Sharing Thoughts, Views & News
June 2010

The National Board of UNWLA would like to extend best wishes to all the Fathers who support our membership, our communities, and Our Life magazine!  May God bestow His blessings on you for your devotion to your families.

Crossroads can be defined either as a road that crosses another road or, metaphorically speaking, a point at which a vital decision must be made. The Ukraine-Sweden at the crossroads of history (XVII-XVIII centuries) exhibit opened at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City on April 24. The artifacts featured at this exhibit portray an era of “crossroads” in Ukraine, a time which encompassed the Swedish and Russian armies’ maneuvering for advantage in the anticipated 1709 Battle of Poltava with the goal of bringing Ukraine under into the control of Sweden, which in a related treaty had promised independence to Ukraine.

The General Director of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine reflects in the exhibit catalogue that “The past of every country and every nation identifies in the historical memory with those periods and events of the epoch, which with time do not lose their relevance and educational value.” This exhibit focuses upon an era which began the struggle of the Ukrainian people to achieve independence and to establish their own sovereign, united state.

When the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America founded the Ukrainian Museum in 1976, its mission was to preserve, interpret, and present the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Ukrainian people. This complicated, ambitious historical exhibit draws our attention to an important period in Ukraine’s history worthy of our attention..

Representing the UNWLA at the opening of Ukraine-Sweden at the crossroads of history (XVII-XVIII centuries), I reminded attendees that in 1933, the UNWLA was a young organization of Ukrainian women in the United States. Keeping one of its main objectives in mind, that is, to maintain our cultural identity, the UNWLA took upon itself the responsibility of organizing the folk art exhibition for the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 1933 World’s Fair. To this end, the UNWLA purchased a representative collection of folk art from the Ukrainian Folk Art Cooperative in Lviv—800 objects for the cost of $2,225—a considerable sum for those times.

One of the UNWLA’s more important accomplishments, the founding of the Ukrainian Museum in 1976, can be attributed to the vision of its leadership and its president at that time, Iwanna Rozankowsky, as well as to the commitment of its Board and membership. This historical decision was made at the UNWLA’s 17th Convention, and shortly thereafter, two floors at 203 Second Avenue in New York City were purchased to house, protect and display the same folk art collection procured by the UNWLA in 1933 . . . and such was the beginning of this institution which enriches the Ukrainian community.

Since 1976, the membership of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, has been extremely dedicated and invaluable to this fine institution—an institution whose mission is to share, showcase and preserve Ukrainian art and culture. UNWLA members have volunteered countless hours; they’ve donated their own valuable artwork to the museum, handcrafted items for the gift shop, and obviously made very generous financial contributions toward this valuable entity.

In February 2005, on the 80th anniversary of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, while Mrs. Iryna Kurowyckyj was UNWLA President and Olha Hnateyko, a UNWLA member, was Museum Board President, the newly constructed and much-anticipated museum building on 6th Street was dedicated. This year we celebrate the five-year mark since the doors of the Ukrainian Museum opened. We are very proud that many valuable, exciting, and innovative programs and exhibits have been presented here in the recent past.

The UNWLA congratulates Professor Jarko Leshko, President of the Board of Trustees, and Maria Shust, Director of the Museum, for their dedication and hard work on this exhibit. We commend the museum staff for their role in this complex and ambitious project. We are honored and proud to share the opening of this historical exhibit with you and our community.

We especially thank Dr. Yurij Sawchuk, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and curator of this exhibit, for his efforts in surmounting the many trials and tribulations encountered while artifacts traveled from various museums in Ukraine and Sweden across the ocean to New York City. We thank Mr. Volodymyr Taran, prominent artist and designer of the exhibit, for the outstanding presentation of the exhibit artifacts. Your efforts have culminated in a most enriching historical exhibit !

While we rejoice in this successful endeavor, we are saddened by the fact that Ukraine seems to be, once again, at important crossroads. As an apolitical organization, the UNWLA is observing the human rights aspect of the decisions made by Ukraine’s current leadership. By all accounts, Ukraine is pursuing a radical transformation from the democratic ideals and the individual freedoms symbolized by the Orange Revolution. Human rights are being violated, free speech is being intimidated, press and assembly are being curtailed. Ukraine’s identity and its language are being challenged, and its history and heroes are under assault. Is this the dawn of the return of pre-independence? On May 11, thousands of demonstrators picketed the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv.. According to the Kyiv Post, police interfered with public transportation to stop people from coming to Kyiv. For instance, opposition supporters from Ivano-Frankivsk who bought train tickets to Kyiv and came to the station, were asked to produce their passports by the police. “They checked people’s registration and were letting into trains only those who were registered as living in Kyiv. Others were not allowed to board the train. Hundreds of opposition supporters from Ivano-Frankisvk couldn’t make it to Kyiv (according to the Kyiv Post).

In 2011, Ukraine will be marking 20 years since its independence and sovereign state status were announced to the world. But critics say that the deals either under discussion or already ratified between Ukraine and Russia could damage Ukraine’s ability to be a truly independent nation for decades to come. In last month’s issue of our magazine, we published a copy of an open letter written to President Yanukovych by the UNWLA voicing our dismay regarding the treatment of the Holodomor genocide of the 1932–1933. In the very short time since that letter was published, we are stricken by the extent to which our concerns have grown and broadened. We can only pray that the Orange Revolution will not become a mere footnote in the history of Ukraine.

On April 18 and May 2, respectively, the Regional Councils of Philadelphia and New York City held their annual meetings. Each of these was well attended and in a spirit of camaraderie, new presidents were elected: Iryna Buczkowski, President of Branch 67 of Philadelphia, accepted the presidency of the Philadelphia Regional Council, and Halyna Romanyshyn, Vice President of Branch 83 of New York City, became the president of the NYC Regional Council. We congratulate and support them as they plan for the future of their Regional Councils! On April 24, Branch 131 (patroness Solomiya Krushelnytska) celebrated its christening and formal entrance into the ranks of UNWLA branches in the New Jersey Regional Council.

Mnohaya Lita to our newly elected presidents! Mnohaya Lita to Branch 131!

Marianna Zajac,
President