City of Detroit marks tricentennial, welcomes Batkivschyna (09/23/01)

City of Detroit marks tricentennial, welcomes Batkivschyna

DETROIT - The city of Detroit on July 19-22 celebrated its tricentennial, marking 300 years since the date when French explorer Marquis de Cadillac established the first permanent settlement on the banks of the Detroit River. The Ukrainian-American community played an active role in the weekend celebration by welcoming the Ukrainian tall ship Batkivschyna as part of a tall ships festival hosted by the American Sail Training Association (ASTA).

Despite oppressively hot and humid weather during much of the weekend, the Ukrainian schooner attracted thousands of revelers who toured the ship and helped raise thousands of dollars for the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund (CCRF).

On Thursday, July 19, the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Warren, Mich., hosted a special reception in honor of Capt. Dmitrii Birioukovitch and his crew. The reception also paid tribute to the many settlers of Ukrainian heritage who have made important contributions to the cultural life of Detroit and surrounding communities for more than a century.

The program chairman, Anatoli Murha, president of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus, opened the evening by thanking Capt. Birioukovitch for his initiative and vision in embarking on his expedition to educate the world about Ukraine, its rich history and its struggle for freedom.

"This has been a wonderful opportunity to showcase the vitality and cultural riches of our Ukrainian community in Michigan," said Mr. Murha. "We're especially proud of the role that the Detroit community has fulfilled in preserving the musical and cultural heritage of Ukraine, especially during those bleak decades when Ukrainian national consciousness was persecuted by the Soviet government."

Mr. Murha introduced Alexander Kuzma, executive director of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, which helped sponsor the Batkivschyna's Great Lakes Expedition that culminated in the Detroit 300 celebration. Mr. Kuzma thanked the Detroit community for helping CCRF to establish model hospital partnerships in Lviv, Poltava, Rivne, Dnipropetrovsk and other Ukrainian cities.

"Your generosity has improved remission rates for children with cancer and leukemia, and helped to reduce infant mortality by 50 percent or better in some of our partner hospitals," he said.

Mr. Kuzma also thanked the crew of the Batkivschyna for bringing the ship to Detroit as a goodwill ambassador for CCRF and its humanitarian mission. "You have come to Detroit not to mourn the fate of Ukraine's children, but to fight for their future," Mr. Kuzma underscored.

Among the special highlights of the program was a passionate address by May Beck, the long-time President of the Detroit City Council who helped bring the Ukrainian community into the mainstream of Detroit's social and economic life. Now in her 90s, Ms. Beck is greatly respected not only for her civic achievements, but for her role in promoting Ukrainian culture, as well as for turning Detroit into a mecca for Ukrainian immigrants after World War II.

Speaking eloquently and at times poetically, Ms. Beck awed many in the audience with her command of the Ukrainian language and her sweeping overview of Ukrainians' place in the history of Detroit and the world.

Another moving moment during the welcoming reception was a presentation by Lubomyr Hewko, a member of the Plast's Chornomortsi fraternity, who presented Capt. Birioukovitch with a commemorative book marking the 50th anniversary of Plast in Detroit. Mr. Hewko shared some of the history of the Chornomortsi fraternity, including the fact that Plast's Chornomortsi were authorized by the Ukrainian National Republic in exile to use the banner of the Ukrainian Black Sea Fleet. Today the fleet of independent Ukraine once again flies that historic banner.

The Ukrainian branch of the Detroit 300 Committee published thousands of copies of a commemorative booklet welcoming the Batkivschyna and highlighting the vitality of the Ukrainian community in Detroit.

Many of the region's Ukrainian organizations played an active role in supporting the Batkivschyna's mission. Among these were Ukrainian American Veterans Post 101, the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, Ukrainian Sports Club, Ukrainian Nurses' Association, the Ukrainian Future Credit Union, the Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan Federal Credit Union, and the Michigan Chapter of CCRF.

On Sunday, July 22, the Batkivschyna took part in the official Parade of Sail featuring over 20 ships from around the world that created a colorful flotilla stretching from Wyandotte to Belle Isle. Earlier in the week, the Ukrainian schooner docked on the Canadian side of the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario's, picturesque Dieppe Park, where it drew thousands of tourists from both sides of the border.

From Detroit, the Batkivschyna continued its expedition to Bay City and Muskegon, Mich. The schooner was scheduled to visit Milwaukee and Chicago to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence at the end of August.

| Home Page |