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tolerance and non partisanship. To those unable to attend due to age or illness, I send greetings of friendship and respect. I bow my head before the spirit of those who have gone from us, leaving behind the memory of their worldliness and intelligence. When the heads of the Regional Councils turned to me to ask that і undertake the responsibility of leading the UNWLA for the next three years, I realized that the time had come to return to the UNWLA that which it had given me: the chance to be the president of the oldest American coalition of women -- The National Council of Women of the USA. In 1993, I became the first Ukrainian, in the 107 year history of the National Council, to head this organization. This was a great achievement, not only for me personally, but for the UNWLA. Having one of its members in such a position placed the UNWLA on equal footing with all the 37 member organizations of the National Council which represents some 15 million members in America. I was given the chance to be a representative of the non-governmental organizations of the U.N. from the International Council of Women, the World Movement of Mothers, the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations, and to participate in various committees at the U.N. with the same concerns as those of the UNWLA. I participated at international meetings and world conferences at which I was able to acquaint women from different countries of the world with the work and programs of the UNWLA along with those matters of greatest concern to our organization such as the fate of women, children, the elderly, the infirm and the homeless, along with the rights of women which are so often violated. The UNWLA gave me a chance to work effectively for the good of the women of Ukraine and America. Without the UNWLA I would not have had the ability to achieve these positions along with the opportunity to represent women, both Ukrainian in the U.S. and American on the international stage. The women's movement in America, of which the UNWLA is a part, began more than 150 years ago in Seneca Falls, NY. At the 40th Anniversary celebration of this historic gathering, which took place in 1888 in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Women of the U.S. and the International Council of Women were formed. The names of the famous founders of the suffragette movement are well known to all: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone Blackwell. In Ukraine, the National Council of Women was formed in 1919, and just a year after its formation, entered the ranks of the International Council of Women. Unfortunately, the joy of this achievement was short lived. After the plenary session of the International Council of Women in Washington in 1925, the National Council of Women of Ukraine lost its membership in the prestigious organization. This was due to Ukraine's loss of independence as independence was a prerequisite to membership in the International Council of Women. This event pushed Ukrainian women in the U.S. to form the UNWLA. They understood that they needed to find another way onto the international stage. Even though there was close contact between the National Council of Women of the U.S. and the UNWLA, it wasn't until 27 years after its inception that the UNWLA became a member of this organization. Today, one of my dearest wishes is to pass on to the younger generation that which the UNWLA gave me — the ability to work for the good of the women of Ukraine and America in the spheres of their interest, primarily in our organization, in our membership. This is our foundation, our future. We must interest women with our future, our heritage, and encourage them to join our ranks. We are deeply moved by reading the recollections of the first president of the UNWLA, Olena Lototska, about the meetings of the first branches of the UNWLA to which members would often bring their young children. Today, our young professionals would like to have more time for their families. It's time for us to think of programs which could include the entire family, for the family is the smallest yet the most important part of society. Today the family is in danger and needs our help and understanding. We are entering a new millennium with new technologies in communication making it possible for us to attain a new membership which would never have had contact with us and our organization. The Internet gives us great opportunity to continue and enlarge the work of the UNWLA. Even though we have a web page on the Internet, we have not fully utilized it. We will be making an effort through the Internet to form a Branch of the UNWLA consisting of women scattered all over the U.S. who are looking to belong with someone. 14 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 1999 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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