On 29-31 August 2014 at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) held its Annual General Meeting with over 100 participants from over 15 countries in attendance, including prominent religious, political and community representatives from both the diaspora and Ukraine.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko participants laid a wreath at the monument in his honour and joined the choir of the National University of Kyiv in singing Shevchenko’s famous literary work, Zapovit (Testament).
The participants also paid tribute to Ukraine’s contemporary heroes with a requiem celebrated by Patriarch Filaret of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate and Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) of the Ukrainian GreekCatholic Church.
UWC President Eugene Czolij addressed the meeting focusing on the most important matter, namely the defence of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, and the importance of cooperation between the UWC and Ukraine in furthering current Ukrainian issues within the international community.
Statutory issues and various reports were discussed, including that of the Director of Humanitarian Initiatives, Dr. Ulana Suprun, who spoke about the humanitarian activities of the UWC that involve specifically Project: Patriot Defence, providing Ukraine with medical equipment, work in Ukraine by highly qualified medical professionals from around the world and organizing seminarsfor Ukrainian medical professionals in the West.
Four roundtable discussions offered the opportunity to discuss important issues related to the future activities of the UWC: The situation in Ukraine – achievements and challengesThe global Ukrainian community in defence of the independence and territorial integrity of UkraineThe continued development of the global Ukrainian communityThe dissemination of information about Ukraine in traditional and social media.
The International Institute for Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations of the Lviv Polytechnic National University presented its plans for an international Ukrainian virtual museum.
During the course of the three-day day meeting, Patriarch Filaret and Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) blessed the new UWC Ukraine office in Kyiv.
In conjunction with the UWC Annual General Meeting, a Memorandum on Cooperation between the Ukrainian World Congress and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was signed and avenues for future cooperation were discussed during meetings with Ukraine’s high-ranking officials.
“In this difficult time for Ukraine I wish to reassure that the UWC will continue to actively further the defence of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity and urge the international community to concrete and effective actions to stop the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that threatens peace and stability in the world,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
Eugene Czolij also spoke about the work of the UWC duringa press conference at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
