PHILADELPHIA – The 74th annual Convention of the Ukrainian Orthodox League (UOL) will be held online in a virtual format this year on July 24. Scheduled to be hosted in Philadelphia by the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral UOL chapter (originally planned for July 22-25), the UOL National Executive Board – after consultations with the Philadelphia Convention Committee and the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. (UOC-U.S.A.) – announced in May that the 2021 convention will be held online.
Determining factors that led to the decision included: the financial burden of the hotel contract if attendance dropped; the short change of notice would prevent an adjustment of plans by the Convention Committee; and a poll conducted by the UOL Senior and Junior chapters showed that multiple UOL chapters voted for an “all virtual” convention.
It is hoped that the virtual format will result in a more focused direction for the new UOL National Executive Board, especially in the work of Commissions and Committees through breakout sessions on specific topics or Committees/Commissions.
The UOL National Executive Board invites all delegates and members to participate as the organization continues its mission: “Dedicated to our Church; Devoted to Its Youth.”
There are ongoing plans to host a face-to-face UOL social event in the fall of 2021, as well as a meeting of the Junior UOL National Executive Board, many of whom are graduating and will become members of the Senior UOL.
The 2022 UOL Convention is scheduled to be hosted in Carnegie, Pa. For additional information, readers may visit the UOL website, www.uolofusa.org.