Ukrainians in the United States were active in 2015 with protests, demonstrations, rallies, political and cultural events, as well as anniversaries. Following is a chronological account of the major developments.
On January 23-26 Ukrainian Americans converged on Washington to mark the 1919 “Day of Unity” of Ukraine. Events included a protest in front of the White House that attracted more than 100 people, another protest in front of the Russian Embassy that called for the release of Nadiya Savchenko, as well as a reception at the Embassy of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian community in Chicago honored Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) on January 25 with an award presented by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) – Illinois Division at Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Cultural Center, as part of Unity Day celebrations. Joining the celebration were Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) and Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) who have also been instrumental in supporting U.S. aid for Ukraine. Other award recipients included Andrew Fedynsky of the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland, and Olga Fedak for her many years of service to the UCCA. Showing solidarity with Ukrainians were Robert Rusiecki, deputy consul general of Poland in Chicago, and the honorary consul of Lithuania. Other representatives of the Polish, Lithuanian and Estonian communities also attended the event.
Oksana Khanas
Dr. Alex Strilchuk, president of the UCCA Illinois Division, presents award to Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
The fallen heroes of the Revolution of Dignity were commemorated with a vigil and memorial service at Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church on February 22 in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood. Hundreds also gathered to mark the one-year anniversary of the end of the Euro-Maidan protests and the Heavenly Brigade’s sacrifices. Also present were clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholic Churches, as well as representatives of the Lithuanian and Georgian communities. The local Ukrainian organizations, including UCCA-Illinois and Orange Wave, had organized a presentation and a gathering with Sen. Durbin, co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus. The Consulate of Ukraine in Chicago sponsored a meeting with former president of Lithuania, Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis, who underscored the parallels between Ukraine’s and Lithuania’s struggles for independence from Russia.
Vasyl Stetsiuk
The Chicago vigil in memory of the Heavenly Brigade.
On January 30, the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York hosted an evening fund-raiser “Invisible No More: Orphans and Street Children in Ukraine,” that was co-organized by Sublimitas, Razom and New Ukrainian Wave. There was a screening of the documentary film “Bomzhi” (“The Homeless,” 2012). Keynote speaker, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Nations Yuriy Sergeyev, noted the challenges facing Ukraine’s orphans and street children, and expressed his strong support of the Sublimitas mission and programs. Alla Korzh, director of Sublimitas, explained in greater detail how as many as 150,000 street children and more than 94,000 orphans live in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Americans converged on Washington on March 4 as part of the Ukrainian Days advocacy events that were organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, with its Washington bureau, the Ukrainian National Information Service. During the meetings, constituents met with their respective representatives in the House and Senate to thank them for the support of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act that was signed by President Obama on December 18, 2014, and to explain the current situation in Ukraine, with regard to military and humanitarian needs, as well as the plight of prisoners of war held by Russia, including Ms. Savchenko. Nearly 50 community activists were able to attend a hearing of the House Foreign Relations Committee, titled “Ukraine Under Siege,” with testimony by Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was presented the Friend of UNIS award by UNIS Director Michael Sawkiw Jr. and Andrew Horbachewsky, chairman of the SUM-A Yonkers Federal Credit Union. An evening reception was hosted by the Embassy of Lithuania, where Mr. Sawkiw presented Ambassador Zygimantis Pavlionis the Friend of UNIS award. The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC) also was recognized with the Friend of UNIS award.
Hundreds gathered on March 9 at the Ukrainian National Home in Hartford, Conn., to hear an address by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and share their concerns about the situation in Ukraine. “Putin is attempting not just to break Ukraine,” Sen. Murphy said. “He is trying to break Europe, to break the trans-Atlantic alliance, and if he is not stopped there, then we have no idea what the end point will be. We believe that this is one of the greatest threats that the world order has ever faced…” A lively question-and-answer session was held, during which the senators broke from the podium and greeted the two young Ukrainian veterans, Roman Lutsiuk and Roman Dzivinskyi, who were receiving medical treatments at Yale-New Haven Medical Center and in Philadelphia. During the close of the program, Sen. McCain was awarded the UNIS Friend of Ukraine award.
Christine Melnyk
Over 400 community members pack the hall at the Ukrainian National Home in Hartford, Conn., to hear U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) address the current crisis in Ukraine.
On March 26, nearly 300 people – Ukrainians, Latvians, Georgians, Armenians, Estonians, Belarusians, Poles and Circassians – gathered in front of the White House to rally for military aid for Ukraine. Noted speakers at the event included Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Ambassador John Herbst of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, and Diana Vidutis, president of the District of Columbia Lithuanian American Community. Appeals were made for military aid for Ukraine’s soldiers by Ivan Rodichenko of the Kyiv-Rus’ 25th Volunteer Battalion, and Roman Volytsky, who had worked to gather donations for the soldiers.
The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America hosted a briefing on the Savchenko case during a meeting at The Ukrainian National Museum on April 20. The presentation was led by the imprisoned pilot’s lawyer, Mark Feygin, and Maria Savchenko, Nadiya’s mother. During the previous week, Mr. Feygin was working in Washington with the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus and Sen. McCain, among others, to promote Ms. Savchenko’s prisoner of war status. Mrs. Savchenko explained her daughter’s patriotic spirit and courage.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko met with the local Ukrainian community during a working lunch meeting hosted by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant in New York on April 26. Key topics raised by both the community and Mr. Klitschko were: the rampant corruption that hinders reforms, the nearly 2 million internally displaced people within Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the need to combat Russian disinformation.
The UCCA also met with Mejlis Chairman Refat Chubarov on April 28 at the UCCA office in New York. The small gathering of local community leaders discussed the situation of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine and in occupied Crimea. Mr. Chubarov was in town for the 14th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Ayla Bakkali, U.S. representative of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, helped arrange the meeting. Mr. Chubarov explained that 20,000 Crimean Tatars had been displaced from Crimea, half of whom were internally displaced within mainland Ukraine. Arguing for tougher sanctions against Russia, Mr. Chubarov also called for increased military aid for Ukraine. He thanked the Ukrainian American community for its advocacy on these issues and reminded it to include Crimea in its discussions.
The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation’s Humanitarian Aid Program sent a 40-foot tractor trailer on April 29 to Ukraine. The container, filled with 20 tons of medical supplies and valued at $300,000-$400,000, left for Ukraine from the Fairfax, Va., county regional office of the Brother’s Brother Foundation. A portion of the donated goods came from the Pittsburgh area, where Dr. Alexander Kirichenko, a radiation oncologist at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, led donations from Allegheny Health Network, Butler Health System, Trinity Health System in Steubenville, Ohio, and St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church in McKees Rocks, Pa. In the Washington area, Tetyana Neeley, the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation’s humanitarian aid coordinator, worked the logistics of donations; international shipping was thanks to Meest; delivery logistics in Ukraine were handled by Kozhen Mozhe, which was to distribute the donated goods to hospitals primarily in eastern and central Ukraine, where the need is the greatest.
The Ukrainian American Heritage Foundation of Boston – a 95-year-old institution – voted to curtail its activities and to divide the bulk of its assets between the two Ukrainian churches in Boston. St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church was presented a check in the amount of $125,000 on April 26 and Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church received the same amount on May 3. Metropolitan Antony of the UOC-U.S.A. unveiled and dedicated a plaque to the UAHF and its predecessor, the Ukrainian American Educational Citizens’ Club of Mattapan, for its many years of service to the Ukrainian American community of the greater Boston area. Walter Boyko, president of the UAHF, spoke at both presentations, recalling the historical progression of the UAHF.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) was honored on May 2 for his support of Ukraine during a reception held at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany. During the ceremony, Sen. Menendez was presented a plaque from the Ukrainian National Association and the Friend of UNIS Award from the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. In introducing the senator’s work for Ukraine, Yuriy Symczyk, fraternal coordinator for the UNA, said, “How fortunate we are that he was appointed chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2013. His leadership role directly resulted in the Senate adopting such a supportive role of Ukraine. It was he, along with Sen. [Bob] Corker [R-Tenn.] who introduced the Ukraine Freedom Support Act. Without his leadership, our community’s voices may not have been heard.”
Sen. Menendez commented, “Frankly, I’m disappointed with the [Obama] administration, required [by the Ukrainian Freedom Support Act] to report to Congress on its plan for increasing military assistance to Ukraine, it was two months late in sending it. And when the report finally arrived, it did not include a section on lethal defensive assistance – assistance the administration has not provided to the Ukrainian military in contravention of the will of Congress and the recommendation of a cadre of current and former administration officials and experts.”
Ms. Olexy, president of the UCCA, noted: “You have understood from the start that the international community, and especially the United States, cannot remain passive in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine, for remaining passive will only invite further aggression. …You have led and continue to lead congressional efforts to penalize Russia for its invasion and illegal occupation of Crimea, for its support of terrorists in eastern Ukraine.”
On May 3, a former ambassador to Ukraine, William Green Miller, was awarded the Alexander B. Chernyk Medal by the Ukrainian Federation of America “for his outstanding leadership and deep commitment to U.S.-Ukraine relations” during an annual awards ceremony held at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Jenkintown, Pa. The event was attended by former Rep. Charles Dougherty, former co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, who thanked Mr. Miller for his work that has spanned seven decades.
The UCCA celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding on May 20 during a reception at the Senate Visitor’s Center in Washington. Members of Congress present at the reception were: Reps. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces; Bill Pascrell (D-N.J), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.). Also present were past UCCA presidents, Mr. Sawkiw and Askold Lozynskyj. Eugene Czolij, president of the Ukrainian World Congress, and Ambassador Zygimantis Pavilionis of Lithuania praised UCCA’s work and its importance today. Also represented were Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Sander Levin (D- Mich.), Mike Fitzpatrick, (R-Pa.), as well as the Embassy of Latvia, the CEEC, Polish American Congress, Lithuanian-American Community, Joint Baltic American National Committee and Jewish American organizations, as well as the Open World, Open Society and Soros foundations, the American Foreign Policy Council and Atlantic Council think tanks, Ukrainian American credit unions, the UNA and other organizations, as well as clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Yaro Bihun
UCCA President Tamara Olexy speaks at the organization’s 75th anniversary event in Washington about the goals the UCCA set for itself in 1940 and what they are today given current developments in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports Ihor Zhdanov met with Ukrainian American youth development organizations at the UCCA office in New York on June 2. Organizations represented at the event included Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization U.S.A., the Ukrainian American Youth Association, the Federation of Ukrainian Student Organizations of America (SUSTA), the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK) and the Self Reliance School of Ukrainian Studies in New York. Additional exchange programs in sports between Ukraine and the U.S., especially for children in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, were discussed.
Former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko met with UCCA representatives on June 3 in Washington to discuss how the diaspora can assist Ukraine. Ms. Tymoshenko said that defensive military equipment from the U.S. would be the only way for Ukraine to maintain its territorial integrity, adding that the equipment would need to be a sufficient deterrent against further Russian escalation. She said Ukraine’s economic future was also in question and also cited the humanitarian crisis facing the country.
The Ukrainian National Credit Union Association (UNCUA) held its annual meeting and spring conference on June 5-6 in Washington, with 31 participants representing 13 Ukrainian American credit unions participating. Issues discussed during the first day included challenges in increasing membership, the U.S. credit union industry, as well as regulatory issues in Washington. The second day’s events included reports by management and various committees as well as the election of a new board. The year 2015 marked the 60th anniversary of the Selfreliance Baltimore Federal Credit Union and a commemorative plaque was presented to its representative, Stephan Kerda.
On June 7, the Ukrainian Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh marked its 25th anniversary with a concert of Ukrainian music, song and dance at the Frick Fine Arts Building Auditorium that attracted an audience of 170 people. The Ukrainian Nationality Room is one of 29 nationality classrooms at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning, which reflects the city’s rich ethnic heritage. Founded on June 17, 1990, the project was the culmination of years of grass-roots fund-raising. A presentation about the Ukrainian Nationality Room, its design and features was given by Dr. Roman G. Kyshakevych, chairman of the Ukrainian Nationality Room Committee. Greetings were delivered by E. Maxine Bruhns, director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs.
On June 8, the UCCA hosted a meeting with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko in Washington at the Embassy of Ukraine. During their visit to Washington, Mr. Yatsenyuk and Ms. Jaresko met with high-level officials from the Obama administration and members of Congress. At the American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum in Washington, Mr. Yatsenyuk became the first prime minister of Ukraine to be invited to address that forum in person. A private dinner that was hosted by the AJC and attended by the Ukrainian delegation allowed the organizers to speak candidly with the prime minister and finance minister of Ukraine.
Jewish leader Joseph Zissels, vice-president of the World Jewish Congress and executive vice-president of the Congress of Ethnic Communities of Ukraine, was hosted by the UCCA on June 11 in New York. Mr. Zissels, a former political dissident who had been imprisoned in the Soviet gulag, did not hold back when explaining the realities on the ground in Ukraine as it is under attack by Russia. He noted that the widespread corruption would require a generational shift in attitudes through education. Having been on the Maidan during the protests of 2013-2014, Mr. Zissels noted how civil society in Ukraine has defied expectations again and again, and has swelled to include 7 million to 8 million volunteers. This, he added, will be studied by future generations when discussing social activism in the 21st century. Mr. Zissels underscored the inclusiveness of the Maidan and the presence of Jews and people of other backgrounds.
The 15th annual Lemko “Vatra” held on June 27-28 at the UAYA camp in Ellenville, N.Y., was sponsored by the Organization for the Defense of Lemko Western Ukraine (OOL). Performers included the Vatra rock group from Lviv, the Karpaty dance ensemble and Ukrainian Lemko singer Sofiya Fedyna, as well as the Korniya folk band from New Paltz, N.Y. There was a children’s song competition, the Vatra Cup soccer tournament and a zabava-dance to the music of Anna Maria. A display with video and poster boards informed visitors about the pervious 15 years of the Lemko Vatra. Ms. Fedyna also gave a presentation as president of the World Federation of Ukrainian Lemko Unions.
Verizon irked the Ukrainian community with its June-July FIOS advertisement that featured a couple flipping channels and, when Ukrainian dancers appeared, saying “Anything but this.” Community activist Irene Jarosewich stated, “…Choosing any ethnic or cultural element as the object of derision is, first and foremost, unethical and, in terms of Marketing 101, is in the Top 10 of Things Not to Do unless you want to anger your customers.” The Embassy of Ukraine also released a statement, noting “…The issue is particularly sensitive at the time when Russian aggression threatens Ukraine’s sovereignty and statehood. …It is our sincere hope that the company [Verizon] will take this fact into consideration.” The Ukrainian Weekly’s editor-in-chief, Roma Hadzewycz called for an apology, and offered to run it in this newspaper. Verizon’s public relations director, Diedre Hart, offered an apology, of sorts, via an e-mail message to The Weekly, “…We sincerely apologize if the commercial offended you. That was not our intent. To that end, that reference is no longer in the commercials. We appreciate the opportunity to respond.” But she declined to offer any further comment.
On June 29, the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York hosted an event to mark the 19th anniversary of Ukraine’s Constitution Day that was organized by the UCCA, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.N. Sergeyev as well as Ukrainian American community activists. The event was attended by more than 50 ambassadors and permanent deputy representatives to the U.S., as well as leaders of Ukrainian community organizations. UCCA President Olexy recalled the opening words of Ukraine’s first Constitution, written in 1710 by Pylyp Orlyk, which states, “Ukraine on both sides of the Dnipro River must remain free from foreign domination for all time to come.” Ukraine’s democratic roots and European tradition can be traced to this first Constitution. The Constitution that was being celebrated that day was passed by the Verkhovna Rada in 1996.
The UAYA’s Nadiya Ye Festival marked its five-year anniversary on July 3-5 at the UAYA camp in Ellenville, N.Y. The headlining act was Lama from Kyiv, with lead vocalist Natalia Dzenkiv. Other performers on the main stage included the Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble of New Jersey and DJ Stas. A dance with music by Svitanok in the outdoor pavilion kept the evening’s entertainment going into the wee hours of the morning. The weekend also had a solemn aspect. On Sunday, after liturgy led by Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Paul Chomnycky of Stamford, Conn., a memorial ceremony was held for all of the fallen Ukrainian soldiers of the past and present. The event was sponsored by the UAYA and the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian-American Civic Committee of Metropolitan Detroit sent off the first of three 40-foot shipping containers to the Ukraine Survival Campaign on July 13 to Kyiv. The organizers expected that only one container would be filled, but the generosity of donations from the Ukrainian and American communities filled three. The mayor of Warren, Mich., Mayor James Fouts, encouraged the entire city to join the effort and solicited donations on residents’ water bills to be sent to his office. The effort took off in communities throughout the United States and Canada. A total of 17 40-foot containers were scheduled to be filled and shipped to Ukraine as part of the Save Ukraine Now (founded in 2014), as the nationwide effort continued.
The UCCA commemorated the first anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), which resulted in the deaths of all 298 on board on July 17, 2014. In a statement released by UCCA on July 15, the UCCA said that evidence pointed to the pro-Russian forces in the region as responsible, “terrorists” who were also hindering the investigation, and were accused of stealing personal items from the crime scene. The statement continued: “This horrific act of terrorism is a reminder of the serious threat to global peace and security posed by Russia-backed terrorists in eastern Ukraine… The illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, which has led to the tragic downing of MH17, must be stopped before more lives are lost.”
The 150th anniversary of the birth of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky (July 29) was commemorated with a statement from the UCCA on July 27. The statement noted: “Metropolitan Andrey lived his live as a sterling example for others of virtue, kindness and sacrifice. He served as an active pastor to his flock, used his personal wealth to help fund the numerous philanthropic programs, wrote prolifically and was a gifted preacher. …Most notably, Metropolitan Andrey led his people and his Church through two world wars.” Metropolitan Andrey was arrested by the Russian tsarist forces and he was placed under house arrest by the Nazis. During the second world war, he risked his own life by providing shelter for many Jews.
A major step toward the dedication of the Holodomor Memorial in Washington was made on August 4 with its installation at Massachusetts Avenue and North Capitol Street, one block from Union Station. The 6-foot-high-by-35-foot-long bronze casting of the art work titled “Field of Wheat” was created by architect/sculptor Larysa Kurylas. The monument was cast by the Laran Bronze Foundry in Chester, Pa. The installation was witnessed by approximately 50 people, including Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly, Ms. Kurylas and Mr. Sawkiw.
Ukrainian Americans, representatives of several waves of immigration from Ukraine and their progeny, filled New York’s Times Square with the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine’s national flag in a flashmob on August 23, singing Ukrainian songs and waving Ukrainian flags. Among the crowd was Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev, in an unofficial capacity.
On September 19-20, the first monument to the “Nebesna Sotnia” (Heavenly Brigade) was dedicated and unveiled at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bloomingdale, Ill. The parish also marked the 45th anniversary of its founding with a patriarchal divine liturgy celebrated by Patriarch Filaret. The double occasion was marked with a concert by the Canadian Bandurist Capella and a banquet at the Hilton Indian Lakes resort.
Designer Yevhen Prokopov described the monument: “The symbol of both the suffering and the hopes of the victims, a high polished stainless steel cross, is a mirror of sorts that will endlessly reflect the unity of heaven and earth, being and non-being. Like an endless river flowing into the diamond-like reflections, an overlay of an ancient Ukrainian pattern (mini-crosses) furthers the symbolism of transcendence. Blue is the color symbolizing the souls of the departed heroes and the dignity of future generations. The spiritual content filling the monument is faith in the power of the eternal soul, and the unbreakable unity of Ukrainian patriots. This monument calls to us… remember, be united and you will be undefeated.”
The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation hosted its annual forum in Washington, this year titled “Ukraine’s Ongoing Battle for Freedom: The Risk of Western Failure in Political, Economic and Humanitarian Assistance” on September 25. Among the speakers were: President Petro Poroshenko via video message, Reps. Kaptur, Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich via video, Metropolitan Archbishop Stefan Soroka via video, Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Tamim and Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate. Other officials of Ukraine included Ambassador Chaly, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak and Finance Minister Jaresko. Among the panelists were: Orest Deychakiwsky (U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe), Edward Chow (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Katrina Lantos-Swett (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom), Dawn Calabia (Refugee International), as well as retired Gen. Wesley Clark. The event was co-sponsored by the House Ukraine Caucus and the Senate Ukraine Caucus, in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine and Save Ukraine Now.
On October 17, the UNWLA marked its 90th anniversary with a banquet held at the Ukrainian National Home in New York City. UNWLA President Marianna Zajac recalled the 90 years of the organization’s success and looked ahead to its future. During the banquet, Ambassador Sergeyev was honored with the Princess Olha Award by the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations for his work in securing Ukraine’s temporary seat on the U.N. Security Council for 2016-2017. A donation of $50,000 by the Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union was presented by President Bohdan Kurczak to mark the 90th anniversary of the UNWLA.
On September 26, President Poroshenko and his wife, Dr. Maryna Poroshenko, while on a visit to the United States for the 70th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, were welcomed at an evening reception at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York. The UCCA organized the event. Prayers were offered by Bishop Daniel of the UOC of the U.S.A., and Ms. Olexy offered words of solidarity with the people of Ukraine and wished Mr. Poroshenko a happy 50th birthday, with the audience singing “Mnohaya Lita.” Andrij Futey presented an icon of the Virgin Mary written by Ukrainian American iconographer Daria Hulak-Kulchytsky. Mr. Poroshenko thanked the audience and the community for its contributions to the development of the Ukrainian army, and called for a meeting with the diaspora on every foreign visit. Following his remarks, Mr. Poroshenko bestowed the Order of Princess Olga (third degree) on Ms. Olexy. The Order of Danylo Halytsky was presented to the family of Ukrainian American Markian Paslawsky, who was killed in the fighting in the Donbas of Ukraine.
On October 3, the Ukrainian American Veterans dedicated a national monument at St. Andrew Memorial Church and Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J., during their 68th annual national convention that was held on October 2-3. Designed by Canadian artist John Jaciw, the monument honors all American veterans of Ukrainian heritage who have honorably served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including those currently serving in the ongoing global war on terrorism. Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel of the UOC-U.S.A. and Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Metropolitan Soroka prayed and blessed the monument. The U.S. Air Force Color Guard from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey executed the presentation of colors and the UAYA choir from Chicago sang the Ukrainian and U.S. national anthems. A banquet at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Somerset, N.J., followed the dedication.
More than 5,000 people witnessed the dedication of the Holodomor Memorial in Washington on November 7. The weekend’s events included commemorative concerts, informative displays, as well as liturgies. People came from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and Canada. The monument was blessed by Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate, and Metropolitan Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. Thousands watched on a large projection screen from Columbus Circle in front of Union Station as the monument was blessed. Mr. Sawkiw led the program of events addressed by, among others, Reps. Levin and Kaptur, as well as Ukraine’s first lady, Dr. Poroshenko. Video greetings were delivered by President Poroshenko, and Sens. Rob Portman and Charles Schumer. The three-hour ceremony concluded with the singing of the “Prayer for Ukraine” led by the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of Detroit.
Christine Syzonenko
The Holodomor Memorial in Washington, which was dedicated on November 7.
The Holodomor was commemorated once again at the annual service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on November 21 that attracted hundreds of participants. Co-organized by the UCCA, the requiem service was led by hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. (Metropolitan Antony and Bishop Daniel) and the Ukrainian Catholic Church (Bishop Chomnycky and Bishop emeritus Basil Losten). The Dumka Chorus of New York sang the responses. Keynote speaker Larysa Kurylas, who designed the Holodomor Memorial in Washington, recalled her personal journey of genocide awareness in Ukraine history. Other speakers included William Pope, senior advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations; Ambassador Chaly; and Ambassador Sergeyev.
The United Nations hosted an invitation-only event on December 9 that was sponsored by the Ukrainian American organization Razom and the VOLYA Institute for Contemporary Law and Society, which presented its report on human rights violations in Crimea, “Human Rights in Occupied Territory: Case of Crimea.” Ambassador Sergeyev noted the ongoing violations, including the abduction of Crimean Tatars. Ivanna Bilych, president of VOLYA Institute, highlighted the key findings of the report. The discussion was moderated by Mary Holland, director of the New York University Graduate Legal Skills Program, who supported the work of the report. The group also produced a downloadable manual, a “Human Rights Protection Guide” that can aid in identifying human rights violations.
Georgia’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Kaha Imnadze said that the inadequate response to Russian aggression in Georgia in 2008 paved the way to Crimea. The panelists echoed the view that Russia considers Crimea a war trophy and treats everyone and everything there with contempt.
A similar event was held at the Shevchenko Scientific Society in New York on December 8. A roundtable discussion on the topic was hosted at Columbia University and moderated by Huseyin Oylupinar from Turkey, who is the Mihaychuk Fellow at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. In Washington, an official public hearing at the U.S. Helsinki Commission was held on December 11 to present the report on human rights abuses in Crimea.