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MARTHA BOHACHEVSKY CHOMIAK REPORT OF ACTIVITIES 1989-Ї992 In my last report, at the Detroit con vention in May, 1990, I stressed the mo mentous changes in Ukraine, and pointed out the ways in which UNWLA was privy to some of them and even instrumental in others. The result of the changes is as simple as it is dramatic: Ukraine can speak for itself now. Ukraine will represent itself at international gatherings. It will solve its own problems, save its own heritage, preserve its own folk lore. Ukrainian women have established a number of their own organizations, may even devise a working coordinating Council of Women of Ukraine, and will be able to represent Ukraine at international gatherings of women. They have already begun working through some of the groups connected with the UN. We have been reporting on these organizations on the pages of Our Life. I have been privileged to serve as a vice president of the UNWLA at the historic mo ment of Ukraine’s independence. Building upon all the previous hard work of gene rations of American-Ukrainian women who fought prejudice and poverty to assert the dignity of our people and their right to freedom and justice, the UNWLA in the last ten years was able to use its position to call attention to the situation in Ukraine. UNWLA both alone and in conjunction with other organizations helped increase American pub lic awareness of the political and ecological conditions in Ukraine, and raise the level of discussion of the topic. At the same time, UNWLA never forgot that it is an American organization. The work of the branches and of our members in local political and commu nity organizations continued to be significant and bore fruit a thousandfold. The two con vention cities: Detroit and Cleveland, have been especially effective in this work. Cle veland should also be singled out for the exceptionally effective work with volunteer organization and with inner city universities. The quality of our membership made it possible to virtually institutionalize programs on broad topics. At the kick-off discussions, open to the public, we have focused on topics of interest not only to women. In Cleveland we discussed the ways of integrating city populations while yet preserving the cultural heritage of each. In Detroit we focused on the place of volunteer activities in the de velopment and implementation of American public policies and private initiatives. Let me mention some persons who ap peared at various UNWLA conventions and conferences: William Courtney, now the am bassador to Kazakhstan, and before that the US ambassador to the Arms talks in Geneva; Paul Goble, formerly of the Department of State and now a major commentator on the emerging democratic states of the former Soviet Union; Mary Joyce Green, Coordinator of the Outreach Program at Cleveland State University; Helen Petrauskas, Vice President, Ford Motor Company and member of the Environmental Commission on Eastern Euro pe; Sophia Sluzar, ertwhile editor of Problems of Communism, now with the Department of State, Roman Szporluk, Professor of History at Harvard. Mary Rose Oakar and David Bonior were among the members of the House who at tended our functions and addressed our needs. Laryssa Skoryk is their counterpart in Ukraine. We also cooperated with other Ukrainian women’s organizations, from SFUZHO to the young and dynamic “Second Wreath” in Canada. We have cooperated with and helped various women’s groups in Ukraine, and in some measure provided a Western role model of independent women integrated into commu nity and political life. Our work at the National Council of Women, so dramatically highlighted by our visible presence at the centenary celebrations in Washington in 1987, makes it easier for Ukraine to take its place among women’s organizations. It was, by the way, the first time a citizen of the now former USSR ap peared under our blue-and-yellow emblem, and a consul of that country attended. At that function, Ulana Kot, symbolizing the yet silent Ukraine, poured out her soul in folk songs that resonated among the audience. Five years later, the representative of UNWLA sat at the White House, advising on pre parations for the official visit of Ukrainian President, Leonid Kravchuk. Since this is my last report, let me also 62 www.unwla.org
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