FIFTEEN YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

This year marks fifteen years of Ukraine’s independence as well as the tenth anniversary of Ukraine’s Constitution. In connection therewith the UWC has issued a statement, which reads in part:

“We thank the Lord that despite a powerful and savage occupation of Ukraine, an apathetic malaise throughout the West to Ukraine’s plight, pervasive Russification and the sovietization of the Ukraine people, Almighty God heard our prayers and pleas, removed our shackles and realized our dreams…At this time we express our heartfelt gratitude to all who fought for Ukraine’s independence in whatever formations, but, in particular, the OUN-UPA who under the mantra of “Attaining a Ukrainian state or dying in the struggle for it,” honestly and courageously waged a two front struggle against Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. In particular we bow our heads before those heroes of our history, who gave their lives for their country and their nation…Ten years ago, on June 28, 1996…Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada adopted Ukraine’s Constitution…recognizing the principle of the rule of law in Ukraine…As we mark these happy and glorious anniversaries, the Ukrainian World Congress sends greetings to the leadership of our Churches, the President of Ukrainian and the Ukrainian people in Ukraine and abroad and urges all to rededicate themselves to a full national and economic rebirth of our country and our people.”

EUROPEAN CONGRESS OF UKRAINIANS’ PRESIDIUM MEETS

The ECU Presidium met in Budapest on May 27, 2006. Matters deliberated and/or decided included:

participation of the Ukrainian European communities in the upcoming IV World Forum in Kyiv;
the organization of a Ukrainian-Greek Forum (details provided below);
convening European Ukrainian language educators in October 2006 to establish a methodological program for teaching Ukrainian as a second language;
edited the latest version of the ECU By-laws in compliance with changes adopted at the last annual meeting;
agreed to consider membership in ECU applications from the Association of Ukrainian Women in Italy and the Society of Ukrainians in Italy;
by year-end to establish an ECU press center in Budapest, re-establish an ECU web site at www.eukrainians.net and introduce a bimonthly ECU magazine.

UKRAINIAN IMMIGRATION IN ITALY

This was the subject of a conference held on June 17, 2006 at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. The event was attended by representatives of Italy’s National Council on Economics and Labor, Charitas Italy, Migrantes Foundation, the statistical databank Immigracia, the Christian Society of Ukrainians in Italy, the Ukrainian Catholic University and Charitas Ukraine. While the participants offered significant statistical information, the focus was on problems faced by Ukrainian recent arrivals in Italy:

the lack of official legal status which leads to many other issues such as difficulty crossing the border, as well as participation in political and economic matters;
the absence of a bi-lateral treaty recognizing each country’s diplomas and social security reciprocity;
transporting bodies of deceased for burial in Ukraine;
the need for a wider network of Ukraine’s consular services and offices in Italy.

UKRAINIAN-GREEK FORUM

We are informed by the European Congress of Ukrainians and the Association of the Ukrainian Diaspora in Greece that a Ukrainian-Greek forum featuring a cultural and holiday program has been scheduled for September 1-10, 2006 in Evia, an island just off Athens. Accommodations are available at a special rate. Those interested may communicate directly with the chair of the Association, Halyna Masliuk at huth@ath.forthnet.gr.

SOME MORE ON UKRAINIANS IN MOZAMBIQUE

Ukrainian presence in Mozambique generally dates back to the 1960’s when through the Mozambique Liberation Front, people from Mozambique came for studies to Ukraine. Several of those students found wives in Ukraine. Many returned to Mozambique with their Ukrainian spouses, some stayed in Ukraine. The current composition numbers 400-700 many of mixed marriages. Most are orthodox by religion and attend services in a Greek Orthodox church where the pastor is from Ukraine. There is no Ukrainian diplomatic mission, the nearest being in Pretoria, South Africa.

YET ANOTHER PROGRAM FOR UKRAINIANS ABROAD

The Ukrainian press recently published a report on the adoption of a program for cooperation with Ukrainians in the Diaspora by Ukraine’s Committee on humanitarian and social policy headed by Deputy Prime minister Vyacheslav Kyrylenko. This program covers the period through 2010. According to the press report this program will be implemented by non-governmental organizations in Ukraine and the Diaspora, in particular, “Ukraina-Svit,” Ukrainian World Coordinating Council and the Ukrainian World Congress.

Please excuse our skepticism but no budgetary allocation has been brought to our attention and similar programs have been announced in the past. In fact, in a recent press interview with Mykola Maimeskul, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs which putatively coordinates activity with the Diaspora, Mr. Maimeskul refers to the imminent announcement of the above stated program with some 500 projects and an allocation of thirteen million hryvnia in the current year alone. When pressed for specific examples of assistance to the Diaspora from the government of Ukraine, Mr. Maimeskul offered only the following: “To date we have refurbished and decorated the Taras Shevchenko auditorium in the University of Vilnius. We have assisted in opening the first Ukrainian Home of a community type in the city of Belce (Moldova). We are preparing to open a community Ukrainian cultural-information center at the Ukrainian gymnasium named after I. Kotlarevsky in the city of Bendery (Transdniester).

СВІТОВИЙ КОНҐРЕС УКРАЇНЦІВ		UKRAINIAN WORLD CONGRESS
	CONGRÈS MONDIAL UKRAINIEN	CONGRESO MUNDIAL UCRANIO

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