UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY: Celebrations in New York, Jersey City

NEW YORK - The ninth anniversary of the declaration of Ukraine's independence was celebrated by close to 200 guests on August 24 at an event hosted jointly at the Consulate building in Manhattan by Ukraine's Consulate General in New York and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations. Acting Consul General Serhiy Pohoreltzev greeted the guests on behalf of the Consulate and his co-host, Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko of Ukraine's U.N. Mission. A message from New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, who noted the influence of "Ukrainian heritage and culture in our great city" and the importance of "nine years of freedom and democracy in Ukraine" was read by Dina Hanna, diplomatic liaison officer for the office of the mayor. A greeting from the New Jersey State Legislature on the occasion of Ukraine's independence was read by Brian Gordon, who also conveyed a greeting from New Jersey Gov. Christine T. Whitman. Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Kostyantyn Gryshchenko and Mrs. Gryshchenko also attended the celebration. Pictured above (from left) are Svitlana Pohoreltzev; Ukrainian actress Olha Mateshko and Acting Consul General Pohoreltzev.

- Irene Jarosewich

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Mayor Brett Schundler of Jersey City, presented his proclamation marking the ninth anniversary of Ukraine's independence declaration to leaders of the local Ukrainian community on August 22, in advance of the Ukrainian Independence Day holiday. Seen in the photo above (from left) are: the Rev. Marian Struc, Yaroslav Zaviysky, Wolodymyr Sochan, Mayor Schundler, Halyna Hawryluk and Ilia Shevchuk. Two days later, on Ukrainian Independence Day, August 24, Ukrainian American community activists gathered at City Hall for the ceremonial raising of the Ukrainian national flag.

- Ilia Shevchuk

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, September 10, 2000, No. 37, Vol. LXVIII

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