Ukrainian Congress Committee of America holds final meeting of 2003 (01/04/04)

Ukrainian Congress Committee of America holds final meeting of 2003

by Tamara Gallo
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

NEW YORK - The last meeting of the UCCA Executive Board for 2003 was held on Saturday, December 13, at the UCCA headquarters in lower Manhattan. On the agenda were discussions regarding the UCCA's plans for the community in 2004 and the forthcoming 19th Congress of Ukrainians in America.

Based upon a successful informational campaign in the American press about the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide during this 70th commemorative year, the UCCA Executive Board deliberated additional steps to bring more focus on the genocide in Ukraine 70 years ago. The most important factor of the discussion involved the U.S. educational system and beginning an earnest campaign to have the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide as part of the high school social studies curriculum nationwide. Other proposed ideas to promote the Famine-Genocide involve documenting survivors through oral/written testimonies; continuing on informational campaign to the Pulitzer Committee; holding mock trials in Ukraine; and pushing for editorials in major U.S. newspapers by distinguished columnists.

Next year, the Ukrainian community will face several important political events, such as presidential elections in both Ukraine and the United States. The UCCA Executive Board firmly endorsed a civic education project in Ukraine for the October 31, 2004, presidential elections. The project would be based on voter education, especially targeting the younger generations; monitoring the election campaigns; as well as, sending election observers to monitor the election day proceedings.

In cooperation with the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), the UCCA will concentrate not only on election observers in Ukraine, but throughout the various countries where Ukrainians reside. On the initiative of Prof. Taras Hunczak, the UCCA will form an advisory group that will monitor events in Ukraine and provide recommendations to the Executive Board for its consideration.

The U.S. elections will also present a challenge to the Ukrainian community to offer information about itself to the candidates, as well as an analysis of current U.S.-Ukraine relations and how to strengthen them. With that in mind, the UCCA adopted a plan to promote and strengthen U.S.-Ukraine relations by increasing the UCCA's contacts with members of Congress and local and state government officials.

In the spring of 2004 the UCCA will host an advocacy event called "Ukrainian Days" in Washington, providing an opportunity for members of the community to visit the nation's capital and meet their members of Congress and administration officials. The goal is to better acquaint the community with our vital role in Washington.

Further proposals for 2004 include the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of the Taras Shevchenko monument in Washington with plans for a manifestation and possible concert in the summer.

Emphasis was placed on the UCCA's scholarly journal The Ukrainian Quarterly and the need to increase its circulation to university libraries in the United States, as well as throughout the Ukrainian American community.

The UCCA Executive Board also focused its attention on visiting various communities, particularly those less often visited, including those with a new influx of immigrants from Ukraine.

As stated in the UCCA by-laws, the quadrennial convention of the UCCA must be held within the same year as the U.S. presidential elections. Next year, the 19th Congress of Ukrainians in America will be held in Philadelphia on September 24-26 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The Congress of Ukrainians in America will have as it's theme "Unite, Brothers of Mine" - a reference to unity within the Ukrainian American community (as exemplified by the recent decision of the Ukrainian National Association to rejoin the ranks of the UCCA) and in commemoration of the 190th anniversary of the birth of Taras Shevchenko and the 40th anniversary of the dedication of the Shevchenko monument in Washington.

A special committee for the 19th Congress was formed with Ihor Kusznir, head of the Philadelphia UCCA branch, as coordinator. During the proceedings of the Congress, panel discussions will be held on the following themes pertinent to the Ukrainian American community: assistance to Ukraine; our role in Washington; the Ukrainian-language school system in the U.S.; and the future of the Ukrainian community.

As a last item for business, the UCCA Executive Board designated next year's dates for UCCA meetings and noted anniversaries which ought to be commemorated in the following year: the 350th anniversary of the Pereyaslav Treaty; the 190th anniversary of the birth of Taras Shevchenko; the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN); the 65th anniversary of Carpatho-Ukraine; the 60th anniversary of the death of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky; the 50th anniversary of the uprising in Kingiri; the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Stepan Bandera; the 40th anniversary of the unveiling of the Taras Shevchenko monument in Washington; the 20th anniversary of the death of Patriarch Josyf Slipyj; the 20th anniversary of the death of poet Vasyl Stus; and the fifth anniversary of the death of Rukh leader Vyacheslav Chornovil.

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