Ukrainian pavilion no longer possible for EPCOT event (09/12/99)

Ukrainian pavilion no longer possible for EPCOT event

by Taras Harper

This message is long over due.

My apologies to all of those who have waited so long for news of our planned Ukrainian pavilion at EPCOT. My procrastination was intentional, as I held on to all last hopes for what was to have been a tremendously powerful promotional tool for Ukraine and its people.

We have now gone past the deadline for participation in EPCOT's Millennium Celebration. Even participation at a lesser level is quickly becoming an impossibility.

To provide names or blame specific individuals at this point would be counter-productive.

The short version of what has taken place over the last year with all of our fund-raising efforts begins simply. Disney appointed Ukrainian Project Fund and this writer to find a sponsor/co-sponsors for a Ukrainian pavilion to be constructed for a colossal Millennium Celebration to be held at Walt Disney's EPCOT theme park (it was determined that a 10,000-square feet pavilion could be built for approximately $1 million).

The celebration is to run from November 1999 through January 2001, and the exposure for Ukraine at this Millennium celebration is estimated at nearly one-tenth of the world's population. For 15 months we would have the opportunity to showcase all that Ukraine is and has to offer. We would have the chance to cause a true surge in awareness and tourism, the chance to significantly increase business investment.

A Ukrainian American businessman from Washington stepped forward and supplied the necessary down payment of $10,000 to secure a space for Ukraine. As it turned out, we were the very first country to reserve a space. This businessman went on to offer that he would sponsor half of the necessary amount of money to construct the pavilion, as long as another person or organization would join his efforts.

A few months later, a philanthropic Ukrainian American organization based in New York offered to sponsor a matching amount of $500,000. It appeared as though we had our pavilion. Inexplicably, a few weeks after an official meeting with all participating sponsors at Disney's EPCOT, this same New York-based organization announced that it would no longer be sponsoring the pavilion for any amount of money. Furthermore, it denied the fact that it had originally agreed to contribute $500,000 for the pavilion during a heavily attended lunch meeting at Disney. We were more than disappointed.

And, of course, as previously mentioned, the Washington businessman no longer had someone joining his efforts. It appeared that we were back to square one.

Several weeks later, in what initially appeared to be a miraculous "last- minute" salvation to the project, a major beer manufacturer in Ukraine, and some officials representing the government of Ukraine, became involved in potential sponsorship. A Ukrainian American from New Jersey began to coordinate communication efforts between Disney as these new potential sponsors.

It was stated that not only were these people interested in sponsorship, but that several oblasts within Ukraine would be required by the government to provide some form of financial sponsorship for the Ukrainian pavilion, according to a new government decree.

Could it work? We were certainly hopeful. As it turned out the majority of the business representatives from Ukraine with whom we dealt were more interested in personal gain than in increasing Ukrainian awareness. When it became apparent to these new potential sponsors that this pavilion would not generate the personal incomes they had hoped for, all talk ceased and communication fell silent. It appeared that those representing Ukrainian government and business circles were either unwilling or unable to recognize the significance of such an huge promotional tool.

I am less disappointed, however, in the representatives from Ukraine than I am in the wealthy Ukrainian Canadians and Ukrainian Americans who did not bother to respond to many letters, e-mails, faxes and phone calls. The Ukrainian Project Fund spent thousands of dollars to ship videotapes and information packets, to fly potential sponsors to Florida, to rent cars for these potential sponsors, pay phone bills, etc.

I strongly believed that, eventually, someone with significant financial resources would recognize that this was an incredible opportunity for promoting Ukraine, and would sponsor the pavilion. Even if they did not personally sponsor the pavilion, I thought that perhaps their non-profit branches could use an easy tax deduction or at the very least, that they would have enough pride in their heritage to help me find sponsors among their wealthy circle of friends and colleagues. I was wrong.

My deepest thanks to all those individuals and organizations that truly did not have the financial resources to sponsor the pavilion themselves, but worked hard to disseminate information about the need for sponsorship throughout the worldwide Ukrainian community.

From the prestige of partnership with the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University to the prayers and verbal support of individuals from all over the world, we have never lacked the spirit or fortitude see this project through to the end. It seems as though the only lack of effort for this project was among those with the financial capability to make this important initiative a reality with their sponsorship.

The Ukrainian Project Fund was created for the continued promotion of Ukrainian awareness. The Ukrainian Pavilion project was to have been the pinnacle of our reason for existence. Who among you would not question the wisdom in seeking to promote Ukrainian awareness with a project so important when, financially, support was not forthcoming? Although I admit that I have been tempted to turn my back in anger, dissolving our non-profit organization and removing my involvement from within the Ukrainian community, I have come to understand that doing so would only liken me to those individuals who turned away when their help was needed. If we were all to give up hope and turn away, there would never be a chance for a better future for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Project Fund will continue for as long as we are able to find grants and sponsors for any and all of the projects that we attempt to accomplish in the promotion of Ukrainian awareness.

Taras (Jason) Harper is the president of the Ukrainian Project Fund, which was established in 1993. The Ukrainian Project Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose goal is to promote Ukrainian awarness worldwide. Donations are tax-deductible.

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