On 16-17 September 2018, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij concluded a working visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, where he spoke at an international scientific-practical conference “The Ukrainian diaspora in Kyrgyzstan: yesterday, today, tomorrow” on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Ukrainian Association of the Kyrgyz Republic “Berehynia” (Association), discussed paths of cooperation between the UWC and the Association, and raised current Ukrainian issues with the Chair of the Council of the People’s Assembly of Kyrgyzstan,and representatives of civil society.
In addressing the international scientific-practical conference on 16 September 2018, Eugene Czolij, on behalf of the UWC, recognized the successes of the Association, which is the only registered community organization of Ukrainians in the Kyrgyz Republic. He particularly noted that the Association was one of the founders of the People’s Assembly of Kyrgyzstan,and the Kyrgyzstan-Ukraine Friendship Association. The UWC President highlighted the productivity of the Association including publication of scientific collections, specifically about Ukrainians in Kyrgyzstan and Taras Shevchenko in Kyrgyzstan; publication of the Ukrainian-language translation of one of the versions of the Kyrgyz Epic of Manas; more than 1,000 concert programs by the Ukrainian Ensemble “Barvinok”, which earned from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic the designation “national”; over 800 broadcasts of the radio program “Berehynia”; and the organization of numerous cultural-artistic events and participation in international cultural initiatives. Participants of the conference, cultural and community activists, academics, politicians and diplomats, raised a range of issues related to the continued development of the Ukrainian community in Kyrgyz Republic.
After the conference, Eugene Czolij discussed the means of future cooperation between the UWC and the Association during a meeting with its leadership under the chairmanship of Volodymyr Narozia, who has been its president since inception. Eugene Czolij invited representatives of the Association to participate in the XI Ukrainian World Congress scheduled to take place in Kyiv 24-27 November 2018.
On 17 September 2018, the UWC President met with the Chair of the Council of the People’s Assembly of Kyrgyzstan, Tokon Mamytov, to whom he expressed gratitude for supporting the work of the Association and providing a facility for their activities, and called upon for continued support for worthwhile projects of the Ukrainian community.
In addition, Eugene Czolij held separate meetings with Shamil Ibragimov, Executive Director of the Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan; Abdyrakhman uulu Scheirbek, Assistant Director General for Radio of the Kyrgyz National Television and Radio Corporation, the first broadcast channel to air the Ukrainian-language weekly radio program “Berehynia”; and Tom Selinger, Head of the Political and Economic Section in the Embassy of the USA in Kyrgyz Republic. In these meetings, the UWC President shared information about the fundamental work of the UWC in strengthening the unity among Ukrainians worldwide, the development of their national-cultural lives and the defence of their interests internationally, while also raising issues of cooperation on projects of mutual interest.
While in Bishkek, Eugene Czolij had the opportunity to attend Divine Liturgy in the Roman Catholic Advent of Archangel Michael and visit the Memorial in memory of the fallen during the Aksy events of 2002 and the 2010 April Revolution in Kyrgyz Republic.
The UWC President was accompanied by Chargé d’Affaires in the Kyrgyz Republic Ihor Bilenkyi, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kyrgyz Republic Volodymyr Raikov, President of the Association Volodymyr Narozia and First Vice President of the Association Serhii Kuzmenko.
“The Ukrainian World Congress highly regards the 25 years of successful work of the Ukrainian Association of the Kyrgyz Republic “Berehynia” and anticipates future fruitful cooperation,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
More information on the visit of the UWC President to Bishkek is available in the Ukrainian language on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Kyrgyz Republic HERE and HERE.
In the photo: E.Czolij addresses an international scientific-practical conference “The Ukrainian diaspora in Kyrgyzstan: yesterday, today, tomorrow”
