2000: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: The Ukrainian diaspora: expanding worldwide ties (01/07/01)

2000: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The Ukrainian diaspora: expanding worldwide ties

Several major developments in diaspora communities and in Ukraine filled the millennium year. The main theme was strengthening ties between organizations in Ukraine and their diaspora counterparts.

In an effort to re-establish the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council's (UWCC) reputation, Mykhailo Horyn spoke with The Weekly's Roman Woronowycz shortly after beginning his term as president of the UWCC on May 20. Mr. Horyn, a former political prisoner, a founder of the Rukh Movement, national deputy and leader of the Ukrainian Republican Party, has added president of the UWCC to his resumé, taking over the reigns from Ivan Drach, president for eight years.

According to Mr. Horyn, the efforts of the UWCC were unsatisfactory in the past, resulting from indifference of community and political activists in trying to maintain a dialogue with the diaspora. Another factor that led to inactivity was the economic situation in Ukraine and lack of funds needed to achieve UWCC objectives. Limited financial assistance was received from the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, but additional funds are needed to establish and maintain lasting relationships with the diaspora.

In commenting on the relations between the UWCC and UWC, Mr. Horyn underlined the importance of defining the responsibilities of each organization and pledged to work on a specific plan for the development of the future of the UWCC. "The UWC is part of the UWCC, an integral part of it," he explained. "Today there are various interpretations of this position."

Mr. Horyn recognized the importance of the UWC's activities, but questioned whether or not they would be able to do what is necessary to "ensure the continued existence of the diaspora." He noted that the friction between the UWCC and UWC organizations witnessed at a convention on May 19-20 of this year, was associated with growth and would work itself out in the future.

In addition to a development plan, Mr. Horyn is working on an outline of how relations between the UWCC and the Ukrainian government should proceed. In the meantime, the UWCC will proceed with its goals of helping find teachers for Ukrainian schools abroad, developing contacts with Ukrainian youth organizations in foreign countries and strengthening contacts between the Ukrainian communities abroad and Ukraine.

Contact with diaspora communities was also on the agenda of Ukraine's vice prime minister for humanitarian affairs, Dr. Mykola Zhulynskyi. From June 30 to July 7 he met with representatives from Ukrainian communities in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Toronto. His tour began with a meeting of U.S. legislators and Ukrainian Embassy officials in Washington on June 30, followed by an address on July 1 at a Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad banquet in Philadelphia, and meeting on July 5 with the officers and crew of the Slavutych, a Ukrainian naval vessel in port in New York for the International Naval Review 2000. Dr. Zhulynskyi's other New York activities consisted of a trip to the Consulate General of Ukraine and the Ukrainian National Home, where he spoke before members of the community.

Speaking before the community in New York, Dr. Zhulynskyi said that, despite enormous difficulties, Ukraine has accomplished a great deal. "I also feel an enormous sense of responsibility before the diaspora, that has worked so long and hard for a successful, independent Ukraine and greeted independence with joy and high expectations," he added.

He also spoke about a proposed law that would enforce the use of Ukrainian as the official language and shared plans for Ukraine's 10th anniversary of independence celebrations. In conclusion, Dr. Zhulynskyi presented awards issued by the Cabinet of Ministers to several members of the community for their work in the diaspora and Ukraine.

Dr. Zhulynskyi's efforts in 2000 pertained not only to the diaspora but also to internal matters. In early June, he traveled with a delegation of Ukrainian national deputies and government officials to Constantinople for a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Discussions at this meeting centered on the granting of recognition to an autocephalous Ukrainian Church. The patriarch indicated that he supports an autocephalous Ukrainian Church with its own patriarch and is willing to mediate discussions among the three Orthodox Churches.

In early July, Dr. Zhulynskyi visited in Ottawa with Canadian government officials, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Dr. Yuri Shcherbak, and members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC). The president of the UCC, Eugene Czolij, spoke with Dr. Zhulynskyi about the organization's priorities and discussed how to further strengthen Canada-Ukraine relations. A dinner reception was held at the Embassy of Ukraine in Dr. Zhulynskyi's honor.

Ukraine was represented at the International Council of Women - for the first time since 1925 - at the 29th General Assembly on July 2-8 in Helsinki. Some 250 delegates represented 35 national councils of women from around the world. Ten delegates from Ukraine, headed by the Ukrainian National Council of Women President Iryna Holubieva, were welcomed back into the International Council of Women, after a 75-year absence. Since Ukraine was not an independent nation during the 1928 ICW General Assembly held in Washington, it could not be a member in accordance with the organization's charter. With independence, the National Council of Women of Ukraine (which comprises eight women's organizations) applied for and received ICW membership.

The 29th General Assembly voted on new constitution requirements, heard reports on international women's issues and decided on future goals and challenges. The Ukrainian delegates' representation was not limited to Ukraine's women's organizations.

Present at the 29th General Assembly were members of the Ukrainian diaspora women's organizations: Oksana Sokolyk, World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations (WFUWO) president; Volodymyra Luchkiv, WFUWO vice-president; and Maria Komarnycka, former president of the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of America. Ukrainian National Women's League of America President Iryna Kurowyckyj was also present, along with Vice-President Maria Tomorug. The next ICW General Assembly will be held in Australia in 2003.

Among Ukrainian youth organizations re-establishing ground in Ukraine is Plast. With membership in Ukraine now at 9,000 and 130 branches (stanytsi) in every oblast in Ukraine, the Plast - National Scout Organization of Ukraine is continually seeking out experienced administrators with a goal of attracting, encouraging and maintaining adult participation in the further development of the scouting organization. Further, in tide with the growth of the organization, the Plast National Executive restructured the organization into 11 regions and established formal branches in nine oblasts where there are multiple Plast centers.

The head of the Plast National Executive in Ukraine, Andriy Harmatii, said that in the last year the Executive has devoted much energy to structural changes within the organization. Ten salaried positions were created within the National Executive, which Mr. Harmatii says allow the individuals to devote themselves full-time to their Plast responsibilities. Although this is a different system from the way Plast operates in the diaspora, Mr. Harmatii says it is in line with national scouting organizations in other countries like Canada or the United States. Currently, the National Executive's salaries are courtesy of the fund-raising efforts of Chief Plast Scout Dr. Lubomyr Romankiw, whose Chief Scout Fund was set up for his purpose.

Plast in Ukraine became a part of the Civil Society Community Roots Project (funded by the Canadian International Development Agency), which enabled seven members of the National Executive to take management and administration courses at Lviv University. Plast in Ukraine was also asked by the Cabinet of Ministers to nominate a member for the prestigious Hrushevsky Award for contribution to the development of the Ukrainian state. Anhelina Klisch, National Executive member and an active youth leader, was presented with the award.

In November 1999, speculation on whether or not Plast in Ukraine would become part of the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM) came to an end. In a letter from the WOSM committee, Plast in Ukraine was accused of exclusive emphasis on patriotism. "We keep stressing that Plast never limited itself exclusively to patriotism to one's state," Mr. Harmatii said. He continued, "On the contrary, Plast was always open to all Ukrainian youth, even in those days when there was no Ukrainian state. In its programs and activities, Plast always included an international outlook and took part in many international scouting events."

The international Plast body, the Conference of Ukrainian Plast Organizations (KUPO), held a worldwide conference with over 100 delegates present representing Plast around the world on November 9-12 in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Although Plast in Ukraine has been a member of the KUPO since 1991, this was the first time the general meeting was held in Ukraine. Greetings were conveyed from President Leonid Kuchma; Mykhailo Horyn, president of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council, delivered a personal welcome. Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko also spoke to the delegates and was granted honorary Plast membership. The four-day meeting produced a revised constitution and resolutions for enactment by the newly elected leaders of the organization.

Defending freedom of the press in Ukraine and the rights of Ukrainian journalists are the main goals of the Association of Ukrainian Journalists of Canada and the U.S. Establishment of the new group, whose founding members are some 40 editors, journalists and publicists who work in Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian media, was finalized in a November 18 meeting in Toronto.

The association will solicit members from all media, Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian, and will serve as a forum for communication and networking for journalists and media professionals. Other agenda items include the creation of a Ukrainian journalism website and chat room, and following through with a series of media action items such as interceding on behalf of arrested journalists in Ukraine. Jurij Klufas, president of Toronto Ukrainian Television Entertainment, was elected president of the association.

Ukraine's rich tradition of folk dance was showcased in the "Brazil 2000, A Millennium of Sharing" project, carried out with performances from Saskatoon's Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble. From August 16 to September 1, the 30-member dance troupe wowed thousands of onlookers in Parana, Brazil, where they spent two weeks traveling and performing and simultaneously "do-gooding." In lieu of admission for their August 19 Prudentopolis show, the crowd brought donated non-perishable foods, which were given to a senior citizen's home and to St. Josaphat Ukrainian Parish.

In addition to taking part in two multicultural festivals, the troupe visited residents at a nursing home at Sao Jose dos Pinhais and the Ukrainian Museum in Curitiba, founded by Canadian and American Ukrainians. Further sold-out shows and media attention made the experience even more exciting, and the food donations to Ukrainian communities in need rewarding.

The eighth scientific congress of the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations (WFUMA) was held this year on August 13-17 in Lviv. The unveiling of a monument to Mariian Panchyshyn (1882-1943), a prominent civil and political activist, head of the underground Ukrainian University in Lviv during the interwar years (1922-1925) and the founding director of Lviv's public health department (1939), preceded the formal opening ceremonies of the congress.

The official opening of the WFUMA congress took place in the Ivan Franko Theater of Opera and Ballet. The scientific program of the congress was conducted both in Lviv, at the Palace of Railway Workers, and in Truskavets, Ukraine's leading resort in the Carpathian Mountains.

The plenary sessions of the congress covered current issues in Ukrainian medicine. Special workshops were held on providing medical health care, medical ethics, consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe, including medical ecological problems, medical education and the role of civic organizations in the development of medicine. Over 900 abstracts were published in the congress program.

More than 480 physicians took part in the congress, of which 401 were from Ukraine, mostly between the ages of 30 and 50. There were physicians from 11 foreign countries, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia and Moldova. More than 60 U.S. physicians, along with their families, participated in the congress.

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