TORONTO – The president of the Ukrainian World Congress, Eugene Czolij, continued his working visits to European countries in late January and early February. On his agenda were stops at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France; the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland; Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg; as well as Turkey, which straddles Europe’s east and Asia’s west.
On January 22-23, Mr. Czolij participated in the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg and met with high-ranking officials of the Council of Europe and heads and representatives of PACE member delegations, including Ukraine.
During meetings the UWC President encouraged PACE member states to support the resolution of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons that PACE adopted on January 22 on the basis of the report “Humanitarian Consequences of the War in Ukraine,” which was prepared by a member of the Lithuanian delegation, Egidijus Vareikis. Mr. Czolij also highlighted the significant cost in 2017 to Ukraine of supporting the needs of the internally displaced persons and focused attention specifically on the fact that last year, in the framework of the Humanitarian Response Plan of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ukraine received only 26 percent of the budgeted amount.
The UWC leader called upon PACE to find additional funds to financially support Ukraine and review the issue of providing Ukraine economic assistance similar to the Marshall Plan. In addition, Mr. Czolij underscored the importance of continued action to counter Russian aggression, which continues to pose a serious threat for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as peace and stability in the world.
On January 23, a side event titled “Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine and the Persistent Russian Aggression” was chaired by the head of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE, Volodymyr Ariev, during which presentations were delivered by Caritas Ukraine President Andrij Waskowycz; the director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels, Maryna Iaroshevych; and UWC President Czolij.
The UWC President also met with the Ukrainian delegation to PACE and together with its members and Ukraine’s representative to the Council of Europe, Dmytro Kuleba, discussed strategy for continued cooperation in furthering Ukrainian issues on the international level. Mr. Czolij also congratulated Mr. Ariev on his election as PACE vice-president for 2018.
World Economic Forum
On January 24-26 in Davos, the UWC president promoted the investment potential of Ukraine in the framework of the World Economic Forum. His three-day program included participation in a range of initiatives at Ukraine House that was launched this year to promote the economic interests of Ukraine, the Davos Ukrainian Breakfast organized by Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk and a reception hosted by the government of Canada.
At Ukraine House in Davos during the World Economic Forum (from left) are: Maryna Iaroshevych, Аlexa Chopivsky, Ukraine’s Vice-Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Eugene Czolij and Olena Koszarny.
On January 25 at Ukraine House Mr. Czolij had the opportunity to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, whom he assured of continued support for Ukraine by the UWC and the Ukrainian diaspora that it unites.
On January 26, during the panel “Values-Based Business in a Fractured World” at Ukraine House, the UWC president addressed participants paying tribute to the work of world-renowned Ukrainian economist and philanthropist Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, who was co-chair of the first World Economic Forum. Mr. Czolij expressed gratitude to the family of the late Dr. Hawrylyshyn for their generosity, particularly to his daughter Christine Batruch who was present at the event and the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Foundation.
Also at Ukraine House, Mr. Czolij participated in a session with the Klitschko brothers titled “Creativity, Innovation, Opportunity: The Making of World Champions” and in panel discussions on “Emerging Global Tech Hubs,” “Data Science: Ensuring Human Power over Data,” “The Emerging Blockchain Network: How It Will Shape and Secure the Future Finance Architecture?,” “Venture Capital Outlook 2018: Challenges and Trends – Where to Expect New Unicorns,” “From Policy To Success Stories: Expanding Frontiers in Global Trade” and “The Rise of Civic Tech and Impact Investing.”
One of the main organizers of Ukraine House was UWC Vice-President and Chair of the UWC Committee for the Economic Development of Ukraine Olena Koszarny; the executive director of Ukraine House was a member of the UWC Group for Cooperation with the Atlantic Council, Alexa Chopivsky.
The UWC president was accompanied in Davos by Ms. Iaroshevych. Also participating in the initiatives there was Andrej Lushnytsky, president of the UWC member organization Ukrainian Society in Switzerland.
A papal visit in Italy
On January 27-29, Mr. Czolij visited Rome to further Ukrainian interests among representatives of the Holy See and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
On January 28, Mr. Czolij extended greetings on behalf of the UWC and the 20-million strong Ukrainian diaspora to Pope Francis during his visit to St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Cathedral.
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Ukrainian World Congress President Eugene Czolij and Patriarch Sviatoslav with Pope Francis in St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Cathedral in Rome.
In his address to the local Ukrainian community and thousands of faithful gathered inside and outside the basilica, the holy father empathized with their anguish for their homeland that is suffering from war, prayed for an end to the war in Ukraine and called upon the faithful to not lose faith.
During the pope’s visit, Patriarch Sviatoslav introduced the UWC president who thanked Pope Francis for his prayers for Ukraine and the humanitarian aid provided the Ukrainian people, and also invited the pope to visit Ukraine.
Before leaving St. Sophia , the pope descended into the crypt to pray at the tomb of Bishop Stefan Chmil, former rector of the Ukrainian Catholic seminary and a teacher of Pope Francis.
Joining Mr. Czolij at this event was the director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine, Serhiy Kasyanchuk. Mr. Czolij also met with sisters of the General Council of Sisters Servants of the Mary Immaculate in Rome led by Mother Superior Sofia Lebedovych.
On January 27, also at St. Sofia, the UWC president participated in a ceremony during which Patriarch Sviatoslav conferred the Distinction of the Hieromartyr Omelyan Kovch. The laureates included author Oksana Zabuzhko for her notable literary work and civic activism; volunteer medic Yana Zinkevich, who saved the lives of 128 wounded in combat in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine and was later seriously wounded; European diplomat Jan Tombinski for his work in support of democratic values in Ukraine; American historian Timothy Snyder for bringing Ukrainian history to the forefront; and German philanthropist Brigitte Weber for 20 years of charitable work assisting Ukrainian children and the disabled.
On January 29, the UWC president met with the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri; the secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Archbishop Cyril Vasil; and the director of the Department on Eastern Europe of the Holy See, Visvaldas Kulbokas. Mr. Czolij specifically presented the resolution of the 2017 UWC annual general meeting, which continues to call for the recognition of the patriarchal status of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, and discussed issues surrounding Ukraine’s Euro-integration and the destructive consequences of the Russian Federation’s hybrid war against Ukraine.
Also on that day, the UWC president met with the director of the Unit for Russia, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Guido de Sanctis. Mr. Czolij noted Italy’s role as the current Chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and called upon Italy to support the deployment of an OSCE monitoring mission to Crimea and a U.N./OSCE peacekeeping mission to eastern Ukraine.
On this visit, the UWC President was accompanied by Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See, Tetiana Izhevska, and Mr. Kasyanchuk of the UWC Mission to Ukraine.
At the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Eugene Czolij during his meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Istanbul.
On January 30 at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey, UWC President Czolij met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome. He presented the resolution of the 2017 UWC annual general meeting further calling upon the ecumenical patriarch to grant a Tomos of Autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate. Mr. Czolij also reported on Ukraine’s European integration and Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine.
Also participating in the meeting were the vice-president of the Conference for European Churches, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France; the eparch of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada, Bishop Ilarion; the chief secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Archimandrite Joachim Billis; Consul of Ukraine in Istanbul Maksym Vdovychenko; and Mr. Kasyanchuk of the UWC Mission to Ukraine.
A working visit to Brussels
On a working visit to Brussels, on January 31-February 3, the UWC leader met with high-ranking officials of the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Ukraine.
On January 31, Mr. Czolij addressed a conference in the European Parliament on the topic “Four Years of Occupation – Ways to Support Crimea and Crimean Tatars.” He underscored the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, followed by its gross violations of the human rights of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, the increased militarization of the peninsula and the resulting potential threats to the international community.
The UWC president called for the international community to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation, including its exclusion from the SWIFT financial network and adopting legislation akin to the Magnitsky Act for the violations of human rights in Crimea. Mr. Czolij also encouraged support for the deployment of an OSCE observer mission to illegally occupied Crimea. In addition, he urged high-ranking officials of governments and international organizations to boycott the games of the 21st World Cup of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) being played in the Russian Federation.
Those topics, and the issue of Russian aggression in the Donbas, were raised during meetings with high-ranking officials of the EU, NATO and Belgium. In this context, the UWC president called for the deployment of an OSCE/U.N. peacekeeping mission to the Donbas. He also focused on the need to strengthen actions to counter the disinformation campaign of the Russian Federation, which attempts to weaken Ukraine domestically, damage Ukraine’s international reputation and undermine the unity of the international community. He also called for continued humanitarian aid to Ukraine and for an investment package similar to the Marshall Plan for economic development and further reform in Ukraine. Mr. Czolij discussed with Hungary’s permanent representative to the EU the Venice Commission’s conclusion about Ukraine’s Law on Education, as well as its implementation,.
On February 3, on the invitation of Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin, Mr. Czolij addressed a regional meeting of ambassadors of Ukraine in Europe. He spoke about the UWC’s and the Ukrainian diaspora’s work in support of Ukraine. Also addressing the meeting on behalf of the UWC were Paul Grod, UWC vice-president, chair of the Coordinating Committee in Support of Ukraine and president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress; and Ms. Iaroshevych of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels.
During his visit to Belgium Mr. Czolij was accompanied by Ms. Iaroshevych and Mr. Panchuk of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels.
Luxembourg next on the itinerary
On February 2, the UWC president traveled to Luxembourg, where he had a meeting with the leadership and representatives of the LUkraine, the Ukrainian Community in Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, led by Nicolas Zharov. Mr. Czolij spoke about the primary activities of the UWC, which today include support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and furthering its Euro-Atlantic and Euro-integration processes. During the meeting Mr. Czolij learned about the current work of the Ukrainian community, including educational needs, and discussed continued cooperation in furthering Ukrainian issues.
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The president of the Ukrainian World Congress with members of the Ukrainian Community in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
He also had a meeting with the honorary consul of Ukraine in Luxembourg, Claude Radoux, during which he discussed effective means of presenting Ukrainian issues to the country’s governing authorities.
The UWC president was accompanied in Luxembourg by the deputy director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels, Dmytro Panchuk.