Photo exhibition "Chornobyl: 20" opens in U.S. Congress (05/14/06)

THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

Photo exhibition "Chornobyl: 20" opens in U.S. Congress

by Serhiy Zhykharev
Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - On the morning of April 26, 2006, a one-day photo exhibition titled "Chornobyl: 20" opened in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building of the U.S. Congress. The exhibit was sponsored by the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, in cooperation with the Chornobyl Challenge '06 coalition of NGOs, and featured photographs that brought into focus the human dimension of the Chornobyl disaster.

The photographs included in the exposition highlighted the dignity and strength of those who fell victim to the radioactive fallout and live their daily lives as an example of resolve, strength and hope.

The opening ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus; Dr. Oleh Shamshur, ambassador of Ukraine to the United States; Ambassador Knut Vollebaek of the Kingdom of Norway; Caroline Vicini, minister and deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of Sweden; Regis Babinh, counselor for nuclear affairs of the Embassy of France; and Larysa Belskaya, first secretary of the Embassy of Belarus.

Michael Sawkiw Jr., president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), acted as master of ceremonies for the event on behalf of the Chornobyl Challenge '06 coalition. In his opening remarks, Mr. Sawkiw noted: "While looking at these pictures, I hope you will remind yourself that Chornobyl is not over, that many of the problems require constant and close attention, and increased international assistance. But I also hope that you will celebrate these brave people, who have mustered strength and endurance to overcome the worst cataclysms of their lives."

After a moment of silence to honor the victims of the worst civilian nuclear disaster, Mr. Sawkiw introduced Rep. Kaptur, who reiterated the importance of remembering the Chornobyl tragedy and learning all its lessons, lest the catastrophe repeat itself.

"Having a nuclear power plant in my home district, which had two major incidents in the last 20 years, the people of northern Ohio can relate to the victims of Chornobyl better than most. On behalf of my constituents, my nation and myself, I empathize with those whose lives were damaged by this accident. I want to reassure you that the United States as a nation will continue its support of improving the safety of nuclear power plants in the former Soviet Union, as well as other kinds of support we have provided in the past," stated Rep. Kaptur.

Following the congresswoman's remarks, Mr. Sawkiw read a statement on the occasion of this solemn anniversary by President George W. Bush. "By closing Chornobyl more than five years ago, a free Ukraine removed an environmental threat built by an oppressive government, created the circumstances for a safer and more prosperous region, and acted with courage in the march to democracy. I appreciate the people around the world who continue to show their compassion for those still suffering in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and I reaffirm America's commitment to the ongoing effort to improve the safety and security of Chornobyl by confining its nuclear reactor," the statement read.

Although unable to attend the opening in person, Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky was represented by her chief of staff, Jeff Miotke, who read her greetings to the participants of the ceremony.

In her message, Undersecretary Dobriansky stated: "The 20th anniversary of the disaster in Chornobyl is a time of remembrance - the horrible accident affected millions and caused great suffering throughout Eastern Europe. However, this anniversary is also a time to welcome past and future action. The United States has, and continues to, support bilateral and international programs aimed at mitigating the persistent health, environmental, social and economic consequences of the accident."

Ms. Dobriansky also expressed deep sympathy to the people of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation, whose lives have been adversely affected by the accident, as well as admiration for their strength and resilience in dealing with these difficult problems.

Ambassador Shamshur spoke of the damages wrought by Chornobyl, which amounts to billions of dollars. He spoke of the deserted fertile land and the irreparable damage to the health of millions of people, especially children. "We must stop thinking of Chornobyl as a place of mourning," he stated. "Instead, it needs to become a place of hope, where the international community unites in resolving these incredibly complex problems and learns how to protect itself from similar disasters in the future. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I thank the United States and the international community for their support and assistance, and I hope that in the future we will continue to work together to mitigate Chornobyl's consequences faster and more efficiently."

Norwegian Ambassador Vollebaek pointed out that Norway was one of the countries that was directly affected by the radioactive cloud of Chornobyl. He described the effects his country suffered and sympathized with those who lived in the immediate proximity of the accident site. "Norway will continue its involvement in the international efforts to contain the consequences of Chornobyl and assist those whose health was damaged by the radioactive fallout, especially the children. Victims of Chornobyl have the deepest sympathy of my country, as well as our support," the ambassador stated.

William Crandall, the curator of the "Chornobyl: 20" exhibition and a contributing photographer, spoke on behalf of the artists whose work was shown as part of the exhibit. "When a tragedy like that happens, the natural reaction is to want to scream and tell the world about it. However, a natural response to a scream is to cover one's ears and run away. Therefore, the goal of this exhibition was to find beautiful pictures that would whisper about the problems of Chornobyl into the viewer's ears and an important point across: Chornobyl was certainly a great tragedy, but there is hope for the future and by combining our efforts we will be able to help those in need, as well as help solve the existing problems," stated Mr. Crandall.

In conclusion, Mr. Sawkiw thanked the contributors and organizers of the exhibition and invited everyone to attend additional events that would be held in the U.S. Congress in commemoration of Chornobyl's 20th anniversary, including at the congressional hearing and a reception the following day.

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