24 October, 2016. KYIV, UKRAINE. Renata Roman, Chair of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) Invictus Games Organizing Committee and Bohdan Kupych, member of the UCC Ukraine Advisory Council, met with Ukrainian officials on October 21 to discuss Ukraine's participation in the Invictus Games, which will be held in Toronto, September 24-30, 2017 featuring 550 competitors from 17 nations.
The Invictus Games are an international sports competition in which wounded, ill and injured military personnel and veterans take part. Founded by Prince Harry, the inaugural Invictus Games took place in London in 2014, with more than 450 competitors from 13 nations. "The Invictus Games demonstrate soldiers' and veterans' indefatigable drive to overcome and the power of sport on their journey to recovery." More information on the Invictus Games is available at http://www.invictusgames2017.com/
Totaling 260,000 personnel, the Ukrainian army is now among the largest forces in Europe, with several thousand soldiers on active duty in the anti-terrorist operation zone in the East of Ukraine. Since 1992, Ukrainian forces have been actively engaged in multiple exercises and peacekeeping missions under UN and NATO command across Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. Ukrainian naval units also participated in anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Today. Ukraine is defending itself from an active invasion and daily conflict by Russia and over the past two and a half years has suffered almost 10,000 deaths and over 20,000 wounded by this war.
During the meeting, Mykola Movchan, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport on European Integration spoke about the plans of the Ministry in preparing Ukraine's team the Invictus Games. The participants of the meeting discussed next steps, including applications for interested athletes, selection of team members and training, and how the UCC can best support these efforts, both in Ukraine and in Canada.
"We are very pleased that Ukraine has been invited to participate in the Invictus Games next year. The bravery and enduring spirit of Ukraine's men and women in uniform is a true inspiration to us all." stated Renata Roman, Chair of the UCC Invictus Games Organizing Committee. "This will be a tremendous opportunity for Ukraine's soldiers, wounded heroically defending their country from Russia's invasion, to showcase their courage at a prestigious international event. The UCC, together with the Ukrainian World Congress, the Canada Ukraine Foundation and all our member organizations and thousands of volunteers will be actively supporting Ukraine's Invictus team. Please stay tuned as we will be issuing a call for volunteers and sponsors to help with these efforts."
left to right: Renata Roman; Mykola Movchan; Bohdan Kupych
The UCC is partnering with the Government of Ukraine through the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine, on Ukraine's participation in the Games, under the Action Plan between the Ukrainian World Congress and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine, the National Olympic Committee and the National Committee for Paralympic Sports, signed August 25, 2016.
Participants in the meetings included:
• Mykola Movchan, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport on European Integration
• Renata Roman, Chair, UCC Invictus Games Organizing Committee
• Bohdan Kupych, UCC Ukraine Advisory Council
• Natalia Melnychenko, NATO-Ukraine Trust Fund
• Alina Frolova, Director STRATCOM UA
• Oksana Horbach and Mykhailo Pimenov, STRATCOM UA Invictus Games Coordinators
• Nonna Kalinina, Leading Expert of National Committee for Sport for the Disabled of Ukraine
• Ihor Buriy, deputy head of the Ukrainian centre for Physical Culture and Sport for the Disabled INVASPORT
