№ 12 (40) – December, 2006

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NOVEMBER GREAT FAMINE COMMEMORATION

     Ukrainian communities throughout the world commemorated the Great Famine 1932-33 during the month of November. As per information received, observances were held in Australia, Canada, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United States. In Ukraine a central observance took place on November 25, 2006 in Kyiv. Twenty five thousand pages of Soviet documents on the Great Famine were disclosed and await publication. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine after much debate by a vote of 233 passed a resolution recognizing the Great Famine as Genocide against the Ukrainian people and directing that a central memorial-museum in Kyiv be completed prior to the 75^th anniversary. Only two members of the Party of Regions and no communists voted for the resolution. 

NOTES ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE GREAT FAMINE AS GENOCIDE

     In developing a strategy for international recognition of the Ukrainian Great Famine 1932-33 (Holodomor) as Genocide of the Ukrainian people, it is important to be aware of the record. To date eight countries have recognized the Great Famine as Genocide: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and the United States. Although Ukraine’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs attributes recognition to Italy and Georgia, there is absolutely no record of such action by the Italian government and only one reference by Ukraine’s Channel 5 to Georgian recognition early in 2006 but no record on the website of the Parliament of Georgia.

OKSANA SOKOLYK TO CHAIR UWC BY-LAWS COMMISSION

     The World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations has nominated its Honorary Head Oksana Sokolyk to the IX Congress UWC By-laws Committee. The By-Laws of the UWC specifically designate a WFUWO representative to the Committee and, traditionally, although not statutorily, the WFUWO representative chairs the Committee.

     This year’s session was held on Saturday, November 4, 2006 in Zagreb, organized by the Association of Rusyns and Ukrainians in Croatia. Sixteen member-country delegates gave reports: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Additionally, presentations were made by non-member reps from Bosnia, Macedonia, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. The assembly resolved to urge through its member-national representations, the parliaments of all European countries, including Ukraine, to adopt resolutions recognizing the Great Famine of 1932-33 in Ukraine as genocide against the Ukrainian people. The meeting was attended by Dmytro Pavlychko, chair of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council and Victor Pedenko, General Secretary of the Ukrainian World Congress as well as luminaries from Croatia’s political sphere who offered greetings. Preceding the formal conclave, a delegation met with the President and Parliamentary Chair of Croatia.   

     Additionally, the ECU forwarded a letter to Poland’s President Jaroslaw Kaczynski which reads in part: “The liquidation of all consequences of Akcja “Wisla”, aside from the statement by the Polish Senate from 1990 remains unrealized.  For this reason, we…turn to you as an individual who… personally contributed to the demise of communism in Poland, to initiate a project condemning this shameful Akcija “Wisla”. “

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

     The Ukrainian World Congress sends heartfelt greetings to all Ukrainians on the occasion of one of the most significant of Christian holy days – the birth of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.  On this momentous day all Christians glorify History’s greatest event – the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas has a special place in the lives of us Ukrainians. We ready ourselves for Christmas with much ritual, planning the traditional meal and decorating our home. More importantly each of us seeks to prepare him/herself for a spiritual cleansing. On this occasion, in particular, it is important for all families, including our extended family – our nation - to come together so that all year no one feels left alone. The last few years have witnessed seminal changes in the history of our motherland - Ukraine. Some changes have been anticipated and pleasant. Others have been surprising and have proven deeply painful.  Today – like never before- as an extended Ukrainian patriotic family, we must believe in Ukraine’s future and come together as nation acting upon our spiritual father Taras Shevchenko’s prayer:

                                                        And for all of us here on earth,

                                                        Grant a unity of purpose

                                                        And fill us with love for our brothers!

     So with the sighting of the first star at our home, teeming with Christmas spirit and brimming with stalks of life from rye and wheat, let us be reassured that happiness and peace will ensue and that our hearts will be filled with love towards our ancestral homeland and a rededication to its future. May the birth of Our Lord strengthen our holy faith and resolve and thus enable within a spiritual reawakening and fortitude to do good and beneficial deeds in the name of our Ukrainian people and our homeland – Ukraine.

Christ is born!                                                                                                        Let us praise Him!