MAY FUNDRAISING

         Traditionally May is the Fundraising Month for the Ukrainian World Congress. Since its inception in 1967 the UWC (formerly the World Congress of Free Ukrainians) has determined its annual budget in accordance with the success of its fundraising during the month of May. This year we mark the 40^th anniversary of the First Congress and thus forty years of May fundraising as well.

          In his opening remarks to the First World Congress of Free Ukrainians in November 1967, the Reverend Father Wasyl Kushnir stated:

 “In developing the spirituality and conscience of the free Ukrainian, the World Congress of Free Ukrainians sets forth a program: Ukraine must be Ukrainian; the finest strings of our emotions must be Ukrainian; the younger Ukrainian generation must be Ukrainian; for Ukraine we must prepare a future happier and more honorable than all the glorious days in its history to date…”

            Later, Reverend Kushnir was elected the first President of the WCFU. Today in retrospect some of Father Kushnir’s vision has become realty, but with significant deficiencies. Ukraine is independent but it is certainly not very Ukrainian. Our Diaspora has assimilated significantly, but has received a cultural and spiritual transfusion with the arrival of new emigrants from Ukraine. The Diaspora’s size and its varied locations have both mushroomed. Today, the UWC includes members or at the very least companions in almost forty countries. But, as grows the constituency so increases its needs.

          Thus May fundraising remains the staple for UWC activities today. On the 60^th anniversary of the nefarious “Akcija Wisla” we are working to secure reasonable restitution and compensation despite stalwart opposition not only from extreme Polish organizations but even seemingly mainstream, the government of the Republic of Poland and the Polish Catholic Church. On this issue Ukraine remains inexplicably silent. Before us is the 75^th commemoration of the Famine/Genocide 1932-33. We need to get Ukraine to recognize its own tragedy not only in word but also deed by constructing at last the Memorial-Museum in Kyiv. We are working to have the Famine 1932-33 recognized as Genocide by the world community and included in the educational curricula of the international community, one country at a time. Unfortunately, defending the human and civil rights of Ukrainians has not become moot. Even in Ukraine those who wish to study in their native language (the UWC is largely funding the legal expenses of Serhij Melnychuk in Luhansk) need protection. The Ukrainian community in the Russian Federation has suffered a recent spate of murders of community activists from Vladivostok to Tula. Finally expanding lines of communication with newer communities of Ukrainian immigrants remains crucial and often not addressed because of the lack of funds. These are only a few examples.

There is a brighter future for Ukrainians. We simply need to keep working.

Toronto-New York                                                                                                                                             April 1, 2007
          

For the Ukrainian World Congress:

Askold Lozynskyj                Victor Pedenko                   Bohdan Fedorak                      Olga Danylak
        President                       General Secretary           Financial Secretary                       Treasurer