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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ГРУДЕНЬ 2010 5 Valentyna K. Borysenko in Philadelphia Journeys in History and Ethnology On October 9, 2010, A Candle in Remem - brance , an English translation of Professor Valentyna K. Borysenko’s Свіча пам’яті, was formally presented at a gala event celebrating the 85th anniversary of the UNWLA and hosted at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Flying in from Kyiv for the UNWLA event, Professor Borysenko then traveled to Philadelphia for an event hosted on October 10 by the Ukrainian Gold Cross, a charitable organization with a long and illustrious history, which has included running a summer camp for Ukrainian diaspora chi ldren in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. In the aftermath of Chornobyl, the Ukrainian Gold Cross organization brought a group of children from Ukraine to the camp in Lehighton, hoping to move them, albeit temporarily, from a radioactive environment to a place where nature, clean air, and creative activities might provide a few weeks of fun for children whose childhood had been so tragically compro - mised. Presiding over this program was Dr. Natalia Pazuniak, a prominent educator and well - known civic activist, whose multifaceted work is well known in the Ukrainian diaspora community. Dr. Pazuniak, who is currently vice president of the Ukrainian Gold Cross, spoke briefly about Professor Borysenko’s numerous achievements and then introduced WFUWO Vice President Natalia Dany - lenko. Speaking about her personal and pro fes - sional relationship with the ethnologist, Mrs. Dany - lenko cited highlights of their long friendship and collaboration on topics of mutual interest. And it is in these areas of mutual in terest and personal friendship that one can glimpse much of Professor Borysenko’s connection with the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States. Natalia Danylenko (together with her late husband, Ivan Danylenko) has financed and otherwise supported the publi cation of several literary projects and academic endeavors in Ukraine, including works by Valentyna Borysenko. More - over, Ivan Danylenko was one of many famine survivors interviewed by Professor Borysenko during her work on Свіча пам’яті, and it was Natali a Danylenko (a member of UNWLA Branch 90 of the Philadelphia Regional Council) who served as the liaison between the author, then First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko, and the UNWLA when the translation of the book into English was initially discussed. It was an other member of Branch 90, Martha T. Pelensky, who provided generous funding for this project. The 30 or so people attending the intimate event listened with interest as Professor Borysenko spoke of her work on Свіча пам’яті, emphasizing in particular how participation in the process of gathering oral testimonies of Holodomor survivors had changed the way the students engaged in the work perceived history, life, and even their own place in the great scheme of things . The discussion then turned to other wo rks published by Professor Borysenko: Volume I of Ukrainky v Istorii (Ukrainian Woman in History) and the recently published second volume of this work, which includes biographies of many accom - plished contemporary women, whose work in the arts, in civic o rganizations, and in various pro fes - sions is described and analyzed from the perspective of its value to contemporary Ukraine. In discussing the two volumes, Professor Borysenko expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Danylenko for her generous support and indi ca ted that a third volume of this series on accomplished Ukrainian women is already in the planning stages. The fourth book discussed at the event was Professor Borysenko’s book on Ukrainian wedding customs, rites, and rituals. In describing the work, the ethnologist sadly noted that the past decades of Ukraine’s history had created an environment in which centu ries’ old traditions had been corrupted, usurped, or politicized in numerous ways. She emphasized the importance of preserving accurate and detailed information about these traditions for posterity. Following the formal presentation of the four books, Pro fessor Borysenko answered ques - tions on various topics, one of which led to an interesting discussion on the valor of Ukrainian girls who served as couriers for the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and another discussion on the urgent need for Ukrainians to learn about their true history rather than a history of misinformation and disinformation. TSC
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