EDITORIAL: The UNA at 105 (02/21/99)

EDITORIAL

The UNA at 105

Tomorrow, February 22, 1999, marks the 105th anniversary of the Ukrainian National Association. How does one mark yet another anniversary of the oldest and largest organization of Ukrainians in the diaspora, pay tribute yet again to one of the most important institutions in the history of the Ukrainian nation? Incredible as it may seem, half a decade has already passed since we celebrated this fraternal organization's (our publisher's) 100 years of activity, which The Ukrainian Weekly had chronicled with a special issue in 1994.

We turned to UNA President Ulana Diachuk to ask how the UNA is marking its 105th anniversary and whether a special statement on the occasion would be issued by the UNA Executive Committee. She answered, "There's nothing special, it's not a major anniversary..."

We then asked: What would the UNA like to underline on the occasion? To that Mrs. Diachuk replied succinctly: "Our priority is to strengthen our branches with younger leaders, to enroll new members, to explain the benefits of UNA membership to new generations."

She continued: "We are now undergoing much change in light of new needs... but if the younger generations do not take over, we will not succeed." She referred to the UNA's proud history of accomplishments and emphasized: "The UNA is ready to do more, as needed by new generations of members - provided there are new members."

In a word: the UNA's future hinges on its members - old and new.

In that same vein, the February 19 issue of Svoboda carried a Ukrainian-language statement from the UNA president in which she thanked the UNA pioneers and activists who had worked tirelessly and with boundless dedication for the good of their "Batko Soyuz" and the Ukrainian nation - and especially those who enrolled and continue to enroll members into this organization whose membership is open to all Ukrainians.

She noted the influx of a new wave of immigrants from independent Ukraine who "need a great Ukrainian institution with a broad publishing program," and she invited all these newcomers and others who are not members of the UNA to join its ranks "so that together we can work for the benefit and growth of our organization and succeeding generations."

In short, the UNA has always been there for all Ukrainians. Will it continue to be there in the next millennium? Will the Ukrainian National Association's future be as illustrious as its past? That depends upon both the new generations of Ukrainians who have grown up in North America and the new wave of immigrants recently arrived on these shores from Ukraine. Will they see the value of the UNA, become its members and its leaders?

We steadfastly believe that the Ukrainian National Association will be there to serve succeeding generations because our community members, both old and new, will see the UNA's intrinsic value and will support this venerable, and irreplaceable, institution.

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