April 4, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
UWC PRESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN CEREMONIES MARKING THE OFFICIAL RETURN OF THE NARODNYI DIM IN PRZEMYSL TO THE UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY
On March 21, 2011, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) Eugene Czolij, UWC Board member Zenon Potichnyj and the Vice-president of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce John Iwaniura participated in the ceremonies marking the official return of the Narodnyi Dim (Peoples’ Home) in Przemysl to the Ukrainian community.
The UWC President witnessed the signing of the Act transferring title of the Narodnyi Dim to the Union of Ukrainians in Poland (UUP). The signatories were Przemysl Mayor Robert Choma, on behalf of the Polish authorities, and for UUP – its President Petro Tyma and Board member Stefania Laikosh.
After the signing ceremony, the UWC President participated in a press conference dedicated to the event. Present were Secretary of State from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of Poland Tomasz Siemoniak, Subcarpathian Voivode Malgorzata Chomycz, Sejm Deputy Miron Sycz, Przemysl Mayor Robert Choma, UUP President Petro Tyma and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Markian Malskyy.
That same day, a concert was held in the Narodnyi Dim titled “In your home lies your truth, strength and freedom” and dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the death of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko. Representatives of Ukrainian Churches, Polish and Ukrainian officials and local Ukrainians were in attendance. The UWC President delivered a speech during the concert. The full text in Ukrainian is available at: https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/news.php/news/530
During the concert, Zenon Potichnyj and John Iwaniura from Canada were honored by UUP for their support of the Narodnyi Dim in Przemysl.
“After sixty-four years, the dream of several generations of Ukrainians has been realized with the just return of the Narodnyi Dim to the Ukrainian community. I believe that, in the near future, the Narodnyi Dim will become a center for the development and preservation of the Ukrainian peoples’ national heritage,”said UWC President Eugene Czolij.
