Verkhovynky Plast sorority honors Nadia Svitlychna (12/03/06)

Verkhovynky Plast sorority honors Nadia Svitlychna

by Laryssa Czebiniak

NEW YORK - The Verkhovynky Plast sorority honored their deceased member Nadia Svitlychna with a program held on Sunday, November 12, at the Shevchenko Scientific Society in New York. November 8 would have been Ms. Svitlychna's 70th birthday.

The program began with a dramatic recitation by Sofia Zielyk of the poem "Woman" by Hanna Tchubach. Listening to it, one could imagine that it was written about Ms. Svitlychna. The poem set the tone for a moving photomontage slideshow prepared by Ireneus Yurchuk (member of the Lisovi Chorty Plast fraternity), which presented Ms. Svitlychna's life - her childhood, youth, participation in the dissident movement and other events at various stages of her life.

Tamara Skrypka, a philologist, former professor of literature in Ukraine and author, spoke very eloquently about Ms. Svitlychna as her close friend and witness of the events in the 1960s during the dissident movement. Her speech, titled "Life Without Fear," captured the audience's attention.

Kharytyna Kolessa, a professor, head of the string department at the Lviv Music Academy and well-known performer in Ukraine and other countries, played three cello solos by Bach, Saint-Saens and Mykola Lysenko, who is the patron of the Verkhovynky sorority.

Ms. Zielyk who is well-known for her many leading roles as a member of the Lidia Krushelnytska Drama Studio, also read several poems by Lina Kostenko, Vasyl Symonenko and Vasyl Stus with great understanding and emotion.

The program ended with a video montage, also created by Mr. Yurchuk, that poignantly and beautifully portrayed Ms. Svitlychna's return to Ukraine and her funeral in Kyiv. The funeral was attended by a large number of relatives, friends, fellow dissidents and many dignitaries, including President Viktor Yushchenko, who placed a bouquet of red roses on Ms. Svitlychna's coffin.

Many in the audience expressed their appreciation and thanks to the organizers for a solemn, dignified program that honored a distinguished dissident, human rights activist and Plast member who devoted her life to her people and Ukraine. Ms. Svitlychna's husband, Pavlo Stokotelnyi, and her two sons, Ivan and Yarema, were also present.

Both branches of Verkhovynky organized and sponsored this event. Ms. Svitlychna joined Plast and this sorority in 1979, shortly after coming to the United States. The sorority has also published a Ukrainian-language booklet called "Nadia Svitlychna's Life (1936-2006)," which features many photographs and articles written about and by this courageous rights activist.

| Home Page |