EDITORIAL: Vital signs at a summit (03/24/02)

EDITORIAL

Vital signs at a summit

Soyuzivka played host last weekend to a special Summit of Ukrainian American Organizations held to explore the topic "Engaging the Younger Generation in Ukrainian American Organizations." Convened on the initiative of the Ukrainian Engineers' Society of America, which recently experienced a youth-oriented restructuring of its leadership, and organized with the cooperation of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America and the Ukrainian National Association, the conference succeeded in attracting some 65 participants - leaders and activists representing diverse organizations, backgrounds and generations.

The focus of the summit was youth - the next generations of our community, who constitute the potential members and leaders of our organizations and institutions. The key question: How do we attract these younger generations, get them involved and keep them involved? (It was significant that the term "younger" was purposefully left undefined, and was intended to serve only as a relative concept.)

The participants of the conference ranged from students age 19 and up to veteran community types of senior age. And the community organizations themselves spanned a range of generations - from the eldest, the Shevchenko Scientific Society, which next year marks its 130th anniversary, to the continually reborn Ukrainian clubs on university campuses. (Of course, no one could argue with a Ukrainian Catholic priest when he said he represents the oldest organization of all, Christ's Church.) It was noteworthy also that among the participants were a number of newcomers, immigrants from Ukraine - some already involved, others seeking a niche for their interests.

As our readers may recall, it was an editorial published in this newspaper in October 2001 that had raised the question "Where have all the students gone?" That editorial about the umbrella organization of Ukrainian student clubs known as SUSTA raised the crucial question of "active engagement" in our community life. The first answer to the editorial's question came two months later from Christina Duzyj, who informed readers that our students are indeed alive and well, and that they generally believe "that being Ukrainian is central and fundamental to their lives." Another response came in January of this year, in the form of yet another question: "Where have the young professionals gone?" Recently elected UESA President Andrij Wowk pointed to "another missing generation of sorts in a broader scope: individuals in their 20s and 30s who are in the process of developing their careers." He broached the idea of holding a summit of organizations to tackle the question of "what can be done to engage the missing demographic group" in the Ukrainian American community.

From its inception, to its conclusion, "Summit 2002," as it is already being called for short, sought a looser brainstorming format than what our community normally expects from its conferences. The goal was to generate ideas, challenge assumptions, attack misconceptions head-on. And the conference participants included all of the attendees, panelists and non-panelists alike. There were no passive listeners here. As was made clear from the start, all were encouraged to share their ideas; the panelists were simply there to lay the groundwork for a fruitful exchange.

And guess what? The format worked! And what's more, the subjects of the conference, the younger generations, were the primary reason for its success. Thanks to their involvement, the participants did so much more than just speak about our youths (they didn't have to pose the old "De nasha molod?" question), they spoke directly with them. The communication was direct, respectful, unhindered - and energizing. One participant underscored: this was "a convergence that has changed everything."

Summit 2002 was indeed an auspicious beginning. It is our fervent hope that it will lead to more contacts, both formal and informal, that will benefit our entire community. Given the vital signs that we witnessed at Soyuzivka, and the demonstrated need for a true community of Ukrainians, we are sure this initiative can have far-reaching success if it is continued and expanded.

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