While our organization has been involved in education, sharing Ukrainian culture, and engaging in humanitarian aid efforts for all of our 98 years of existence, it is absolutely clear that our number one priority in the U.S. today must be advocacy.
Because without the support of the United States, the way forward for Ukraine will be very challenging.
And so, since the beginning of the full-scale escalation of russia’s war on Ukraine, the UNWLA has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts in the U.S.
We have:
-> formed the American Coalition for Ukraine (ACU) together with four other national organizations;
-> provided a leading voice for the ACU through our national advocacy chair, Marianna Tretiak, who has educated and trained hundreds of participants from around the U.S. at ACU Summits in Washington, DC;
-> seen five of 37 state delegations at the last ACU Summit led by Soyuzianky;
-> and held bi-weekly meetings of the UNWLA Advocacy Committee, which have grown each month and empowered Soyuzianky to be effective advocates in their hometowns and states.
Last month, the resolution that addresses the key issue that all Soyuzianky have been advocating for, H.Res.149: Condemning the forced transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia, passed the International Relations Committee in the U.S. Congress. U.S.
Representatives recognized the efforts of the Ukrainian-American community during the mark-up hearings, and Soyuzianka Marta Fedoriv, who chairs the UNWLA’s Return Ukraine’s Children initiative, was named and thanked during the hearing.
Here is a quote from the transcript of the speech by Congresswoman Wild:
Please get engaged: join the UNWLA advocacy group, come to Washington, DC for the springtime Summit (dates to be announced soon), continue building relationships with your elected officials, and continue the dialogue with your friends and neighbors who don’t understand why American support for Ukraine is necessary.
There is also cultural diplomacy:
-> get more books about Ukraine in your local library (use our Library Toolkit),
-> insist on the correct labeling of Ukrainian artwork, literature, music, and cuisine (use our Reclaiming Our Cultural Heritage toolkit),
-> get engaged in UNWLA Service Month (see our website for more) any time of the year and let our communities know how much we appreciate the help from the U.S. and the world.
