UCCA executive board discusses community issues and situation in Ukraine (02/04/01)

UCCA executive board discusses community issues and situation in Ukraine

by Tamara Gallo
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

NEW YORK - The January 27 meeting of the executive board of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America included a discussion of Ukrainian American community issues, such as holding regional conferences across the United States; plans to revitalize the Federation of Ukrainian Student Organization of America (SUSTA); and ideas about how to engage the newest wave of Ukrainian immigrants (the "Fourth Wave") in organized Ukrainian community life.

The meeting, held at the UCCA building on New York's Lower East Side, was called to order by UCCA President Michael Sawkiw Jr.

The Organizational and Membership committees were given a mandate to provide a synopsis of where the regional conferences should be held and what topics are to be broached at the conferences. In addition, the committee are to prepare an informational packet about the Ukrainian community, including a brochure about the UCCA.

Following the XVIII Congress of Ukrainians in America and its panel discussion about the youth/student movement in the United States, the UCCA executive board earmarked $5,000 to the organizing committee of SUSTA to assist the student organization. Unfortunately, the student organization has been inactive for the past decade. A SUSTA conference is planned for June in the Chicago area; it is hoped that many Ukrainian student clubs from throughout the United States will participate.

Engaging the newest wave of immigrants to the United States from Ukraine in Ukrainian American organizations remains one of the greatest challenges presently facing the community. Having established a "Fourth Wave" Committee within the UCCA, one of its members, Yaroslav Kernytsky, presented several ideas to promote interaction between the already organized Ukrainian community and the latest immigrants. In particular, Mr. Kernytsky suggested forming a new branch within the UCCA comprising the new immigrants. The metropolitan New York Fourth Wave branch would be based out of Bayonne, N.J., where the Ukrainian National Home was recently deeded to the national UCCA. Elections of this newest UCCA branch will be in February.

With regard to the current situation in Ukraine, the UCCA Executive Board overwhelmingly voted to write an urgent letter of appeal to President Leonid Kuchma expressing the Ukrainian American community's concern about recent developments. The letter is to address the need to uphold democratic principles in Ukraine, particularly the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and the press, as well as the continuing process to establish the rule of law.

The letter, is to be distributed and made public to the Ukrainian press (both in Ukraine and the United States) and to national deputies the Verkhovna Rada.

Members of the executive board also expressed concern over recent information from Ukraine that President Kuchma has appointed an organizational committee to begin prepatory work for the Third World Forum of Ukrainians, which is to be held in Kyiv in August. The organizational committee is composed solely of Ukrainian government and agency officials, while no representatives of Ukrainian diaspora organizations have been invited to participate. It was decided to send a letter of inquiry to President Kuchma.

During the past three years the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America has appealed to the Ukrainian American community and its organizations to help finance a Ukrainian motion picture about the life and experience of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) Commander Taras Chuprynka - Roman Shukhevych. Directed by Ukrainian film producer Oles Yanchuk (known for his films "Famine '33" and "The Assassination"), the film has now been completed and will debut in the United States on March 11 at the New York University Cantor Film Center on Eighth Street in New York.

The producer and the movie's star, Gregory Hladyj, are expected in the United States for the premiere of the film. Once shown in New York, the film will debut in other large cities in the United States and Canada.

It was also announced at the board meeting that in mid-February the UCCA would sponsor an Internet chat with the president. This chat with the UCCA president is to be held on a monthly basis in the evening hours and will feature specific topics of discussion. The inaugural chat will focus on the Ukrainian American community and its future. Further details will be announced shortly.

UCCA Executive Secretary Marie Duplak recorded the minutes of the meeting.

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