The Toronto office has transmitted invitation to the VIII Congress opening ceremonies to the embassies of all countries where there is a viable and organized Ukrainian community which is a member of the UWC. Central coordinating member organizations are urged to contact their embassies in Kyiv to confirm receipt of an invitation and to urge representation, preferably, the ambassador him/herself. Should you require the embassy’s address, phone, fax or e-mail, please contact the UWC Toronto office.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY VISITS

UWC General Secretary Victor Pedenko is scheduled to visit Berlin on February 25, 2003 to ascertain the viability of an organized Ukrainian community there. Estimates are that some 100,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Berlin since independence. UWC President Askold S. Lozynskyj is scheduled to visit existing Ukrainian communities in Yugoslavia March 13-15, 2003; Bosnia – March 16-18, 2003; Croatia – March 19-21, 2003. In addition the UWC President and World Social Service Council Chair Olga Danylak  will be in Rome, Italy from March 21-25, 2003. There are some 50 Ukrainian communities in Italy according to Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Hlib Lonchyna. The UWC representatives will meet with Bishop Lonchyna and Ukraine’s Ambassador while in Rome. In addition they will attempt to connect with as many Ukrainian communities in Italy as possible.

At its session on January 17, 2003 the UN Committee on NGO’s voted to recommend the UWC for membership in an advisory capacity with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ECOSOC will meet in March 2003 to formally accept the UWC as an adviser NGO. ECOSOC is one of five main bodies of the United Nations which deals specifically with international economic policies and coordinates activities in economic, social and ecological spheres.

CANADIAN SENATOR TO INTRODUCE FAMINE MOTION

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has informed us that Senator Raynell Andreychuk will introduce a motion in the Canadian Senate this month which recognizes the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 as a genocide and designates the fourth Saturday in November of each year as a day of remembrance in Canada of the more than seven million victims of this tragedy. UCC President  Eugene Czolij stressed the importance of this initiative by Senator Andreychuk and suggested that similar recognition should be accorded in other countries.

UKRAINIAN WORLD COORDINATING COUNCIL (UWCC) TO MEET

The UWCC will meet in plenary session in Kyiv on February 18-19, 2003. The UWC will be represented by General Secretary Victor Pedenko.

SUPPORT FOR THE UWC FROM UKRAINIAN FINANCIALS

As in prior years, the UWC received substantial financial support from Ukrainian financial institutions in 2002. The following institutions were most generous: SUMA (Yonkers) Federal Credit Union, 1^st Security Federal Savings Bank and Self Reliance (N.Y.) Federal Credit Union each contributed 10,000 $US; Self Reliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union gave 2,500$US; Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union 2,000$US;  SO-USE Credit Union Ltd. 1000$Can. The UWC is most grateful to these institutions for their recognition of the needs of the UWC. We urge others to follow their example as the UWC relies heavily on the largesse of Ukrainian diaspora financials.

The Ukrainian Initiative in the Czech Republic, a new member organization of the UWC publishes a quarterly periodical entitled  Porohy. This publication covers, in particular,  news items involving Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora from many aspects political, cultural, educational etc. The quarterly is very professional in both substance and appearance with many photos and drawings.  We urge other communities to familiarize themselves with this publication by contacting:

POROHY, Manesova 10, 120 00 Praha 2,