UNA president's opening remarks (12/12/99)

UNA president's opening remarks

Following is the full text of opening remarks at the 1999 annual meeting of the Ukrainian National Association's General Assembly by President Ulana Diachuk. (Translated from the original Ukrainian by The Weekly.)

Esteemed Members and Honorary Members of the General Assembly, Editors-in-Chief of our publications Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, and Dear Guests:

We are meeting at our annual meeting for the last time this century and this millennium. This may sound rather dramatic, but, looking at the calendar, one realizes that it's true.

Our institution was founded back in the 19th century, it developed, grew and flourished in the 20th century.

Crossing into the 21st century, we must adapt our institution to new conditions within our Ukrainian community as well as in the insurance business from which our former and current members, the entire Ukrainian community, as well as our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, derived great benefit.

I believe it was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who said: "Nothing is as permanent and eternal as change."

Looking around us, we see how quickly everything is changing due to new technology, how many new jobs and new businesses have been created by technology. Technology has made the world smaller and more interconnected, and it has created a global economy.

Our organization was founded in 1894 when there was a great need for it; there was a need for self-preservation and for safeguarding the principal needs of the Ukrainian individual and the Ukrainian family on the American continent.

Since that time many of the functions of caring for workers and their families have been assumed by employers and, to some extent, government.

Entering the new century and the new millennium with confidence, we should seek new methods and new approaches so that our principal goals continue to be supported by the Ukrainian community and so that the UNA continues to fulfill the purposes delineated in its founding charter.

The homeland of our ancestors, Ukraine, still has not been secured as an independent, law-based, economically strong and democratic European state. And perhaps it will require a lot more time for Ukraine to become a Ukrainian and a flourishing country. That is why diaspora organizations like ours, and many others, will continue to be needed.

To that end, we must unite the new active cadres of our young people who will assume leadership from the older generation and will lead this organization to new heights and new goals.

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