Denver-area Ukrainian Americans mark "Chornobyl Commemoration Day" (05/14/06)

THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

Denver-area Ukrainian Americans mark "Chornobyl Commemoration Day"

by Ania Savage

DENVER - Some 100 Ukrainian Americans marked the 20th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster with a commemorative event and candlelight vigil at the Chornobyl Commemorative Bench in Denver's Cheesman Park on April 22.

The event took place on a sunny but windy Colorado spring day, and local television videotaped the event and later broadcast it on the nightly news program.

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer, who recently visited Ukraine to monitor the parliamentary elections, was the featured speaker. He said that the nuclear disaster was not only a calamity for people but also for the environment of Ukraine, neighboring states and for Europe itself. He said it had been unconscionable for the Soviet government to delay reporting the accident for three days and fail to warn the citizens of Ukraine and neighboring Belarus about the dangers of radiation.

That the event was being held on Earth Day was significant because the Chornobyl accident underscores the fragility of the world's environment and demonstrates that all measures need to be taken to protect and preserve the earth's ecosystem, Mr. Schaeffer said.

Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher, who also attended, spoke about the friendship he has forged with the Ukrainian community in Denver. Mr. Gallagher was instrumental in obtaining proclamations from both Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper designating April 26 as "Chornobyl Commemoration Day," both in the city and state. In addition, Mayor Jerry Di Tullio of Wheat Ridge, a Denver suburb, also issued a similar proclamation.

The governor's proclamation was read at the hourlong event by Cassandra Bugir, who was dressed in the Ukrainian national costume, as were members of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, Chapter 38, the sponsor of the event.

In the proclamation, Gov. Owens said the nuclear accident at Chornobyl was the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power generation. "Americans, Ukrainian Americans and citizens in every nation must concentrate their efforts to work for greater governmental responsibility and citizen vigilance," the proclamation read.

The governor's proclamation continued, "The state of Colorado honors the memory of those killed by the disaster at Chornobyl and recognizes all efforts to ensure that such a tragedy never occur again."

Marina Dubrova was the master of ceremonies for the event. The men's choir from the Ralston Hills Baptist Church in Arvada, under the direction of choirmaster Nikola Gidenko, sang several religious hymns in Ukrainian at the event. In addition, the women's quartet Maky, whose members are Zdana Feduschak, Tatianna Gajecky-Wynar, Nadia Myronenko and Betty Zelem, sang "Cherez Pole Ukrayiny Ishla Bozha Maty" and "Moya Ukrayina."

Father Alexander Avramenko, pastor of Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in Denver, led the prayer for the victims of Chornobyl as those gathered for the event lit candles and offered a minute of silence.

That evening, WB2-TV included clips from the event on its evening news. Odarka Figlus was interviewed on behalf of the UNWLA and spoke about the adverse impact of Chornobyl on Ukraine that is continuing to this day.

In addition, Neal Ulevich, a former Associated Press photographer, took a group panoramic photo of those attending the event. The photo can be viewed at www.watermargin.com and is to be included in a book the photographer is compiling.

The UNWLA erected the Chornobyl bench on a knoll in Cheesman Park - which is to Denverites what Central Park is to New Yorkers - one year after the Chornobyl disaster.

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