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4 OUR LIFE • June-July 2026 UNWLA President Highlights Enduring Role of Ukrainian Diaspora at International Conference UNWLA president Natalia Pawlenko took part in the 3rd International Academic Conference “Ukraine & the Unit - ed States: Experience and Prospects for Cooperation” hosted by the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv on April 18, 2026. Dedicated to the 250th anniver - sary of the United States, the conference brought to - gether scholars, diplomats, and civic leaders to explore the evolving relationship between Ukraine and the U.S. Natalia was invited to present in Section 4, which fo - cused on the Ukrainian diaspora in the countries of the Americas. Her presentation, “A Century of Diaspora Leadership: The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America as a Civic Institution,” examined the role of diaspora organizations as enduring civic actors that pre - serve identity, provide social support, and shape public discourse across borders. Drawing on both scholarship and lived institutional ex - perience, Natalia emphasized that organizations such as the UNWLA did not emerge simply to serve immigrant communities, but out of historical necessity. For much of the twentieth century, Ukraine did not exist as an independent state, and its iden - tity was often suppressed or misrepresented. In this context, diaspora institutions became vital custodians of Ukrainian language, culture, and historical memory. “Diaspora organizations like the UNWLA be - came bearers of national identity,” she noted. “Their work was not only cultural — it was ex - istential.” Her remarks also highlighted the UNWLA’s longstanding role in advocacy. Long before Ukraine could speak for itself as a sovereign nation, UNWLA members engaged in what is now understood as public diplomacy — raising awareness of the Holodomor, supporting polit - ical prisoners, and countering disinformation during the Cold War. Today, that legacy con - tinues through coordinated advocacy efforts across the U.S., including participation in na - tional coalitions such as the American Coalition for Ukraine and the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C. In addition to advocacy, Natalia underscored the UNWLA’s commitment to long-term social support, including its scholarship program, which has supported more than 23,000 stu - dents since 1967, and its ongoing humanitar - ian work in Ukraine. Reflecting on the broader significance of the conference, Natalia emphasized the impor - tance of strengthening connections between Ukraine and its global diaspora: “Gatherings like this remind us that Ukraine was never alone — that across decades, its voice, its iden - tity, and its future were carried and preserved by its people, wherever they were.” Now in its 101st year, the UNWLA continues to serve as a vital bridge between Ukraine and the United States, reaffirming its role as a lead - ing voice in preserving Ukrainian identity and advancing support for Ukraine on the Ameri - can stage. Natalia’s presentation is reproduced here.
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