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significant anniversary. Khreshchatyk, Inde pendence Square and the public buildings were appropriately decorated. People were on the streets till late hours. All this contrib uted to a festive spirit and the unusual char acter of the event about to take place. The Forum was opened by academician Mykola Zhulynsky, who chaired the Organiz ing Committee. Following, the participants listened to numerous speeches, many of which were quite excellent, constructive and in agreement with the aims of the Forum. Saturday, August 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. was busy with many sessions, sub-ses sions and round tables which were held in various parts in Kiev. I took part in a session dealing with “Coordination of the coopera tion between Community Organizations of the Ukrainian Diaspora and Ukraine.” This session was held in the great debating hall of the Kiev City Council, and included a large number of delegates and guests. Also pres ent were women, members of the Ukrainian National Women’s League, members of the Women’s Council, members of other women’s organizations in Ukraine, as well as members of women’s organizations in the western diaspora who expected an exchange of ideas concerning their work to take place. This, however, did not happen, because the organ izers of this particular session did not include such an opportunity in their program. Peo ple’s Deputy Larysa Skoryk realized the un fairness of this, and asked all Forum women delegates to meet on Monday, August 24, in the afternoon to discuss matters pertaining to women’s organizations and their coopera tion with each other. The UNWL organized a get-together to be held on the same day and almost at the same hour in another location. For many women form the diaspora it was very difficult to decide where to go. Was it not possible to join together for this meeting? At noon time on Saturday, August 22 the President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk met with the members of the Presidium of the Secretariat of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians. During the meeting the President of the WCFU Jurij Shymko presented Presi dent Kravchuk with a memorandum to which Mr. Kravchuk had some comments. Follow ing a photo session, we all left for the Cultu ral Palace “Ukraina” to take part in the spe cial session of the Supreme Council and Parliament of Ukraine in honor of the coun try’s Independence Day. After this ceremon ial meeting a superb concert was held, em phasizing Ukraine’s undeniable, all encompas sing joy at its independence. On Sunday, August 23, during a solemn mass in St. Sophia the excommunication decree was lifted from Hetman Ivan Mazepa. The World Forum of Ukrainians passed resolutions and issued statements to Ukrain ians throughout the world. A new World Ukrainian Coordinating Council was elected. To mark the occasion of the Forum and Ukraine’s first anniversary of independence, delegates received the Kobzar, beautifully illustrated with graphics by artist Vasyl Lo- pata. Monday, August 24th, the first anniver sary of Ukraine’s independence was filled with once-in-a-lifetime events. His Eminence Patriarch Mstyslav offered a supplication litany attended by President Kravchuk and his wife. With great ceremony the Kiev-Mohy- lanska Academy was opened. I took part in the ceremonial laying of flowers at the me morial to Taras Shevchenko. In the evening thousands of people gathered on Independ ence Square. It seemed as if all the people of Kiev were out on the street celebrating this special day. On the square in front of St. Sophia a public meeting was held, but be cause of inappropriate speeches and loud responses from the audience, the meeting was disrupted. That day, August 24, in the afternoon I took part in a meeting/reception organized by the Ukrainian National Women’s League. We met in a pleasant restaurant. There were many of us, women from all parts of the world. Present were members of various branches of UNWL, women from the eastern and western diaspora, and members of var ious women’s organizations which are united in the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations. Dr. Maria Kvitkovsky, Presi dent of the WFUWO also attended this re ception. Atena Pashko, President of UNWL, who was the hostess for the event warmly greeted the guests. Ukraine’s independence was honored with a toast. Following were greetings from other women’s organizations in the western diaspora and from women in the eastern diaspora. The audience learned about the work of the UNWL, the problems they have to deal with, as well as their achievements. I was asked to be one of the 29 www.unwla.org
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