Ukrainian activists meet with new mayor and Municipal Council of Newark (10/15/06)

Ukrainian activists meet with new mayor and Municipal Council of Newark

NEWARK, N.J. - During its regular meeting on September 6, the newly elected Municipal Council of Newark issued a resolution commemorating the 15th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine. This event was sponsored by Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine (AHRU). Several of its members and members of the Ukrainian community were called to the council platform to formally receive the signed and framed resolution from the City of Newark.

The ceremony took place at the end of a business session of the council during which a good number of Newark citizens had an opportunity to speak and have their voices heard on numerous issues such as crime in the city, police brutality, sanitation problems, youth problems, housing problems, taxes, etc.

A surprising event occurred at the end of the session when Mayor Cory Booker arrived at the meeting. He is a newly elected dynamic young mayor who has promised to make major reforms in Newark. He recently hired Garry McCarthy, a crime-righting specialist from New York for this purpose.

Mayor Booker joined the Municipal Council in the presentation of the Ukrainian resolution and gave a short speech praising his Ukrainian constituents.

West Ward Councilman Ronald Rice Jr. personally read the text of the resolution before handing it over to Bozhena Olshaniwsky, president of AHRU. She, in turn, thanked the entire presidium of the meeting, gave a short presentation about recent events in Ukraine and also offered best wishes to the crew of the NASA space shuttle Atlantis, whose crew included a Ukrainian American woman, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper.

The evening ended on a high note with the mayor, the nine members of the Municipal Council and the public of Newark congratulating and wishing Ukraine well on this auspicious occasion.

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