UACC's executive committee confirms recognition of UWCC

WASHINGTON - The executive committee of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council (UACC) at its quarterly meeting on February 16, reaffirmed its recognition of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council in Kyiv as the main non-governmental organization representing Ukrainians in Ukraine and abroad and established a separate fund in support of the UWCC.

The UACC executive committee felt that it was essential to establish such a fund at this time, in view of the fact that, at the urging of the Ukrainian diaspora, in the West, the UWCC has become a strictly non-governmental organization. The future development and activity of this organization will now depend to a very large degree on the financial support of Ukrainian diasporas in the West. Therefore, the UACC executive committee called upon central organizations in the United States, Canada and Western Europe to give their full support, both financial and moral, to the UWCC.

The UACC Executive Committee voted to send $1,500 to the UWCC as its initial contribution to the fund. (Donations to the UWCC fund set up by the UACC may be sent to: UACC New York Office, 142 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003).

The executive committee also approved other donations totaling $1,550 for various educational and charitable organizations in Ukraine and a $300 contribution for the Ukrainian teachers' committee responsible for developing Ukrainian language tests for secondary school students in the state of New York.

In the course of the meeting, the UACC executive committee heard reports by its president, Ihor Gawdiak, and other members of the committee. Mr. Gawdiak reported on the meeting of the Presidium of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) on February 2 in Toronto and on the activity of the UACC Office in Washington.

Following his report, the executive committee reviewed the draft of the new by-laws proposed by the UWC's By-Laws Committee and unanimously expressed their opposition to the proposed definition of the UWC as a representative body of the entire Ukrainian diaspora. In the opinion of the UACC Executive Committee, the UWC's mission should remain the same as it was when the organization was first established, namely to coordinate the activity of the central organizations of the Ukrainian diaspora in the West. In the executive committee's view, it is the national umbrella organizations of the Ukrainian diaspora in each given country that represent that particular Ukrainian community. The UACC executive committee also expressed its reservations concerning the UWC's decision to hold its 2003 convention in Warsaw.

The UACC president also gave a brief summary of the organization's activity in the U.S. capital. He informed the executive committee that in the last few weeks the UACC Washington Office has been working within the framework of the Action Ukraine Coalition, together with other Ukrainian community organizations in Washington, to have Congress remove the restrictions imposed by the Jackson-Vanik Amendment that prevent Ukraine from receiving a permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status.

The Action Ukraine Coalition is also presently involved in setting up contacts in Ukraine for an upcoming congressional delegation to Ukraine and in the preparation of a conference in the fall of this year with the participation of U.S. business firms to stimulate greater U.S. investment in Ukraine.

Mr. Gawdiak also informed the executive committee that a new organization, the Association of American Friends of Ukraine, headed by a former Pennsylvania congressman, Charles Dougherty, had just joined the Action Ukraine Coalition.

Finally, Mr. Gawdiak underscored UACC's and Action Ukraine Coalition's continued close and friendly cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington on issues of common interest to Ukraine and the Ukrainian American community.

The February meeting of the executive committee was the first to be attended by Dr. Vasyl Lopukh, the newly elected head of the Association of Ukrainians in America and, therefore, a statutory member of UACC Executive Committee. It was also the first meeting for Roma Shuhan, the new manager of the UACC's New York office, who has replaced Damian Lishchynsky, whose resignation was necessitated for reasons of health. Both newcomers were warmly welcomed by the committee.

In closing, the committee commended Mr. Lishchynsky for his longtime dedication and hard work for the UACC.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 31, 2002, No. 13, Vol. LXX

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