UNWLA convention to serve as culmination of 75th jubilee celebrations (05/05/02)

UNWLA convention to serve as culmination of 75th jubilee celebrations

by Roma Hadzewycz

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - The Ukrainian National Women's League of America will complete celebrations of its 75th anniversary during its triennial convention on May 24-27 in Sarasota, Fla.

The diamond jubilee, whose celebrations began in 2000, will culminate with a special program at the 26th UNWLA Convention during which each former president of this respected women's organization will be honored for her achievements and work.

The UNWLA's current president, Iryna Kurowyckyj, and second vice-president, Sophia Hewryk, recently paid a visit to The Ukrainian Weekly's editorial offices to provide a look at their organization's illustrious history and its upcoming convention.

Mrs. Kurowyckyj pointed out that it was Hanna Chekalenko Keller of Switzerland, back in 1925 at the Washington conference of the International Council of Women, who had recognized the need for a strong organization to unite Ukrainian women in the United States. Mrs. Keller believed that, united in one national organization, Ukrainian American women would be able to work on behalf of Ukraine in the international women's movement.

"For me she is a true heroine," Mrs. Kurowyckyj underlined, adding that it is surprising that she has not been chosen a patron of any UNWLA branch. Mrs. Keller's trailblazing work will be honored with a special section in the organization's forthcoming convention book.

The UNWLA president noted that the 26th UNWLA Convention will be highlighted by several special events. First is the Friday evening, May 24, pre-convention program that will feature David Kramer, senior advisor for global affairs to Deputy Secretary of State Paul Dobriansky, as well as representative from Ukraine's diplomatic corps in the United States.

On Saturday, the program will include the official presentation of the newly published volume called "Lysty Tak Dovho Idut," a collection of the correspondence of writer Lesia Ukrainka. The letters were found in 16 boxes of Lesia Ukrainka archives recently discovered in Prague by Dr. Iwanna Ratych. They were prepared for publication by Svitlana Kocherha, director of the Lesia Ukrainka Museum in Yalta and a member of the Writers' Union of Ukraine. Ms. Kocherha will tell convention participants about her intensive work on this unique project; she will later travel to various Ukrainian communities in the U.S. to speak on this topic.

The banquet that evening will spotlight several UNWLA activists on whom honorary membership will be bestowed in recognition of their efforts for the good of the women's organization.

"Women's Health and the Environment" will be the topic of a seminar on Sunday, May 26, that will feature presentations by Dr. Lilia Hryhorovych, national deputy of Ukraine, and Dr. Christine Durbak, president of World Information Transfer.

Later that day the Lesia and Petro Kowaliw Fund literary award will be presented to Prof. Valentyna Borysenko, for her book "Knowledge of Ukrainian Culture: National Self-Preservation." Prof. Borysenko will address convention delegates on Monday, May 27.

In addition, the convention will also include the customary working sessions, as well as elections and discussions of proposed resolutions, copies of which, for the first time ever, were sent to convention delegates so that they have an opportunity to discuss them with members of their respective branches and come to the convention prepared to discuss these guidelines for the UNWLA's activity. As well, UNWLA branches have all received copies of proposed changes to the organization's by-laws, Mrs. Kurowyckyj related.

Mrs. Hewryk, who in the position of second vice-president is in charge of membership, then spoke of the UNWLA's membership today. She emphasized that the organization is unique in that it "unites all generations and all emigrations." As a concrete example of that fact she cited a recent banquet held in Philadelphia to benefit The Ukrainian Museum that succeeded in attracting UNWLA members as diverse as a pioneer "Soyuzianka" whose membership goes back to 1937 and newly arrived women from Ukraine who have recently formed a new branch in Philadelphia.

What we have today, Mrs. Hewryk continued, is "a repeat of the 1950s when the post-war emigration began arriving in this country." More and more of these new immigrants, she said, are joining the UNWLA's existing branches and some are creating new branches in which they can conduct their own activities. Five such branches now exist in the following cities: Boston, St. Petersburg, Fla., Philadelphia and two in New York. These new members are of various professional backgrounds, and "they enrich and buttress our work," Mrs. Hewryk observed.

Asked why the UNWLA has succeeded in attracting the Fourth Wave, while other Ukrainian organizations have not, Mrs. Hewryk replied: "We offer them connections. They want to be part of something." In addition, she noted that the UNWLA does not expect new immigrants to pay dues in their first year of membership.

"We treat them as equal members, we provide a support mechanism, offering help with many needs of everyday life - whether that be language, or furniture, or transportation - and we allow them an opportunity to express themselves," she commented. "We provide them with a broad range of interests and activities."

As well, Mrs. Hewryk underscored, there is the fact that "the newly arrived Ukrainians see immediate results of their work - such as sending aid packages to Ukraine."

Both Mrs. Hewryk and Kurowyckyj stated that the UNWLA also provides members with an opportunity for leadership growth - something that is appreciated by all segments of its diverse membership.

They underlined that today the UNWLA remains as relevant as it was when it was first established. The organization "meets the needs of our society wherever and whatever they may be. Where there is a need, we come through," explained Ms. Hewryk, proudly adding that the UNWLA collected the most funds of any organization for the Ukrainian studies chairs at Harvard.

Mrs. Kurowyckyj added that the motto for the UNWLA's 26th Convention reflects both the history and the future of the organization: "In Unity There is Strength and Power to Reach the Goal."

For more information, readers may contact the UNWLA at 203 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003; telephone, (212) 533-4646; e-mail, unwla@unwla.org; website, www.unwla.org.

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