UWC URGES FORMATION OF ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACES

    Further in its effort to encourage voter participation abroad in Ukraine’s upcoming presidential election, the UWC has issued an appeal for Ukrainian citizens residing in concentrated locations abroad distant from traditional polling places such as Ukraine’s diplomatic missions, to request formation of additional polling places within geographical proximity. Upon receipt of a list of at least three hundred voters in a particular location, the UWC will remit that list to Ukraine’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Central Elections Commission, urging the formation of a polling place in that location. The deadline imposed by the UWC to enable UWC efforts with the MFA and the CEC is September 15.

In tandem with the above appeal, the UWC recently wrote to Minister Hryschenko requesting that a directive issue to consular offices to expand the lists of voters submitted by them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 1, by including citizens abroad who serve notice upon them in person, by mail, fax or electronically. The UWC’s argument was predicated on a deficient (contrary to the law) compilation of voters’ lists by the consular offices (only those permanently registered) and the unreasonable expectation for people residing thousands of miles from the nearest diplomatic mission to travel simply to manifest their desire to participate in the electoral process.

GREETINGS FOR UKRAINE’S OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS

    The UWC has transmitted congratulatory greetings to all Ukrainian XXVIII Olympiad medal winners. Missives were transmitted individually to all recipients, forwarded care of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee. The UWC offered congratulations, best wishes and stressed national pride experienced by some twenty million Ukrainians abroad resulting from the accomplishments of these superb athletes. Ukraine’s 2004 Olympiad medal winners were as follows:

Gold medallists:

Elbrus Tedeyev – Wrestling – Men's Freestyle 66 kg
Valeri Goncharov – Gymnastics Artistic – Men’s Parallel Bars
Yuri Nikitin – Trampoline
Yuriy Bilonog – Athletics – Shot Put
Olena Kostevych – Shooting – 10m Air Pistol
Yana Klochkova – Swimming – 200 m Individual Medley
Yana Klochkova – Swimming – 400 m Individual Medley
Nataliya Skakun – Weightlifting – 63 kg
Irini Merleni – Wrestling – Freestyle 48 kg

Silver medallists:

Anna Bessonova – Rhythmic Gymnastics – Individual All-Around 
Inna Osypenko/Tetyana Semykina/Hanna Balabanova/Olena Cherevatova – Canoe/Kayak Flatwater – K4 500 m
Viktoriya Styopina – Athletics – High Jump
Team: Anastasiya Borodina/Nataliya Borysenko/Ganna Burmystrova/Iryna Honcharova/Nataliya Lyapina/Galyna Markushevska/Olena Radchenko/Oxana Rayhel/Lyudmyla Shevchenko/Tetyana Shinkarenko/Ganna Siukalo/Olena Tsygista/Maryna Vergelyuk/Olena Yatsenko/Larysa Zaspa – Handball
Tetiana Tereshchuk-Antipova – Athletics – 400 m Hurdles
Dmytro Hrachov/Viktor Ruban/Oleksandr Serdyuk – Archery – Team
Vladislav Tretiak – Fencing – Individual Saber
Serhiy Grin/Serhiy Bilushenko/Oleh Lykov/Leonid Shaposhnikov – Rowing – Quadruple Sculls
Andriy Serdinov – Swimming – 100 m Butterfly.

Ukraine placed twelfth in gold medals as well as in total medals.

MEMBER CENTRAL NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HOLD CONVENTIONS

    The next four weeks will witness the conventions of two of the UWC’s most significant member organizations, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. The UCCA’s convention will take place in Philadelphia, September 24, 25 and 26 while the UCC’s convention is scheduled for Winnipeg, October 1, 2 and 3. Anyone interested in participating in either or both may contact the UCCA at UCCA@ucca.org (212) 228-6840 and the UCC at UCC@ucc.ca (514) 878-4842.

UKRAINE IN WWII DOCUMENTARY NEEDS FUNDING FOR UKRAINIAN TRANSLATION

    In our March 2004 Newsletter we wrote: “The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has urged the UWC to disseminate information about the newest production of the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre (UCRDC) entitled Between Hitler and Stalin: Ukraine in World War II, The Untold Story. The documentary is narrated by Oscar winning actor Jack Palance, directed by Slavko Nowytski and depicts the tragedy of the Ukrainian nation during the aforesaid war. Copies for premiere screenings only may be procured at the UCRDC with an agreement that 50% of all proceeds shall be turned over to the UCRDC for future expenses, such as the production of a Ukrainian language version of this documentary.  All interested may contact the UCRDC, 620 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2H4, Tel.: (416) 966-1819, Fax: (416) 966-1820, e-mail: ucrdc@interlog.com.”

Now the UCRDC is in process of having this film translated into Ukrainian for wide distribution throughout Ukraine. The cost of translation is estimated at 25,000 $CAN. The UWC urges our member organizations and their membership to support this effort. The significance of wide range distribution of this film throughout Ukraine cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately many in Ukraine still are not aware of its people’s tragic history. Contributions may be made as noted above.

ANTHOLOGY OF UKRAINIAN LITERATURE OF THE  FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

    Our member organization “Prosvita” from Novy Sad, Serbia has informed the UWC of its effort to publish an anthology of Ukrainian literature written by Ukrainian writers who reside or once resided in Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia. Additionally, this project is supported by the Canadian Association of Ukrainians from the former Yugolsavia. Anyone interested in contributing material or funding should contact Myroslav Hochak at myroslav@neobee.net.