INDEPENDENT UKRAINE: CELEBRATIONS OF THE 7th ANNIVERSARY (09/13/98)

INDEPENDENT UKRAINE: CELEBRATIONS OF THE 7th ANNIVERSARY

Maplewood, N.J.

by Andrew Keybida

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. - Mayor Gerard W. Ryan issued a proclamation that designated August 24 as Ukrainian Independence Day in honor of the seventh anniversary of modern Ukraine's independence.

The Maplewood mayor greeted the assembled Ukrainian Americans at town hall and presented the document to Andrew Keybida, coordinator and recipient of the Maplewood Civic Association's Maple Leaf Award, and then ordered that the Ukrainian flag be raised in front of the Municipal Building on August 24, alongside the American flag to "pay tribute to the Ukrainian people for their courage and fortitude in the struggle for freedom and independence of Ukraine."

Approximately 50 members of Maplewood's Ukrainian American community gathered a 9 a.m. at the Municipal Building on August 24 to commemorate the anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

The Rev. Frank Szadiak CSsR, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church of Newark, N.J., opened the ceremonies with a solemn prayer and asked God's blessings for the people of Ukraine.

Mr. Keybida introduced the main speaker of the morning, Dr. Roman Voronka, professor of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, who stated that he has had the opportunity to visit Ukraine over 30 times and the joy of living and working there for a year. He noted that Ukraine's independence is no longer in question, that Ukraine is blessed with relative political tranquility, churches and schools are being built and the Ukrainian language is being used throughout Ukraine.

Dr. Voronka told his audience that "what is good in Ukraine is due to our Western diaspora. We kept the faith, we kept the torch of free Ukraine alive and passed much of what we preserved back to Ukraine." He urged everyone to support the many organizations that channel aid to Ukraine and to send their relatives clothing, books and money to help sustain their freedom.

The delegation proceeded outdoors, carrying the Ukrainian flag. During the solemn moment when Mayor Ryan hoisted the Ukrainian and American flags, the assembled sang the Ukrainian and American national anthems.

Clifton, N.J.

CLIFTON, N.J. - Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) praised the "richness and vitality of [Ukraine's] people and traditions" and said that his participation in the raising of the Ukrainian flag at Clifton City Hall on August 23 "was one of the most memorable things I have done as a congressman." The congressman (left) holds the city's Ukrainian Independence Day proclamation with (from left) recently elected Clifton Councilman Stefan Tatarenko, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America representative Theodore Marsch, and Passaic County Freeholder, Director and Clifton Councilman Peter Eagler. Over 200 people attended the event.

Northern New Jersey

by Kristina Rak Locascio

UNION, N.J. - The seventh anniversary of the independence of Ukraine was remembered by Ukrainian Americans in the North Jersey area at several events on August 23 and 24.

A large group of Ukrainian Americans gathered for a ceremony on August 23 where the mayor issued a proclamation in support of the occasion and raised the Ukrainian flag. In addition, Ukrainian flags and a banner announcing the anniversary were hung on two main streets in Union.

After the official ceremony, attendees were invited to the Ukrainian Evangelical Church for a banquet. A committee headed by Wolodymyr Waskiw and Pavlo Batkiw organized the events.

On August 24, at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark, members of both the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches jointly participated in a moleben offered by priests from both faiths. The Rev. Frank Szadiak and Wolodymyr Baran from St. John's, the Rev. Oleh Hutsul from Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Rev. Petro Hotrovych from Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church were concelebrants. Members of local Ukrainian church, cultural, political and veterans' organizations represented their groups bearing flags.

The Rev. Baran delivered a sermon in Ukrainian in which he noted that Ukrainians' struggle for independence was a battle for God's virtues of faith and freedom, love and fairness. Ukraine's success depends on the development of a civic and religious environment that fosters patriotism rooted in a deep religious foundation, he added.

Speaking in English, the Rev. Szadiak remembered the many individuals, including members of the clergy, who gave their lives in the battle for Ukraine's freedom.

Also on August 24, through the efforts of Roman J. Pyndus, Essex County Executive James W. Treffinger issued a proclamation declaring that day Ukrainian Independence Day in Essex County.

Chicago

by Marta Farion

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley sponsored a reception on August 20, for the Ukrainian American community to mark Ukraine's independence. The gathering, which was attended by approximately 350 people, took place in the Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center.

This was the first celebration for the Ukrainian American community, where the commemorative occasion was initiated by the mayor's office and held at one of Chicago's premier historical buildings.

The mayor proclaimed the day as Ukrainian Independence Day in Chicago and the event underscored the Ukrainian community's standing as an integral and important component of the city.

Attending the ceremony were Archbishop Vsevolod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., Bishop Innocent Lotocky of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, many members of the clergy of the Ukrainian Churches, State Sen. Walter Dudycz, who is of Ukrainian descent, many city aldermen, leaders of Ukrainian American community organizations and approximately 350 members of the community.

The Ukrainian flag was displayed alongside the flags of the U.S. and the city of Chicago, which then served as a backdrop on stage for the program that followed.

The program included a moving prayer by Archbishop Vsevolod, a speech by the mayor, who spoke about the contributions of the Ukrainian community to the cultural and economic stability of the city, the many exchanges between Chicago and Kyiv as part of the successful sister cities relationship and the stability of the city's neighborhood known as the Ukrainian Village.

Acting Consul General of Ukraine Liudmyla Protasova greeted the mayor and members of the Ukrainian community on her first public appearance in Chicago.

Marta Farion, chairman of the Chicago-Kyiv Sister Cities Committee, stressed that Ukraine's independence presented new opportunities were for the development of cultural, business and educational opportunities that will benefit both Ukraine and the U.S. Ms. Farion thanked Mayor Daley for his strong support of these exchanges.

The mayor presented Merit Awards to Sviatoslav Lychyk, president of the parish council of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Bohdan Watral, president of Selfreliance Federal Credit Union, and Julian Kulas, president of First Security Federal Savings Bank, for their many years of service to the Ukrainian community.

Ms. Protasova received a Certificate of Recognition for her new appointment at the Consulate General of Ukraine in Chicago. Mykola Domashevsky was recognized for his contribution to the event.

Mayor Daley announced that the event will become a yearly celebration and received enthusiastic applause from the audience for his support of Ukraine as an independent country and his recognition of the Ukrainian community in the city of Chicago.

Connecticut

by Michael S. Mowchan

HARFTORD, Conn. - In 1987 State Sen. Joseph Harper submitted a bill to introduce an act that established January 22 of each year as Ukrainian American Day in the state of Connecticut. The bill passed both houses and was signed by the governor.

After Ukraine gained its independence in 1991, this writer turned to the state capital to change Ukrainian American Day from January 22 to August 24. With the assistance of Rep. Theresa B. Gerratana from the 23rd District, in 1995 the first August 24 proclamation was issued by the Governor's Office.

This year, Gov. John G. Rowland issued the annual proclamation declaring August 24 as Ukrainian American Day in which he praised Ukraine's "extraordinary efforts and commitment to peace" [and] "achievements in ethnic tolerance and stability."

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