Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
UNWLA 100
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47
48-49
50-51
52-53
54-55
56-57
58-59
60-61
62-63
64-65
66-67
68-69
70-71
72-73
74-75
76-77
78-79
80-81
82-83
84-85
86-87
88-89
90-91
92-93
94-95
96-97
98-99
100-101
102-103
104-105
106-107
108-109
110-111
112-113
114-115
116-117
118-119
120-121
122-123
124-125
126-127
128-129
130-131
132-133
134-135
136-137
138-139
140-141
142-143
144-145
146-147
148-149
150-151
152-153
154-155
156-157
158-159
160-161
162-163
164-165
166-167
168-169
170-171
172-173
174-175
176-177
178-179
180-181
182-183
184-185
186-187
188-189
190-191
192-193
194-195
196-197
198-199
200-201
202-203
204-205
206-207
208-209
210-211
212-213
214-215
216-217
218-219
220-221
222-223
224-225
226-227
228-229
230-231
232-233
234-235
236-237
238-239
240-241
242-243
244-245
246-247
248-249
250-251
252-253
254-255
256-257
258-259
260-261
262-263
264-265
266-267
268-269
270-271
272-273
274-275
276-277
278-279
280-281
282-283
284-285
286-287
288-289
290-291
292-293
294-295
296-297
298-299
300-301
302-303
304-305
MARIA SAVCHAK PRESIDENT OF UNWLA During its last three years of work the Ukrainian National Women’s League of Ame rica witnessed momentous historical events. These events were most significant for our organization, for the Ukrainian people in our homeland and for Ukrainians in the diaspora. These events began to develop even before May 1990 and were highlighted dur ing the XXII Convention in panel presenta tions and discussion. The events developed quite rapidly. On July 16th, 1990, with a majority vote, the Ukrainian Parliament issued a declaration of Ukraine’s sovereignty. The All Ukrainian As sembly of Rukh was held from October 25- 28, 1990 to which I, as President of UNWLA was invited as a guest, a representative of Ukrainian diaspora. UNWLA’s Executive Board agreed that I should travel to Kiev and participate in these historic meetings. I arrived in the gold-domed Kiev on October 21st, and had an opportunity to see the city before the start of the meeting. It was something to see — Khreshchatyk, dec orated with blue/yellow flags and tridents, the new headquarters of RUKH, Pecherska Lavra, the Palace of Culture “Ukraina” where the registration of delegates and special guests from diaspora was held. A represen tative from the RUKH Secretariat asked me to deliver greetings from UNWLA during the session. The ceremonial convocation of the Se cond All Ukrainian Assembly of RUKH was held on Thursday, October 25th at 11 a.m. The meeting started with a prayer “Bozhe Velykyj, Yedynyj,” and was opened by Ivan Drach, who afterwards delivered an excellent keynote address. Following were greetings from His Eminence Patriarch Mstyslav, from representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, which included my greeting from UNWLA, as well as from those individuals represent ing other nationalities. Approximately 4,000 Ukrainian diaspora, which included my greet ing from UNWLA, as well as from those indi viduals representing other nationalities. Ap proximately 4,000 people took part in the proceedings. Ivan Drach was elected to head RUKH. It was also affirmed that the aim of RUKH was to strive for the independence of Ukraine. On Monday, October 29th, during the evening hours, the Women’s Council of RUKH held a reception for me at the offices of the Union of Ukrainian Writers. Members of the Ukrainian National Women’s League were present, as well as women from other organ izations which had been formed by then. Through this encounter we (UNWLA) estab lished contact with the Women’s Council and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of Ukraine. 1991 arrived. There was a short lived insurrection in Russia and in its wake on August 24th, 1991 the Supreme Council of Ukraine issued the triumphant proclamation of Ukraine’s independence and the forma tion of a soveriegn state of Ukraine. In the fall of that year the president of the Supreme Council, Leonid Kravchuk, came to New York and addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Ukrainian community organized a splendid banquet for him, which I also attended. Preparations were being made for the Referendum with which the Ukrainian peo ple were to confirm the act of the Parliament. Information about how the Referendum was shaping up pointed to positive concluding results. Ukrainians in the United States star ted preparations in order for the United States government to recognize independent Ukra ine immediately after the announcement of the Referendum results. Right before the Referendum, on Wed nesday, November 27th, 1991 at the invita tion from the White House, I, together with a group of leading Americans of Ukrainian descent took part in a meeting with the Pres ident of the United States, George Bush. After a lively exchange of ideas, President Bush was given a memorandum in which it was stated that the Ukrainian community anticipates the United States to recognize independent Ukraine. The President then said that the American government is carefully watching the development of events in Ukra ine, works to strengthen Ukraine’s indepen dence and is fully convinced that the vote will be positive. He assured the group that the United States will recognize the inde 27 www.unwla.org
Page load link
Go to Top