Kyiv mayor opens multi-media exhibit focusing on capital city's renaissance (12/22/02)

Kyiv mayor opens multi-media exhibit focusing on capital city's renaissance

by Andrew Nynka

NEW YORK - At the end of a two-day trip packed with meetings, speeches and ceremonies, the mayor of Kyiv, Oleksander Omelchenko, officially opened the Ukrainian Institute of America's "Renaissance of Kyiv" multi-media exhibit here on December 10.

The exhibit, which is scheduled to run through the end of January 2003, is the first in a yearlong series of programs hosted by the UIA that, according to a UIA press release, are intended to "show the changes and beauty of the 'new' Kyiv."

Included in the exhibit are over 70 images of present-day Kyiv, from photos showing newly constructed banks and apartment buildings to snapshots of a new train station and airport, as well as an underground mall at the city's historic central plaza, Independence Square.

Mixed in with the photography and video presentations are large panels that contain information on the city's history, as well as statistics on developments in education, commerce, infrastructure, housing, religion and advertising in the 1,500-year-old city.

In opening the exhibit, UIA President Walter Nazarewicz commended Mayor Omelchenko for making Kyiv an example for all of Ukraine to follow and said the exhibit tells the story of a city progressing. Mr. Nazarewicz added that, while Kyiv is only beginning its transformation, teaching the world "about the wonderful changes already taking place there" is extremely important.

The exhibit also includes music videos by Ukrainian pop icons Okean Elzy and Ani Lorak, footage from Studio 1+1 TV, a video called "Kyiv, My Love," and clips of Ukrainian game shows.

According to the chair of the exhibit committee, Ulana Baczynskyj, the exhibit tries to capture the changes taking place in Kyiv and "conveys it in the form of a multimedia experience and brings you momentary immersion into Kyiv city life." According to Zwen Goy and Dr. Roman Goy, both members of the exhibit committee, additional programs, at approximately two-month intervals, are planned to focus on architecture, art, music and fashion designers of Kyiv.

Following the official opening of the exhibit, Mr. Omelchenko presented awards to Mr. Nazarewicz, as the president of the Ukrainian Institute of America, and Ms. Baczynskyj, for her work on the exhibit.

Mayor Omelchenko also presented awards to Tamara Gallo of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Prof. Walter Zaryckyj of New York University, Basil Danchyk of the Ukrainian Institute of America, Orest Fedash, executive general manager of the Ramada hotel in East Hanover, N.J., and Marta Kokolska, a community activist from New Jersey for their support of Ukraine and their work in the Ukrainian American diaspora.

In the morning of December 10 the mayor traveled to Ground Zero, the site of the collapsed World Trade Center, in order to lay a wreath in commemoration of the terror attacks of 9/11. The mayor's schedule also included a private interview with an editor from Business Week magazine, which he called very productive, and a tour of an unfinished 50-story skyscraper, which the mayor, who holds a degree in construction engineering, said he found very interesting.

Mr. Omelchenko, who traveled with Ukraine's first cosmonaut who is now a member of Parliament, Leonid Kadenyuk, visited St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church and School where he was warmly greeted by members of the Ukrainian American community. While many of the students and faculty who crowded the school auditorium were waiting to see world heavyweight boxing champions Vitalii and Volodymyr Klitschko, they nonetheless greeted the mayor and his large entourage with a warm, traditional Ukrainian welcome of bread and salt.

The mayor also spoke to a small gathering of students and faculty at Columbia University's Harriman Institute. Mr. Omelchenko said that, contrary to the instability of Ukraine's national government, which has changed leadership 10 times in 11 years, he has been the mayor of a politically stable Kyiv for the past seven years.

The mayor, who spoke without notes, spent nearly 40 minutes highlighting the city's accomplishments in education, commerce, tourism, welfare, international relations, investment, social policy, housing and economic progress. The mayor also outlined a Municipal General Plan for the year 2020 which would "emphasize quality housing and infrastructure development." He called the plan the key to ensuring harmonious and balanced future development. The plan includes construction of a new subway line on the Left Bank of the Dnipro river, two new bridges across the Dnipro, and a variety of construction aimed at improving the flow of traffic and air quality throughout the city, a press release stated.

Mr. Omelchenko said that by 2001 Kyiv led all Ukrainian cities in the category of economic indicators and the city currently has a rate of unemployment very near zero. "Today's Kyiv is a typical European capital," Mr. Omelchenko said, "the distinctive architecture, the geographical location, the historical monuments and the environment make Kyiv one of the most beautiful cities in Europe."

Mr. Omelchenko said that Kyiv's population of 2.7 million people has had a small impact on the city's 836,000 square kilometers of land - leaving some 56 percent of the city as park land or simply undeveloped. "This is why Kyiv is called a city of flowers and parks," the mayor said.

"I have spoken about Kyiv today at great length," mayor Omelchenko concluded. "My goal has been to interest you in coming to Kyiv, a great city, which we love, revere and protect - as we would our eyes. We sincerely hope that one day you will be our guests."

Following his speech, the mayor presented Dr. Mark Von Hagen, president of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies and professor of history at Columbia University, with several books as well as a historical representation of an ancient hryvnia, from the National Bank of Ukraine as well as a contemporary hryvnia - "so that you can compare the development of Ukraine from the ancient monetary system to today's," Mr. Omelchenko said.

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