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MARTHA BOHACHEVSKY-CHOMIAK R EP O R T OF A C TIVITIE S 1989-1992 In my last report, at the Detroit convention in May, 1990, I stressed the momentous changes in Ukraine, and pointed out the ways in which UNWLA was privy to some of them and even instrumental in others. The result of the changes is as simple as it is dramatic: Ukraine can speak for itself now. Ukraine will represent itself at international gatherings. It will solve its own problems, save its own heritage, preserve its own folk lore. Ukrainian women have established a number of their own organizations, may even devise a working coordinating-Council of Women of Ukraine, and will be able to represent Ukraine at international gatherings of women. They have already begun working through some of the groups connected with the UN. We have been reporting on these organizations on the pages of Our Life. I have been privileged to serve as a vice president of the UNWLA at the historic moment of Ukraine’s inde pendence. Building upon all the previous hard work of generations of American-Ukrainian women who fought prejudice and poverty to assert the dignity of our people and their right to freedom and justice, the UNWLA in the last ten years was able to use its position to call attention to the situation in Ukraine UNWLA both alone and in conjunction with other organizations helped increase American public awareness of the political and ecological conditions in Ukraine, and raise the level of discussion of the topic. At the same time, UNWLA never forgot that it is an American organization. The work of the branches and of our members in local political and community organizations continued to be significant and bore fruit a thousandfold. The two convention cit ies: Detroit and Cleveland, have been especially effec tive in this work. Cleveland should also be singled out for the exceptionally effective work with volunteer orga nizations and with inner-city universities. The quality of our membership made it possible to virtually institutionalize programs on broad topics. At the kick-off discussions, open to the public, we have focused on topics of interest not only to women. In Cleveland we discussed the ways of integrating city populations while yet preserving the cultural heritage of each. In Detroit we focused on the place of volunteer activities in the development and implementation of American public policies and private initiatives. Let me mention some persons who appeared at var ious UNWLA conventions and conferences: William Courtney, now the ambassador to Kazakhstan, and before that the US ambassador to the Arms talks in Geneva: Paul Goble, formerly of the Department of State and now a major commentator on the emerging democratic states of the former Soviet Union; Mary Joyce Green, Coordinator of the Outreach Program at Cleveland State University; Helen Petrauskas, Vice Pres ident, Ford Motor Company and member of the Envir onmental Commission on Eastern Europe; Sophia Sluzar, erstwhile editor of Problems of Communism, now with the Department of State; Roman Szporluk, Professor of History at Harvard. Mary Rose Oakar and David Bonior were among the members of the House who attended our functions and addressed our needs. Laryssa Skoryk is their counter part in Ukraine. We also cooperated with other Ukrainian women’s organizations, from WFUWO to the young and dynamic “Second Wreath” in Canada. We have cooperated with and helped various women’s groups in Ukraine, and in some measure provided a Western role model of inde pendent women integrated into community and political life. Our work at the National Council of Women, so dramatically highlighted by our visible presence at the centenary celebrations in Washington in 1987, makes it easier for Ukraine to take its place among women’s organizations. It was, by the way, the first time a citizen of the now former USSR appeared under our blue-and- yellow emblem, and a consul of that country attended. At that function, Ulana Kot, symbolizing the yet silent Ukraine, poured out her soul in folksongs that reson ated among the audience. Five years later, the represen tative of UNWLA sat at the White House, advising on preparations for the official visit of Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk. Since this is my last report, let me also share with you some of my work which, while not directly emanat ing from my role in UNWLA, nevertheless had some bearing to the topic at hand. Right after the UNWLA Detroit convention, the US Institute of Peace held a study session on the impact of religion on politics and the preconditions for toleration. Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Israel are among the countries the group is studying. I was a participant in the working group on Ukraine. A day later Volodymyr Vojnovich, the author of a biting satire Moscow 2042 met with us in Washington and practiced his childhood Ukrainian. On August 10, 1990, there was a meeting at the Department of State on con tinued exchange programs with Eastern Europe. At the end of August, at the first international council of scho lars of Ukrainian subjects, I gave two presentations on the history of women. I raised the topic again in a work ing session of historians of modern Ukraine which was held in the Carpathians. The topic got me on radio, tele 18 "НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЖОВТЕНЬ 1992 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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