OTTAWA – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) welcomed the announcement of the Paul Yuzyk Youth Initiative for Multiculturalism. The funding initiative was announced on February 22 by Mélanie Joly, minister of Canadian heritage and minister responsible for multiculturalism.
The UCC strongly encourages youth from coast to coast to take advantage of this opportunity to make a positive impact in their communities. This annual initiative will award micro-grants of up to $1,000 to young Canadians “to fund projects that promote diversity and inclusion in their communities.”
“This initiative will empower young leaders to make a positive impact on their communities, while addressing racism and discrimination,” the Department of Canadian Heritage stated.
Applications for this initiative are now open. Canadian citizens and permanent residents age 18 to 24 are able to submit applications until April 20. Information on how to apply is available here: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/interaction/paul-yuzyk-initiative.html.
“The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is delighted that the memory of Sen. Paul Yuzyk will continue through this initiative,” stated Paul Grod, national president of the UCC. “These micro-grants will encourage youth from all parts of Canada to appreciate Sen. Yuzyk’s contribution to the multiculturalism policy.”
The late Sen. Paul Yuzyk (1913-1986) is widely acknowledged as the father of Canadian multiculturalism. For more than four decades, multiculturalism has been one of the defining principles of Canada.
“Congratulations to Minister Joly and Parliamentary Secretary Arif Virani (MP, Parkdale-High Park) on the launch of the Paul Yuzyk Youth Initiative for Multi-culturalism,” stated Vera Yuzyk, on behalf of the Yuzyk family.
“Our father personally experienced discrimination as a youth leader and teacher of Ukrainian origin living in Saskatchewan that later motivated him to call for a more inclusive Canadian identity by promoting multiculturalism. He encouraged youth to be proud of their ethnic origins and to engage in the dialogue in support of multiculturalism, so it is a fitting tribute to him that the grants encourage youth to play a key role in building a better Canada,” she noted.