From our publisher

Greetings to UNA members and readers of its publications

As we conclude 1999 and enter the 21st century, we extend our sincere best wishes to all members of the Ukrainian National Association and readers of Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly.

Before the last day of the 20th century, each of us no doubt spent some time making a personal assessment of the past year, or previous years of the century about to end, remembering pleasant experiences as well as the horrors visited upon us during our lives.

American newspapers and television devoted much time to events of the past century and at the same time attempted to foresee possible changes that await humanity in the forthcoming years of the new century.

All agreed on one point: the past century was the most brutal for all of humanity: two world wars, two dictators - Stalin and Hitler, and two hateful regimes - Communist and the Fascist - that caused the deaths of millions of people.

The nation of Ukraine suffered perhaps most among all European nations. Almost from the beginning of the 20th century it was being destroyed by famines artificially created by the Communists, severe repressions, war and, finally, a nuclear catastrophe.

It was only thanks to its strength and stamina that the Ukrainian nation survived all these darks days and preserved its identity, language, history and culture. The wounds inflicted on the Ukrainian nation in the past century will take long to heal and will continue to have a far-reaching effect on the development of Ukraine.

The last decade of the past century also brought the downfall of the Soviet empire. On its ruins Ukraine build its independent democratic state. And, thus, the longtime aspirations of the Ukrainian nation on its native land and throughout the diaspora were fulfilled.

We Ukrainians, united in our Ukrainian National Association, in this largest and oldest Ukrainian organization beyond the borders of Ukraine, always dreamed about and worked toward the goal of a free and independent Ukraine.

The long history of the Ukrainian National Association contains much evidence of the fact that, regardless of the difficult circumstances in the lives of Ukrainian immigrants on the American continent, they never forgot about Ukraine or about the Ukrainian nation's aspirations for freedom and independence. And it was toward that goal that UNA members always directed their energies.

The strength of the UNA during its 106-year existence was and is its active leaders; it lies in its several hundred branches active under the leadership of secretaries, presidents and treasurers, who also are church or community activists in their localities. They constantly enriched our organization and their branches with new members; to this day, they continue to accomplish this work with a great sense of responsibility.

Turning our gaze to the years ahead of us in the 21st century, we firmly believe that the places of our longtime activists will be assumed by the younger generations born on this continent, and that activists of the new immigration from Ukraine also will become engaged and will serve our organization and the entire Ukrainian community as faithfully as their predecessors did - although, of course, their modes of operation will be new and more modern.

The purpose of their activities will be the same as to date - and these are given in the founding principles of the UNA - that is, to promote the principles of fraternalism, to preserve the Ukrainian, Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian heritage and culture; to provide quality financial services and products to its members; and to reinvest its earnings for the benefit of its members and the Ukrainian community.

We firmly believe that the UNA, resolutely entering the new century will faithfully abide by the ideals established by its founders and continued by countless activists of succeeding generations.

Ulana Diachuk
UNA President

(Translated by The Ukrainian Weekly.)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 9, 2000, No. 2, Vol. LXVIII

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