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One of the most interesting workshops was hosted by young Ukrainian women who spoke about their lives in Ukraine and what they are most concerned about. The two most important issues raised were (1) whether young Ukrainians will be able to take advantage of their skills after they graduate from universities or whether they will they have to look for jobs outside their country, and (2) concerns about the army that remains structured as it was when Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, with elements that make many fear for the physical and mental health of their friends and family members who serve in the military. As one of the young women commented, “It is hard to be a patriot in your country.” Among the many other topics addressed at the WFUWO meeting was the Great Famine of 1932-1933 and a discussion on how the organizations represented at the meeting intended to commemorate it in the coming year. I reminded the attendees about the UNWLA’s ongoing project aimed at getting books and other relevant material about the Famine into public libraries, a project approved and adopted the UWC, and asked that all Ukrainian organizations should participate in this endeavor. We were hosted well by the WFUWO, and we thank the organization and its representatives for their hospitality. All members of the WFUWO attended a memorial service held for the late Nadia Svitlychna. In paying tribute to the great dissident leader who sacrificed so much for her beloved Ukraine, we all wore Ukrainian embroidered blouses and black skirts, the black signifying mourning and the multicolored blouses symbolizing the celebration of a life dedicated to fighting oppression and injustice. At the end of the three day meeting, as I was getting ready to take a cab to the hotel, a woman approached me and asked why the UNWLA had stopped sending Our Life to Ukraine. Clearly disappointed by this, she explained that Our Life was much valued by the women of Ukraine. She explained, for example, that she and other women collected the embroidery patterns, which are published on the back cover of each issue, putting all of them in a booklet that was studied diligently by women interested in perpetuating and sustaining a beautiful tradition that is part of our common heritage. I also learned that the woman and her friends enjoyed reading about the work of UNWLA Branches and Regional Councils and that the articles were often an inspiration for their own programs. The woman also explained that one of the issues most treasured by women in Ukraine was the special commemorative issue dedicated to the Great Famine. In connection with this, she told me a heartbreaking story. Finding a familiar name in one of the archival documents reprinted in the issue, she and her friends showed it to a woman with the same name, sparking a tearful response prompted by grief and terrible memo ries of terrible times. During this conversation, I also discovered that materials from our commemorative issue about the Great Famine had been reprinted in Zhinocha Dolia. A very prestigious magazine, Zhinocha Dolia has a wide range of readers. The publication’s interest in our publication is a welcome compliment and shows that our work is valuable and appreciated. While I welcomed the praise and the interest, I was saddened by the thought that many of our own members are far less enthusiastic about Our Life than their sisters in Ukraine, and that the comments we hear in our own community are often critical rather than supportive. As I arrived at the hotel, I noticed a bus full of people, preparing to embark on an excursion. I had not been informed about the excursion, which was apparently by invitation only, with a guest list compiled by individuals who had not thought to include a member of the Executive Committee of Ukrainian World Congress, a member of the board of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council, and a president of the largest women’s organization in the United States. Although I joined those already on the bus, I was reminded once again about the divisive nature of the Ukrainian community. When WFUWO President M. Szkambara and her vice president disembarked while still in the city, I realized that I was not the only woman that had been so casually omitted from the excursion list. It was a poignant reminder that some individuals and organi zations continue to practice exclusionary tactics against women and that the bias against women who serve as community leaders is a persistent and insidious problem that has yet to be overcome. As it turned out, the destination was the country estate of President Viktor Yushchenko. When the bus arrived, the President greeted us and showed us his beautiful garden, his bee hives, and his magnificent collection of Ukrainian artifacts. When I asked how he had gathered so many magnificent art objects, he answered, “I have been collecting these objects for a long time. People were selling them. Even today there is 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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