Ukrainian World Congress announces schedule for its first conclave in Ukraine (08/17/03)

Ukrainian World Congress announces schedule for its first conclave in Ukraine

TORONTO - The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) will hold its eighth international congress on August 18-21 in Kyiv. The last such congress took place in 1998 in Toronto; this is the first time the event is being held in Ukraine.

The organizers of the convention - to be held at the historic Teacher's Building, once the seat of the Central Rada - expect that approximately 300 delegates from diaspora organizations represented by the Ukrainian World Congress, as well as 200 guests, will attend.

According to a UWC release, the venue was changed from the Ukrainian Home, which is controlled by the presidential administration, due to ongoing renovations and despite the fact that the UWC had a signed agreement with the Ukrainian Home and had paid half of the contracted sum for use of the facility.

The UWC is a coordinating body for Ukrainian communities in the diaspora, which encompasses over 230 diaspora organizations.

Throughout the course of the convention, various artistic and cultural exhibits will be displayed for the benefit of the delegates and guests. There will be exhibits prepared by several Ukrainian organizations, including the World Scholarly Council, the Shevchenko Scientific Society, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies and the Conference of Ukrainian Youth Organizations, on themes chosen by the individual groups. For example, the World Educational Coordinating Council will display paintings by children in an exhibit called "The Famine-Genocide in Ukraine 1932-1933 Through the Eyes of a Child."

The convention will officially begin with greetings from several noteworthy Ukrainian leaders. Invitations have been extended to President Leonid Kuchma, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Our Ukraine party and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, and others.

Afterwards, the UWC will present its St. Volodymyr the Great medals, awarded to those who have furthered the cause of Ukrainians around the world.

On the second day of the congress, summary reports will be presented by the national and regional subdivisions of the UWC: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Transdnister, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uzbekistan and the Ukrainian European Congress.

Later in the day, various UWC councils and committees will present their summary reports. These include the Commission on Human and Civil Rights, the Sports Commission, the World Conference on Cultural Affairs, and others.

The third day of the convention will feature a series of roundtable discussions. The first is titled "Ukrainian communities in the Eastern Diaspora - Integral Components of the UWC, Current Status and Perspectives." The moderator will be Mykhaylo Parypsa of Kazakstan and the discussants will be Yuriy Kononenko of Russia, Vasyl Kolomatsky of Canada, and Romania Yavir of Armenia.

The second roundtable is titled "Emigration from Ukraine," and will feature moderator Maria Szkambara of Canada and discussants Larissa Kyj of the United States, Natalia Samolevska of Ukraine and Zoriana Kikcio of Sweden.

The third roundtable is titled "Status, Role and Future of the Ukrainian Language Outside Ukraine." It will feature moderator Oksana Wynnyckyj Yusypovych of Canada and discussants Iryna Moysey of Romania, Myroslawa Filipova of Russia, Valentyna Mardzhanishvili of Georgia, Yuriy Bacha of the Slovak Republic and Marko Syrnyk of Poland.

The final roundtable is titled "Participation and Role of Youth in the Life of the Ukrainian Communities Outside Ukraine." It will feature moderator Stefan Romaniw of Australia and discussants Evhen Savenko of Tatarstan (Russia), Marta Kuzmowycz of the United States, Natalie Sertvitene of Lithuania and Oleksandra Jawornicka of Poland.

Following the roundtable discussions there will be a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933, including a procession to the Famine Monument and a panakhyda (requiem service) in St. Michael's Square.

The convention will conclude with UWC elections, a press conference reception in Kyiv City Hall.

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