National committee's appeal regarding Akcja Wisla, UPA (05/18/97)

National committee's appeal regarding Akcja Wisla, UPA

The following is an appeal from the National Committee for the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Akcja Wisla, the 55th Anniversary of the Founding of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the 50th Anniversary of the Insurgent Raid to the West.

In all its thousand-year history, the Ukrainian nation has always met the challenges of the times with dignity. Many thousands of its best sons and daughters gave up their lives for truth and justice, Church and nation. Their blood and sacrifice were not for naught, for they watered our tree of liberty. And we thank Almighty God, who heard our prayers and, "after all the blood, tribulations and ruins" returned to us our Ukraine.

One struggles to find words worthy and lofty enough to describe those feelings of joy and happiness that fill our hearts, words that help us grasp the meaning of this great moment in our history, the end of the era of subjugation, as the people take their first steps into the temple of national freedom. We are proud of those brothers and sisters-in-arms, those friends who took part in this great quest for freedom - and did not live to see the majestic day that freedom was attained.

Therefore the national committee has resolved to fittingly commemorate the 50th anniversary of Akcja Wisla (Operation Vistula), the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the 50th anniversary of the Insurgent Raid to the West. The committee is fulfilling the mandate accorded it by 25 community organizations at a founding meeting on February 22, 1997.

The contemporary situation in Ukraine reminds us of the lengthy struggle ahead for this great state in the circle of free nations. It is our duty to respond to the needs of the nation and not to forsake the memory of our predecessors, who paid the ultimate price. We must ensure that the struggle of past generations is finally blessed with success.

The national committee has approved a plan of action to commemorate Akcja Wisla. A Day of Mourning and Remembrance was held on Sunday, May 11, to commemorate the victims of Akcja Wisla. At a later date, an academic conference will be held in conjunction with all three anniversaries; the conference proceedings will be published in both the Ukrainian and English languages. The national committee calls on all community organizations to hold similar commemorations and conferences on a local level as appropriate.

In order to ensure that our plan of action is fulfilled, we need the financial assistance of the Ukrainian community. We hope and trust that the community will respond positively to this appeal. Please make out checks to: UPA/WISLA No. 23023-000 and send them to: Self-Reliance (NY) FCU, 108 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003.

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