants sought to expose their pupils to different, critical ways of thinking, to imbue them with a sense of Western individualism, to build trust between diaspora and "native" Ukrainians, according to Oksana Trytjak, program coordinator. Teaching English in Ukraine now heads into its third year with an excellent track record.

The UNA was a co-sponsor with the George Soros-funded Renaissance Foundation of a university-level ESL program at the Kyyiv Pedagogical Institute. Ten highly qualified teachers from the U.S. taught two levels of courses to some 120 English teachers in Ukraine. The program aimed to raise the teaching qualifications of the students and to introduce them to the latest instructional methodologies. The UNA funded the program to the tune of $16,000 and the Renaissance Foundation provided a matching grant. Establishment of a special ESL resource center is planned for the institute. This center will be available for use by other Ukrainian teachers, the U.S. and British Embassies, the Peace Corps and other foreign and Ukrainian organizations.

August 1-14 were busy days at Soyuzivka for those taking part in the Teachers' Seminar organized by the Educational Council of the UCCA. Dr. Eugene Fedorenko led the two-week refresher program for teachers at Schools of Ukrainian Studies throughout the U.S. The annual seminar has proven useful in updating teaching methods and scholarship in the country's "Ridni Shkoly."

1993 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Svoboda, the UNA's Ukrainian-language daily. On September 26 at the UNA Home Office, the staff of the paper, which was founded in 1893 by Ukrainian emigre activist the Rev. Hryhoriy Hrushka to serve the Ukrainian immigrant wave of the 1890s, hosted an afternoon of reflection and celebration. Various UNA and community luminaries were present, as well as Ukraine's Consul General Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky and Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler. In addition to congratulatory statements from within and without the Ukrainian community, the afternoon featured a musical program, cocktails and, of course, a huge birthday cake.

The editors of Svoboda released the 83rd Almanac of the UNA, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of this pioneering newspaper. Edited by Svoboda's Editor-in-Chief Zenon Snylyk and Editor Liudmyla Wolanska, the almanac contains a look back at Svoboda's history. Through the written word of all previous editors-in-chief and countless other employees and contributors, the tome provides a spotlight on the paper's role over the years as a leading voice of the Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian communities. The cover art for the almanac was executed by Bohdan Tytla.

The year also marked the 60th anniversary of The Ukrainian Weekly, the UNA's English-language newspaper - though definitely not the "anhlomovna Svoboda" as some people mistakenly refer to it. The Weekly's anniversary was marked in a low-key fashion during 1993 (see section titled "Meanwhile, here at The Weekly"), as even the UNA Almanac forgot there was another anniversary to celebrate. But, look for a special Weekly anniversary section in that annual publication's 1994 edition.

Several times throughout the year, the UNA Supreme Executive Committee met to review, assess and adjust various facets of UNA activities. The committee approved a large number of grants to what were deemed worthy endeavors. Among these were: a $5,000 grant for a project proposed by Col. Ivan Bilas of Ukraine - a book on Soviet political terror, 1918-1950; $2,000 to support a conference of Ukrainian and U.S. political leaders, held under the auspices of LaSalle University and the University of Pennsylvania; $5,000 to support Ukraine's athletes competing at the World University Games in Buffalo, N.Y.; $5,000 for Columbia University's planned expansion of Ukrainian language instruction. And there were many more examples of the UNA's support for worthy projects in North America and beyond.

The UNA has instituted new term and universal life insurance policies, many of which are proving quite popular. As of July 30, the UNA had paid out over $1 million in dividends in 1993 alone. This was the 61st consecutive year of dividend payouts, a not unimpressive achievement, considering the shoals and undertows of the U.S. financial services industry over the years.

In the last week of May, the UNA Supreme Assembly held its annual conclave at Soyuzivka. In the midst of innumerable committee reports and discussions, that deliberative body developed, and subsequently published a number of resolutions covering all facets of UNA activity. Perhaps most important was the Supreme Assembly's approval of a draft of new by-laws that will take the UNA into the 21st century. The draft will be acted upon by the UNA's centennial convention, to take place next year in May in Pittsburgh.

On a sad note, May 22 saw the passing of longtime UNA activist John Hewryk. Mr. Hewryk was the supreme director for Canada, as well as a supreme auditor. In his long years as secretary of Branch 445 in Winnipeg, Mr. Hewryk enrolled over 500 members into the UNA. John Hewryk was 75.

The UNA Seniors gathered for their annual conference at Soyuzivka on June 13-18. Gene Woloshyn was re-elected to lead the group. The week featured both working meetings and informal get-togethers. The emphasis was on the contribution of seniors to the Ukrainian communities of North America and on establishing new contacts among each other.

The UNA Washington Office was bolstered by the arrival of Xenia Ponomarenko. Ms. Ponomarenko, the new assistant director, graduated with a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University. Her legal education and experience have introduced a new element into the workings of the office, which conducts lobbying and political liaison between the Beltway and the Ukrainian community.

At its June meeting, the Scholarship Committee continued the UNA's long-standing tradition of supporting deserving college students. The committee approved $116,300 in scholarships. These were promptly disbursed to 230 students. The scholarships ranged in value from $300 to $1,500.

Last, but most certainly not least, Soyuzivka had yet another smashing season. This haven for Ukes hosted its 40th anniversary season with aplomb and to-do, particularly during the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend festivities. August saw the crowning of Miss Soyuzivka 1994. The winner was Adrianna Melnyk of New Haven, Conn. Incidentally, Ms. Melnyk, a student at Columbia University, took part in this year's Teaching English in Ukraine program. She hopes to become a journalist.

Thus, 1993 was a busy year for the UNA. All eyes are now cast upon 1994 and the 100th anniversary of this venerable organization. More on that in the new year.

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