FOLLOW-UP: Disney World grants extension to Ukrainian pavilion project (02/08/98)

FOLLOW-UP: Disney World grants extension to Ukrainian pavilion project

by Natalia Warren
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - George Kalogridis, executive vice-president of Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center, has granted a one-month extension to the EPCOT Millennium Celebration - Ukraine Initiative. "We feel like we can wait until the end of February to 'put a line in the sand,' he explained to Taras (Jason) Harper, president of the Ukrainian Project Fund and a Walt Disney World employee who is spearheading the initiative.

"We may have an extension until the end of the month," noted Mr. Harper, "but that just means we still have an enormous amount of work to do," he added.

By "we," Mr. Harper is referring to the worldwide Ukrainian community. "The best thing anyone and everyone could do right now," he mused, "is to spread the word so that anyone who may be in a position to sponsor a Ukrainian pavilion at EPCOT Center will know about this unprecedented opportunity."

"It would be a very sad thing to find out two months from now that someone would have been willing to build this pavilion, but hadn't heard about it," he added.

From October 1999 until January 2001, the EPCOT theme park, part of the 44-square-mile Walt Disney World complex in Florida, will host a Millennium Celebration with the educational entertainment ("edu-tainment") theme of "Hope for a Better World." Joining the current display of countries at EPCOT will be dozens of new pavilions, averaging 3,000 square feet in size that will showcase the many different aspects of each nation in support of the overall theme.

According to Mr. Harper, the cost of the pavilion is divided into three distinct categories: design/construction, staffing and leasing exhibit space.

"EPCOT will work with anyone who comes forth as a sponsor to help reduce costs," he explained. "That means that co-sponsorship is a very real option," he added.

"If someone were to commit to the construction of the pavilion and someone else were willing to come up with the cost of staffing the pavilion because they have access to labor from Ukraine, then we could definitely make this happen," he explained.

With this in mind, Mr. Harper was very optimistic in noting that at least three Ukrainian architects have come forth as willing participants. "I'm not certain at this point if any of them would offer their services gratis, but having Disney as a client couldn't hurt any architect's portfolio," he added.

In any case, even if a sponsor is not found, Mr. Harper is notably enthused by the response he has received from people all over the world.

"I can't even begin to count the number of e-mails I've received from individuals who are helping us find a sponsor," he noted.

After the January 18 front-page article in The Ukrainian Weekly, Coca-Cola re-emerged as a possible sponsor. And even though Mr. Harper's corporate contact at Coke has promised to push the project as far as he could, he didn't think that Coca-Cola would reign as the Ukrainian pavilion's champion. "Coke is already a Disney sponsor and the market for Coke in Ukraine just isn't that big right now," explained Mr. Harper.

"We've been put in touch with American Express, Proctor and Gamble, and Liberty Travel," he noted, but as of this writing, none has committed to the project.

"Askold Lozynskyj, the UCCA president, is fully supportive of the pavilion, and the Ukrainian American Broadcasting Co. did an interview with me recently," continued Mr. Harper. "This kind of support is immeasurable.

"It's really going to be up to a single person or a few individuals who would be willing to tap into their resources or those who control the resources of their companies to get on board," explained Mr. Harper, noting that he could continue to follow any lead given to him to its fullest.

"Names and phone numbers or e-mail addresses are very helpful, and it also helps if we can get in touch with anyone who is close to people who are in a position to make the kind of financial commitment we need," he added. The pavilion will cost between $800,000 and $2 million.

An estimated 400 million to 500 million people will be exposed to the pavilion structures because Michael Eisner, the Walt Disney Company's CEO, has mandated that all branches of the company focus on EPCOT for the entire 15-month Millennium Celebration.

"When you talk about how many people will be exposed to the pavilion structures because of Eisner's mandate," explained Mr. Harper, "you are talking about nearly one-tenth of the world's population. Ukraine, the country, cannot afford to be left out of a PR opportunity of this magnitude," he concluded.

Mr. Harper may be reached at (407) 827-4982; or via e-mail at home, [email protected]; or at the office, [email protected].

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