On Saturday, September 20, 2014, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Manitoba Provincial Council (UCC-MPC) held the inaugural Bulava Award Recognition Luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg before a sold-out crowd.
The Bulava (pronounced boulahvah) was a type of mace consisting of a handle and sphere-shaped head. It was widely used in Ukraine, first as a weapon and then as a symbol of authority. In the 16th–18th century Cossack officers bestowed the bulava on the elected leader or hetman. More recently, the Bulava has come to be seen as an enduring symbol of leadership and commitment in the community and, hence, the aptly named Bulava Award. In Canada, a ceremonial mace is the symbol of the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Speaker of a Provincial Legislature and is derived from the British parliamentary tradition.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Manitoba Provincial Council is pleased to introduce the Bulava Awards. The Bulava Award will be an annual event dedicated to the celebration and acknowledgement of Manitobans who have volunteered their time, energy and expertise to enhance the Ukrainian Canadian community in Manitoba ensuring it remains strong, vibrant and active for future generations.
The inaugural recipients of the award for 2014 (L to R) are:
Back Row: Terry Prychitko, Hon. Dave Chomiak, Serge Radchuk, CM, QC, Dr. Louis Melosky, James Bezan, MP, Len Derkach, Peter Korbutiak Front Row: Anne Wach, Dmytro Duschak, Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate, Vasyl Kucharskyj, Jaroslava Palamartchuk.
The Carpathia Credit Union was honoured for its generous support of Manitoba's Ukrainian community initiatives with aUCC National Leadership Award by UCC President Paul Grod.
Ukrainian World Congress President Eugene Czolij addressed the gathering which was MC'd by well-known radio-announcer, Roman Brytan of Edmonton. The O. Kozhetz Choir ensemble entertained participants with a medley of several musical numbers and publicly acknowledged their long-time member, Anne Wach.
