The Third International Congress “The Diaspora as a Factor in Strengthening the Ukrainian State within the International Community: Modern Dimension, Projections for the Future” was launched on June 22
Over 400 representatives from 28 countries and all Ukrainian oblasts have volunteered to take part in the congress. The event was organized by the International Institute of Education, Culture and Ties with the Diaspora (MIOK) at the National Lviv Polytechnic University. On the eve of the congress’ launch MIOK’s head Iryna Kliuchkovska told The Day that “Lviv is becoming the center of Ukrainians’ consolidation, whereas the congress is a means of getting to know our brothers and sisters from abroad, the things, both great and small, they have done for Ukraine.” The institute’s head is convinced that the congress is also a possibility to influence policy regarding Ukraine’s relations with its diaspora and develop cooperation mechanisms, as one of the results of two previous sessions was the holding of parliamentary hearings on this important question in 2009, for the first time since Ukraine’s independence.
This year the congress will be attended by the outstanding workers of the Ukrainian diaspora, specifically the head of the World Congress of Ukrainians Yevhen Cholii, the European Union of Ukrainians Chairwoman Yaroslava Khortiany, head of the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s organizations Maria Shkambara, Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and International Relations Oleh Zarubinsky, Ukrainian MPs Petro Pysarchuk and Yurii Hnatkevych, head of the Supervisory Board of the International Charity Foundation “Open Ukraine” Terezia Yatseniuk and other respectable people.
The key event is the International Scholarly Practice Conference. Its agenda includes the questions of the strategy and model of Ukraine’s cooperation with its diaspora, preserving the national identity of Ukrainians abroad, modern phenomena of the Ukrainian diaspora in the context of the eastern diaspora and the new emigration wave, higher schools of Ukrainian studies and Ukrainian cultural centers abroad, education of the Ukrainians abroad etc. The program also includes the launch of the Garden of the Ukrainian Diaspora at the Shevchenko Grove, which was founded in April as a brainchild of Den/The Day’s Editor in Chief Larysa Ivshyna. There was also an award ceremony of the International Literary Artistic Competition for Ukrainian Youth of the Diaspora and Ukraine “For you, Ukraine!” Finally, the congress included a concert “In Family Circle” with the assistance of the People’s Artist of Ukraine Vasyl Zinkevych and Ukrainian music bands from Belarus, Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia.
An exhibit of the Ukrainian artists from Latvia “Unity in Variety” and an exposition of Ukrainian national scenic costumes have been specially organized for the participants of the congress. There was a presentation of the project “Ukrainian Education in Russia,” an exposition about Pylyp Orlyk and the activity of the Minsk City Public Association of Ukrainians “Zapovit,” and the launch of the book Solomia Krushelnytska. Mista i slava (Solomia Krushelnytska. Cities and Glory).
According to Kliuchkovska, the people invited include Ukraine’s president, prime minister, vice premier, VR speaker, ministers of education, culture and foreign affairs, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate), primate of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Lviv’s metropolitan, and representatives of Ukraine’s executive and legislative powers.
