UWC President meets with 30 Under 30 award laureates

Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Paul Grod, together with the UWC leadership, met online with the laureates of the “30 Under 30” youth award on Sept.12.

During the meeting, young leaders from the United States, Australia, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, and Egypt presented their achievements and learned more about UWC initiatives. The “30 Under 30” laureates represent different generations of the global Ukrainian community and are united by a shared commitment to advancing the Ukrainian cause through cultural, advocacy, and other important projects.

The meeting was attended by Nikita Sydorenko, President of the “Nashe Studentstvo” Association of Ukrainian Students in France; Alina-Viktoriia Khalak of Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) in Australia; Alexandra Gorodiski-Gaschler of CYM USA; Fabian Popovici of the Union of Ukrainians in Romania; and Kyra Lozynskyj of CYM USA.

Also participating were Olena Khanasyk of the House of Ukraine in San Diego; Maksym Mahlay of the Hryhory Kytasty Cleveland School of Bandura, Cincinnati School of Bandura, and Ukrainian Classical Music Project; Karolina Kachan of German-Ukrainian Dialogue; Andrew Bernyk of Plast Australia; Sofia Polishchuk of The Children of Ukraine Foundation in the United States; and Vera Berezhny of Plast USA.

The meeting was moderated by Volodymyr Palagniuk, Deputy Chair of the UWC Community Development and Youth Leadership Committee and a 2021 “30 Under 30” award recipient.

The UWC President shared details about the memoranda of understanding recently signed in Kyiv with the Government of Ukraine and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.

UWC Vice President for Western Europe Volodymyr Kogutyak and Yevheniy Semenov, UWC Vice President for the Middle East and Central Asia, reaffirmed their readiness to cooperate and involve young leaders in global projects.

Nataliya Poshyvaylo-Towler, Chair of the “30 Under 30” Awards Committee and UWC Vice President for Southern and Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Türkiye, and Lebanon: “Today, it is especially important to remember Stefan Romaniw, who worked tirelessly to support and inspire young people around the world. He believed in the next generation, and so do we. You are the future of Ukraine.”

The next step is the establishment of the UWC President’s Youth Council.

On May 28, UWC officially announced the laureates of the “30 Under 30” award – an initiative recognizing young, proactive, and impactful Ukrainians living outside Ukraine.