Diaspora

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) together with the 20-million strong Ukrainian diaspora shares the deep sorrow of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the Ukrainian nation on the passing into eternity of Major Archbishop and former Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar. Throughout his entire life His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar faithfully served the UGCC and the consolidation in Ukrainian society of the ideals of spirituality, mercy and harmony. Having lived for a long period of time outside Ukraine, His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar knew well and...

On one of the first spring afternoons in early April, the Svitanok Choir hosted an afternoon tea at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Hamilton. Those attending were treated to songs, tea, biscuits and some fun with pysanky. The choir sang a few songs which included sing-alongs that many in the crowd knew, including “Chervona Ruta”. The tables were also encouraged to draw their own pysanky designs that were then hung up along the walls. The tea was delivered to every table by the members of Svitanok after they finished their eight piece set along with an assortment of biscuits and cakes that were donated by each member...

In the framework of commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), on 25-26 April 2017 UWC President Eugene Czolij met with high-ranking officials of Spain. During the meetings the UWC President encouraged Spanish governing authorities to officially recognize the Holodomor of 1932-33 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. In support of furthering the process of reforms in Ukraine, Eugene Czolij underscored the importance of finalizing the ratification process for the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and implementing the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens. The UWC President highlighted the plight of Ukrainian political prisoners being unlawfully detained by the Russian Federation in Crimea, Eastern Ukraine and the Russian Federation. He called for monitoring of the situation with added pressure on the Russian Federation to reduce the violations of human rights, and support for the extension of sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with the Minsk agreements. He also emphasized the need to deploy an OSCE police mission to Eastern Ukraine and a monitoring mission to Crimea...

On Sunday May 14, 2017 the Orpheus Choir of Toronto will host their season finale, Identities, featuring renowned soloists Andriana Chuchman, soprano, and James Westman, bass-baritone, together with the Vesnivka Choir and Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir (Kvitka Kondracki, Artistic Director) and the Orpheus Concert Orchestra at 3:30 PM at Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. West. Under the artistic direction of Robert Cooper, this gala concert features the Ontario premiere of Canadian composer Larysa Kuzmenko’s The Golden Harvest. Based on a libretto by Talia Zajac, this trilingual oratorio (Ukrainian, French, English) tells the...

Outgoing UCRDC President Prof. Jurij Darewych announced that as of the New Year 2017, Prof. Nicholas Derzko now heads the UCRDC as its new President in a planned succession of leadership approved at the last UCRDC Annual General Meeting in June 2016. Prof. Darewych remains on the UCRDC Board as Past President. “Mykola” Derzko was UCRDC Vice President and has been a member for many years. Prof. Derzko is Associate Professor Emeritus in Mathematics at the University of Toronto where he lectures in mathematics with applications to management science and law. He is also a practising barrister and solicitor, and a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada...

At the year-end UCRDC Board Meeting on December 5, 2016 in a festive holiday spirit, members shared their joy in congratulating long-time member Oksana Zakydalsky, who on November 22 at a UCC Toronto meeting was presented theUkrainian Canadian Congress Leadership Award of Excellence for her significant contribution to the broader Ukrainian community and the betterment of Canada. Oksana Zakydalsky is a valued UCRDC Board Member who has contributed since 1988, collecting and archiving documents, developing educational materials and writing numerous press releases and...

My godmother, Nina, told me the truth. When I shared it with my history teacher, he said she was mistaken, or had lied. I was upset. I asked my parents who was right. They gave me a book, Russian Oppression in Ukraine, which included firsthand accounts about the Great Famine of 1932-33 in Soviet Ukraine. I still have that very same green-covered volume. My first encounter with it was brief. I slammed it shut, shuddering at the black-and-white photographs inside – the remains of famine victims being heaved into a cart, the bodies of raped-then-murdered women jumbled on a bed, a massacred community’s corpses...

Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn is the 2017 recipient of the Ochrymovych Humanitarian Award, also known as the “Helping Hands” Award from Ukrainian Canadian Social Services – Toronto (UCSS-T). Dr. Antonyshyn was presented with the award at a gala banquet in his honour on April 30, 2017 at the Old Mill. Victor Malarek, an award-winning journalist, who was the first recipient of the award in 2010 was a guest speaker. Dr. Antonyshyn, an internationally renowned plastic surgeon, is being recognized for his extraordinary humanitarian efforts in providing medical care and treatment to those ravaged by war in eastern Ukraine. He has...

Ukrainian Americans of Michigan sent a strong delegation to Washington, D.C. on March 8-9, 2017 to participate in the first of several “Ukraine Days” planned for 2017. Ukraine Days is a long standing national initiative of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America/Ukrainian National Information Service (UCCA)/(UNIS) that provides for Ukrainian communities to collectively converge on Washington, D.C., to simultaneously conduct meetings with their members of Congress and to hold a number of joint events during two day of planned advocacy...

The scene is set in 9th century Kyiv (the capital of present day Ukraine) and some of its outlying environs inhabited or occupied through invasion by Slavs or Vikings. The focus is on Constantinople, (in present day Turkey), the second Rome and the seat of Eastern Christianity. The strategy involves a military excursion down the Dnipro River and traversing the Black sea with all its perils to Constantinople in search of vengeance. Slav traders had been slaughtered by the rulers of Constantinople. Along the journey numerous characters are developed and many places are visited including Khersones in Crimea particularly notable a century later where Kyivan Prince Volodymyr adopted...