The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) welcomes the establishment on 8 April 2017 of a Coordinating Council for Ukrainian Communities in the Republic of Turkey as a result of a meeting of representatives of Ukrainian communities at the Embassy of Ukraine in that country.
The community representatives focused on the need to preserve the Ukrainian national identity in Turkey including educational and cultural initiatives, historical memory and language retention. The priorities of the communities also include countering the very prevalent Russian disinformation in the country, promoting a positive image of Ukraine among both the local population and tourists, and furthering closer ties between Ukraine and Turkey.
UWC President Eugene Czolij, who encouraged the Ukrainian communities to create a coordinating body during his visit toIstanbul and Antalya, Turkey, in November 2016, delivered greetings to the meeting via Skype congratulating them on this initiative and thanking the Ambassador of Ukraine in Turkey Andrii Sybiha for his valuable support.
The representatives of the communities elected Chair of the Coordinating Council Yulia Biletskyi, President of the Ukrainian Association of Ankara, and Secretary Olena Ozbek, a representative of the community in Izmir.
“The Ukrainian World Congress congratulates the Ukrainian communities in Turkey on the establishment of a Coordinating Council that will help them to have a more united and effective voice,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
More information on the meeting is available on the web site of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Turkey.
