Over 900 attend Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations (07/04/99)

Over 900 attend Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations

by Roma Hadzewycz

ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 900 people - among them members of various Ukrainian professionals' societies and community organizations - participated in the diverse programs that constituted the inaugural Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations held in and around Washington from Wednesday, June 23, through Sunday, June 27.

From its beginning, a reception at the Embassy of Ukraine on Wednesday evening, to its conclusion, a Sunday afternoon session that focused on "Finding Direction for Our Organizations," the mammoth event was an uplifting experience for a Ukrainian American community that has been changed dramatically - in the process becoming somewhat unsettled - since the re-establishment of an independent Ukrainian state.

From start to finish, participants of the Joint Conferences heard and saw what the Ukrainian American community and the Ukrainian nation have to offer, from professional knowledge in disparate fields to energetic volunteerism and beautiful music.

The conferences straddled the two worlds that comprise two realities of Ukrainian American life: Ukraine and the United States. It was appropriate, therefore, that greetings to this extraordinary gathering were sent by both President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine (see text on page 4) and U.S. Vice-President Al Gore.

If all goes according to plan, the Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations will be more than a one-shot-deal. They will be the beginning of a new venture and will succeed in establishing a new framework for cooperation among the community's diverse yet complementary elements.

Participants agreed that such a gathering must be held again - indeed, that it must be held regularly. And, community leaders and members meeting at an open session at the conclusion of the five-day event, spoke nearly unanimously in favor of setting up a mechanism for regular consultation among Ukrainian American organizations with the aim of increasing the community's effectiveness both internally and in terms of its external relations.

A venue for synergy

In the words of one participant, the Joint Conferences were simply "a terrific idea." Eugene Z. Stakhiv, Ph.D., of Fairfax Station, Va., added: "There is great value in having such interaction - in getting all of the Ukrainian professional community talking and meeting at the same time."

Theodor Kostiuk, Ph.D., of Seabrook, Md., described the event as "extremely successful, highly attended and an opportunity to really learn what the Ukrainian community does as a whole."

"If you hold it, they will come," to turn a phrase, sums up the fervent belief of the conferences' coordinator, Dr. Roman Goy, a Baltimore physician who several years ago conceived the idea of this synergistic get-together, a "Ukrainian events week" in the nation's capital.

"They" came. From all corners of the U.S., representatives of younger generations of Ukrainian Americans - the 30-somethings to the 50-somethings - arrived in metropolitan Washington for this milestone undertaking.

The make-up of the participants prompted Dr. Alexander Gudziak, a physician and credit union activist from Syracuse, N.Y., to exclaim: "We always ask: Where are our children? We see them here. They care about and love our community."

More than two years in the conception and the planning stages, the Joint Conferences may have seemed too tall an order to fill. And yet, it was delivered, thanks to the vision and single-mindedness of Dr. Goy and a dedicated group of fellow activists. Dr. Goy took on the task of organizing a mega-conference when he became president-elect of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America two years ago (he has now assumed the post of president).

Countless man-hours later, the question put to Dr. Goy was: Was it worth it?

"Oh, absolutely," he responded without hesitation. "The positive response was so strong. You know, no matter how hard you've worked, if you feel like you've accomplished your goal, then it's worth it. Our goal was to show ourselves and those outside the Ukrainian community that we can and do work together. And we did that."

Sessions marked by diversity

The agenda and the mission of the Joint Conferences attracted such major organizations as the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, whose program was split into two full-day sessions, "Advances in Medicine" and "The First International Conference on Health Care in Ukraine"; and the Ukrainian Engineers Society of America, which opted to focus on "U.S.-Ukraine Science and Technology Cooperation: Status and Opportunities." The Ukrainian American Bar Association and the Ukrainian National Credit Union Association also held major sessions.

A key part of the program - which formed the principal part of the Joint Conferences on Saturday, June 26 - was The Washington Group's conference "At the Threshold." That conference attempted, in the words of TWG President Orest Deychakiwsky, to provide "five slices of the Ukrainian reality": U.S.-Ukraine cooperation in both the military and the business spheres, Ukraine's role in international space programs, trafficking of women from Ukraine and the political situation in Ukraine as the presidential elections draw near.

Also meeting at the Joint Conferences site, the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, were the Ukrainian Library Association of America, which reviewed its work and looked to the future during a business meeting, and the fledgling Association of Ukrainian American Architects, which organized what it dubbed a "U.S.-Ukraine Design Forum."

The Ukrainian American Veterans held an executive board meeting and prepared a display promoting the work of their nationwide organization, and the Ukrainian National Women's League of America held meetings of both its leadership and its membership, as well as public sessions covering women's health, labor laws as they pertain to women from Ukraine and genetic engineering.

Vendors, ranging from artists to publishers and various community groups, set up displays in the hotel's exhibition hall, while several community organizations, such as the Philadelphia-based United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, offered informational sessions. In addition, exhibitors showcased their work during the Saturday evening gala.

Also on the agenda: receptions, awards

Besides separate conferences of Ukrainian organizations, there were several joint events: a reception at the Embassy of Ukraine attended by approximately 275 people in two shifts; a congressional reception on Capitol Hill attended by at least 400 people (see story on page 3), and a reception at the U.S. State Department that was filled to capacity by 425 guests (see story on page 3).

The Embassy of Ukraine welcomed Ukrainian Americans to Washington at a reception sponsored on Wednesday evening, June 23, by the New York-based Ukrainian Institute of America.

Ambassador Anton Buteiko, Ukraine's envoy to the United States, greeted the participants by underlining that the Joint Conferences are "a symbolic signal that encourages unity of all political forces in Ukraine in striving toward their common goal: building a free, independent and democratic European state."

Brief remarks were delivered also by Walter Nazarewicz, president of the UIA, and Dr. Goy, speaking on behalf of the Joint Conferences.

The reception also featured an exhibit of works by 21 artists organized by the Alla Rogers Gallery of Washington with works on loan from the gallery as well as the Chopivsky, Woskobijnyk and Ferencevych collections.

During the joint luncheon on Friday, June 25, recognition awards were given to supporters of Ukrainian issues who are active in the realms of politics, law and journalism.

Emceed by Larissa Fontana, coordinator of the Ukrainian American Community Network, the program honored four prominent individuals:

· former U.S. Congressman Charles F. Dougherty, a founder and chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Baltic States and Ukraine, and a staunch advocate of Ukrainian causes who served a congressional district in Philadelphia;

· attorneys Gary Smithwick and William H. Crispin, both of Washington, who devoted their time, efforts and resources to work in defense of the good name of Ukraine and Ukrainians in the Ukrainian American community's litigation against the CBS network over the 1994 "60 Minutes" broadcast of "The Ugly Face of Freedom"; and

· nationally syndicated columnist Joseph Sobran, former senior editor of National Review, and current editor of Sobran's magazine, who has consistently supported Ukrainian concerns, perhaps most notably recognition of the Great Famine of 1932-1933.

In addition to the recognition awards presented by the Joint Conferences, the honorees received certificates from the Embassy of Ukraine.

Gala banquet draws 800

The Joint Conferences' Saturday evening gala comprised cocktails, a banquet and a ball, with music provided by Tempo and Fata Morgana. Nearly 800 persons attended the banquet, at which the keynote address was delivered by Leon Fuerth, national security adviser to Vice-President Al Gore.

Mr. Fuerth was introduced by Andrew Fedynsky, president of the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland, as "probably the most knowledgeable person - certainly the most knowledgeable American - about the details and nuances of how policy [toward Ukraine] is formulated and implemented."

Mr. Fedynsky underlined that Mr. Fuerth "is directly responsible to the vice-president for the work of the Binational Commission - the Kuchma-Gore Commission - and has dealt with all the key players from both the American and Ukrainian sides of the table," adding that, "there is no one more fitting person, therefore, other than the vice-president himself, to speak about the Kuchma-Gore Commission and the future of U.S.-Ukrainian relations."

Mr. Fuerth focused his remarks on that developing relationship, noting "I have learned how much has been lost during decades of oppression [under the Soviet system], ... my colleagues and I have respected the struggle that has been going on."

He went on to note that "President Kuchma has been a partner" of the U.S. despite various pressures, and stressed that "Ukraine already has been a full partner of the United States in areas where it counts very much," for example, in its decision to de-nuclearize, which he described as a major contribution to the world.

Today, "the objective of U.S. policy must be to make sure Ukraine is firmly anchored in a network of relations, not just with us, but with our friends in Europe," Mr. Fuerth stated.

Speaking about the Binational Commission, he said this is "an extremely strong piece of machinery for government-to-government relations. It is oriented toward results - and it works." He pointed to such areas of cooperation as public health, law enforcement, anti-corruption efforts, privatization, macro-economic reform and military cooperation.

In conclusion, Mr. Fuerth read a message from Mr. Gore, in which the vice-president greeted the Joint Conferences and thanked organizers for presenting him their Friend of Ukraine Award. Mr. Fuerth offered the Ukrainian American community his personal pledge that he would arrange a meeting with Vice-President Gore.

Conference coordinator Dr. Goy responded by stating that he is looking forward to an opportunity when Joint Conferences representatives can personally present the award to the vice-president.

In his remarks at the opening of the banquet, Dr. Goy pointed to the unique nature of the Joint Conferences, noting that "this is the first time that Ukrainian American organizations came together to do something in a concerted fashion."

"Our motto," he stated, "is synergy, whereby the action of the whole is greater than that of its parts." This conference, he continued, "is significant, not in its perfection, but in the teamwork that it is building for the Ukrainian community. Through this kind of work we will create a better society, not only for our community, but for our country."

On a historical note, Dr. Goy reminded his audience that 35 years ago almost to the day, Washington had witnessed a truly momentous event: the unveiling of the Taras Shevchenko Monument on June 27, 1964.

Addresses were delivered as well by Ambassador Buteiko, who read a message from President Leonid Kuchma (the full text appears on page 4), and Askold Lozynskyj, president of the Ukrainian World Congress.

A conclusion and a concert

The program for the Joint Conferences' final day, Sunday, June 27, encompassed panel presentations on "The Growing Role of Ukrainian American Financial Institutions" and "Political Empowerment of the Ukrainian American Community," as well as an open session dedicated to "Finding Direction for Our Organizations" that featured representatives from a dozen Ukrainian American organizations.

A highlight of the Joint Conferences, judging by the audience's standing ovation and resounding applause throughout the performance, was the Sunday brunch headlined by Pikkardiiska Tertsiia, the noted a cappella group from Lviv, whose repertoire ranges from Ukrainian folk to doo-wop.

"Wow!" was the reaction of Dr. Goy at the conclusion of the sextet's concert. "How could anyone not feel proud to be Ukrainian?" he added.

And that, perhaps, could also sum up the feeling of most attendees as they headed for home at the conclusion of the first Joint Conferences of Ukrainian American Organizations.

NEXT WEEK: Details on separate sessions held during the Joint Conferences and reactions of participants.

Sestanovich addresses community at State Department reception

Four members of Congress honored during Capitol Hill reception

Kuchma greets joint conferences

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