Montreal area SUM dedicates monument to UPA soldiers (08/13/00)

Montreal area SUM dedicates monument to UPA soldiers

by Mike Reshitnyk

ST. THEODORE DE CHERTSEY, Quebec - As part of the Ukrainian Youth Association's (SUM) 50th anniversary celebrations in Montreal, an impressive monument to honor fighters of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was unveiled and dedicated during a solemn ceremony on Sunday, July 23, at the summer camp Verkhovyna, located in the Laurentian Mountains, 60 kilometers northeast of Montreal.

Under the grace of a warm sunny sky, members of Montreal's SUM branch, their supporters, delegates of community organizations and members of Ukrainian military veterans, organizations, which included the Brotherhood of UPA Veterans, Veterans of the 1st Division of the Ukrainian National Army (Galicia Division), and veterans of the Royal Canadian Legion, Montreal's Mazepa Branch, paid tribute to the UPA by unveiling a monument in the form of the traditional UPA Maltese Cross bearing the inscription in Ukrainian, "Eternal Glory to the Fighters of UPA."

A "panakhyda" and blessing of the monument were performed by the Rev. Petro Dvirnyk, pastor of Montreal's St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Music for the event was provided by Montreal's SUM orchestra, Trembita, under the direction of Svitlana Kolesnyk-Koval.

A touching presentation of verse from the collection titled, "Slovo i Zbroya," was recited and performed by members of SUM under the artistic direction of Mariyka Cholij. Several wreaths were then laid at the foot of the monument.

Speakers at the dedication included Orest Humenny, SUM's 50th anniversary committee chairman and the monument's creator; Evhen Czolij, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress; Halyna Holowka, president of Canada's SUM's executive; and Ivan Putko, deputy head of the Brotherhood of UPA Veterans.

All eyes and ears were attuned to the event's special guest speaker, Ukraine's ambassador to Canada, Dr. Yuri Shcherbak, who was accompanied by the Embassy's military attaché.

In his address, Dr. Shcherbak noted the importance of this dedication.

He also brought excitement to the crowd by announcing, that in time for the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, the Ukrainian government's is studying materials that will lead to the government recognizing the UPA as fighters for Ukraine's freedom, and that a national decree will soon be announced concerning this long-awaited recognition.

He said, "we can no longer ignore this movement and we should honor the heroes who fought for Ukraine's freedom."

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