New Ukraine-based portal aims to be central depository on web (11/19/00)

New Ukraine-based portal aims to be central depository on web

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - While there is no shortage of Ukrainian websites on the Internet, to which Ukrainian American newshounds constantly on the sniff for the latest from Ukraine can attest, there are few that fill the need for a central, interactive site that would serve as a central depository of sorts for news and information for and about Ukrainians from across the world. That void may be filled with the arrival of Kyiv-based Ukrop.com.

Designers of the new Ukrainian-language portal, sponsored by Ukraine's largest television company, Studio 1+1, and Kvazar-Micro Corp., an information technology (IT) market leader in Ukraine, have dubbed it the "new national Internet resource." The official opening of the commercial website on October 5 in Kyiv was attended by James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank.

If the portal achieves its aims, Ukrainians from the United States and Canada in the West to Kazakstan and the Tiumen region of Russia in the East will be able to read about events in Ukraine, find out what's going on in each others' communities and even organize Internet discussions on the latest political crisis in Kyiv at one central location.

The portal's editor-in-chief, Danylo Yanevsky, said Ukrop.com - whose name is an acromym for Ukrainskyi Obiednanyi Portal (Ukrainian United Portal) - intends to be a coordinating center on the Internet for Ukrainians scattered across the globe.

"I want it to be a place where the diaspora maintains a real-time dialogue with Ukraine and one another," explained Mr. Yanevsky. "It is a place to which people will turn for schedules of events, for news and for general information."

He added that he would like to see members of all ethnic groups that live in Ukraine take part as well, to "show the wealth of multiculturalism in Ukraine."

Mr. Yanevsky, an executive with Studio 1+1, foresees the day when, for example, members of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast who want to travel to Ukraine for some camping in the Carpathian Mountains will hit Ukrop.com to find the best campsites; or Ukrainian soccer fans from London, Paris and Chicago will use the site to organize a gathering in Munich to watch Dynamo play Bayern; or simply for a Ridna Shkola class in Detroit to maintain a regular correspondence with a class in Kyiv.

The portal consists of 10 sections, the main one being "Community," which includes online news reports on events in Ukraine, and the Western and Eastern diasporas; and information about Ukrainian organizations, associations, institutions, as well as information on their plans, activities and contact addresses.

Other sections are: "Advice," where one can obtain counseling from a slew of experts, including doctors, computer hackers, tax advisors, lawyers and auto mechanics; "Forum," where all conceivable topics can be discussed; "Post Cards," containing photos on Ukrainian themes; "Auctions," an Internet resale shop; "My Mail" which will allow the user to maintain an electronic mailbox; "My Property," by which the user can restructure his interface with the portal to suite his own needs and preferences; an "Encyclopedia," which will list valuable informational materials and directory services; "SMS" which will allow one to interface via cell phone; and, finally. a map of the Ukrop.com site.

Ukrop.com is planning to offer a variety of specialized services as well. Mr. Yanevsky said that a special feature will be a service for Ukrainians searching for their roots, their relatives or loved ones. Individuals will be able to give information on a person and, for a fee, receive specialized assistance in determining where that person is now living.

Another service, with no costs attached, is an academic resource library. Mr. Yanevsky said that Valerii Smolii, former vice minister of humanitarian affairs and currently a leading figure at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, has agreed to provide the Ukrainian portal with all dissertations written in Ukraine over the last nine years.

A theological library also is in the works, which has the blessing of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Bishop Lubomyr Husar. The administrative leader of the Church has agreed to provide information from various UGCC eparchies and parishes from around the world.

As Mr. Yanevsky explained, the only barrier to a thriving all-Ukrainian portal is lack of utilization. He encouraged individual Ukrainians, as well as Ukrainian organizations, institutions and associations across the globe to share information about their activities, plans and objectives on the website. He also asked that interested individuals submit comments and proposals regarding additional information services and their opinions about Ukrop.com.

E-mail should be addressed to: info@ukrop.com. The telephone number is (380-44) 442-9546; 434-8311. Mail may be sent to: Ukrop.com, P.O. Box 111, Kyiv-111, Ukraine 04111.

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