DeDecember 18, 2012
MEDIA RELEASE
UWC PRESIDENT EUGENE CZOLIJ MEETS WITH UKRAINIANS IN STRASBOURG
On December 9, 2012, during a visit to Strasbourg, France, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij met with local Ukrainians.
During the meeting, organized by the President of the French-Ukrainian Business Club, Ivanna Pinyak, Eugene Czolij shared information about the activities of the UWC in promoting Ukraine’s Euro‑integration and in defense of human rights of Ukrainians. He highlighted the importance of establishing a UWC mission in Strasbourg which would represent UWC’s interests before high-level international organizations.
Participants of the meeting, including parish priest Fr. Dr. Ivan Dufanets of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and Ukrainian school teacher Tanya Zharko, acquainted the UWC President with religious and community life highlighting, among other accomplishments, the three-year existence of the Ukrainian school which today boasts over 20 students.
Also discussed was the need for a chapel in a central location to celebrate Ukrainian Divine Liturgies, and a centre for community gatherings. With the goal of addressing this issue, on December 11, 2012, the UWC President and Fr. Dr. Dufanets met with Fr. Jean-Luc Liénard, Episcopal Vicar of the Roman Catholic Church, who was receptive to the idea.
The UWC is the international coordinating body for Ukrainian communities in the diaspora representing the interests of over 20 million Ukrainians. The UWC has member organizations in 33 countries and ties with Ukrainians in 14 additional countries. Founded in 1967 as a non-profit corporation, the UWC was recognized in 2003 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with special consultative status.
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