On 26 February 2017, in Toronto, Canada, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) officially launched celebrations of its 50th anniversary of uniting Ukrainian communities around the world in furthering the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people under the motto Ukrainians together – the future is ours!
Paying tribute to the founders, presidents and dedicated UWC leadership throughout history, the program offered the audience a glimpse into the past of the UWC, its many achievements and the strength of this coordinating body today as supported by its network of Ukrainian communities in 53 countries.
A brief history of the UWC was presented with the screening of a documentary film titled 50 years of the Ukrainian World Congress produced by Iryna Korpan.
UWC President Eugene Czolij delivered an address during which he recognized the important role of the UWC as the voice of the Ukrainian people among the international community, and the increasing significance of this role in light of the unrelenting hybrid war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Eugene Czolij called for even greater mobilization of the Ukrainian community into a united effort focused on supporting Ukraine during this crisis of international proportion. The UWC President expressed gratitude to the past and present leadership of the UWC for their dedicated work, and to all donors to the UWC for their ongoing support which enables the UWC to independently fulfill its mandate.
The Chair of the UWC 50th Anniversary Committee Iryna Mycak presented the plans for 2017 which are designed to raise awareness of the UWC and to include, with a varied program of events, Ukrainian communities throughout the 53-country network, Ukrainians in Ukraine, and every Ukrainian and friend of Ukraine around the world. Among the highlights will be a series of conferences designed to develop a road map for the future of the UWC scheduled for the cities of Buenos Aires, Brussels, Lviv, New York and Toronto. Signature events will be held in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine, in August, and Toronto, Canada in November.
The program also included greetings from Bishop Andriy of the Eastern Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto Andrii Veselovskyi, Ukrainian Canadian Congress President Paul Grod, and video greetings from Director of the International Institute for Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations of Lviv Polytechnic Dr. Iryna Kluchkovska and Ukrainian communities around the world.
“The UWC calls upon its global network of Ukrainian communities, organizations in Ukraine and the international community to mark the 50th anniversary of the UWC, and thereby demonstrate solidarity and support for its activities,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
“Imagine harnessing into one powerful force the energy and dedication of every Ukrainian worldwide who believes in Ukraine’s limitless potential. That force is the Ukrainian World Congress,” stated UWC 50th Anniversary Committee Chair Iryna Mycak. “We invite the world to join us in celebrating this joint milestone.”
In the photo: The current and previous members of the UWC leadership and staff
