1986: A LOOK BACK: Notable events, people (12/28/86)

1986: A LOOK BACK

Notable events, people

Some of the most notable events and persons of 1986 defy categorization, hence, this section.

Among the notable events of the year were the following.

At the weeklong International PEN Congress held in New York in February, the six-member Ukrainian delegation of the Ukrainian Writers' Association Slovo raised the cases of their persecuted colleagues in Ukraine. They handed out leaflets, took part in discussions and spoke person-to-person with renowned literary figures from around the world. Resolutions calling for the release of Mykola Rudenko, Yuriy Badzio and other persecuted writers in the Soviet Union were passed.
Stamps issued last year by the Solidarity underground made their way to the West during 1986. The three stamps asked for the independence of Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania. The Ukrainian stamp featured the legendary St. George on horseback slaying a dragon and the prayer: "St. George, our patron, we ask for an independent Ukraine."
Recalling their success in 1983 in having a memorial park dedicated to victims of the Babyn Yar massacre recall not only the Jewish, but the Ukrainian victims of this Nazi act, Denver's Ukrainians tried this year to have a monument to Holocaust victims cite the non-Jewish victims as well. The Ukrainians were joined in this effort by other ethnic communities of the area and, thus, the Colorado Ethnic Committee was formed. The committee proposed that the inscription on the monument, to be located on the grounds of the State Capitol, include the names of the nations who perished at the hands of the Nazis and the number of casualties. However, the Holocaust Awareness Institute decided to scrap the proposal for a Holocaust monument rather than recall non-Jewish victims. Some Jewish Holocaust survivors felt it would be "indecent to place on one monument, side by side, nations who have to assume some responsibility for the crimes, and the victims," stated a memo from an institute leader.
The Symon Petliura Ukrainian Library in Paris was vandalized twice during 1986. The incidents took place on March 29 and June 4. Vandals ransacked the library, stole several historic artifacts, and destroyed pysanky, display cases and cabinets. Also on June 4, the St. Symon Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which is located in the same building as the library, was desecrated and several religious items were stolen.
The unveiling and dedication of Brazil's monument to Ukrainian poet laureate Taras Shevchenko took place in August at the Ukraina Plaza in Prudentopolis. The statue is the creation of sculptor Leo Mol.
In Connecticut, a connecting highway off Route 72 was named for Taras Shevchenko. Taras Shevchenko Expressway runs between New Britain and Newington. More than 600 persons including Gov. William O'Neill and various state and local officials attended the opening ceremonies on July 17. The day was especially rewarding to Michael Mowchan, who worked for two years to make the Shevchenko highway a reality.
Most notable among the many worthwhile conferences and seminars held this year was the Washington Leadership Conference sponsored by The Washington Group, an association of Ukrainian American professionals, on October 18-19. The conference succeeded in attracting Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser in the Carter administration, to serve as the luncheon speaker. Among the topics covered in the conference's ambitious program were: successful lobbying, the future of the Ukrainian diaspora and media relations.
The centennial of the birth of world-renowned Cubist artist Aleksander Archipenko (1887-1964) was commemorated at the National Gallery of Art in Washington with an exhibition containing 42 of his sculptures, paintings and drawings. The majority of the works had never been seen in the United States. The exhibit is co-organized with the Tel-Aviv Museum, which has the finest collection of the Ukrainian-born artist's early works. The exhibit, which opened on November 16, will run through February 16, 1987, and will then travel to Tel-Aviv.

The following were among the notable people of 1986.

Mike Ditka, coach of the Chicago Bears, in January became the first Ukrainian to lead a football team to a Superbowl victory. As a result, he also became the only Ukrainian ever to make an American Express commercial. (Chy znayete khto ya?)
Lisa Sawka, 16, a Winnipeg Ukrainian, was chosen Miss Teen Canada in March. The student of Garden City Collegiate hopes to become a veterinarian.
Dr. Bohdan Krawchenko took over as director of the Edmonton-based Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies on July 1.
Sister Mary Cecilia Jurasinski, dean of students at Manor Junior College, was installed as the college's new president in April.
Brig. Gen. Nicholas S. H. Krawciw, executive to the supreme allied commander in Europe, was among the 86 outstanding immigrants honored with New York's Liberty Awards in July 1. ceremonies led by Mayor Edward I. Koch.
Concert pianist Daria Telizyn, 26, held four concerts to call attention to the plight of victims of the Chornobyl nuclear accident. The concerts, with the first held on September 14, benefited the American Cancer Society. Ms. Telizyn said she was testing the waters for 1987 when she planned to do 365 concerts in 365 days - also as benefits for the American Cancer Society in the name of Chornobyl's unfortunate.
Dr. Lev E. Dobriansky, U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas and former president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, was one of 83 American ethnics to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor on October 27.
Globe and Mail reporter Victor Malarek received the 1985 Michener Award for "meritorious and distinguished public service in journalism" on November 7 for a series of stories on the problems of unseen immigrants in Canada.
Canadian recording artist Luba Kowalchuk was named the best female vocalist of the year by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences on November 10. This was the second consecutive year that she had received the Juno award in this category. Her band, Luba, received Juno nominations in the categories of best composer and best album graphics.

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