Browsing: Canada

MONTREAL – The Canadian Centre for the Great War (CCGW), a non-profit organization, has launched an online exhibit, “Confined: Reflections on Internment in Canada during the First World War.”

The exhibit shows images from the internment operations in Canada during World War I that targeted, among other ethnic groups, Ukrainians, who were labeled as “enemy aliens.” The exhibit can be found on the center’s website, www.confined.greatwarcentre.com, with additional photos on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/greatwarcentre/photos.

The beginning of the 20th century was a turbulent time in the history of Ukraine, and indeed, all of Europe. The Great War of 1914-1918 convulsed the continent, and was followed by the nearly complete collapse of the Old Order. The German, Austrian and Russian empires were no more. The Ottoman Empire was soon to follow. New states and new nations were being born. Others were indeed born, but their statehood killed in their infancy. Revolutions and more wars followed. Nation fought nation, and one social class confronted another. Various forms of nationalism were opposed by various forms of socialism, and the new and frightening specter of militant Communism raised its scarlet head. Amidst it all, individuals and families strove merely to survive.

TORONTO – The global coronavirus pandemic has created an urgent need to provide information to the public regarding its effects and coping mechanisms. Although there is plenty of information circulating on the Internet about the effects of COVID-19 on people’s physical health and the economy, there is a lack of information in the Ukrainian language on how it may affect mental health.

As a result, an online educational information series in the Ukrainian language has been created by Yana Kreminska and Adriana Luhovy. Focusing on the effects of COVID-19 and quarantine on mental health, the project is called “Coping with the effects of COVID-19.” Filming began on April 15, with the first video viewable online on April 29.

CALGARY, Alberta – Given the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic in England and around the world, the Ukrainian Canadian…...

TORONTO – The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) is challenging the July 2019 decisions by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation (RF) that declared the UWC an “undesirable” organization and banned its activities in the RF.

Deeming UWC an “undesirable” organization is yet another example of the continued violations of human rights and efforts to assimilate and isolate the Ukrainian minority in the RF from the global Ukrainian community, Ukraine and the democratic world, the Ukrainian World Congress noted.

Dramatic changes that began with the collapse of the Soviet regime provided Ukrainians with a chance to re-establish their statehood. On July 16, 1990, the Ukrainian SSR Parliament passed the Declaration of State Sovereignty proclaiming the need to build the Ukrainian state based on the rule of law. On August 24, 1991, the same Parliament adopted the Act of Declaration of the Independence of Ukraine, which was subsequently supported by Ukrainian citizens in the referendum of December 1, 1991.

After prolonged Russian occupation, Ukrainians received the opportunity to govern their own state. However, Ukraine suffered from lack of talents to share and promote Western democratic values. The ruling political establishment was made up mainly of former members of the Communist Party and needed to be replaced by a generation of intelligent and determined Ukrainians motivated to implement best democratic practices in all areas of social life.

OTTAWA – April 2020 marks the five-year anniversary of the passing of Motion M-587 by the House of Commons, recognizing April as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month in Canada.

On this occasion, a coalition of advocacy organizations, including the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), the Humura Association and Romanipe issued the following statement on April 14.

“As we collectively face the Covid-19 pandemic, we are reminded of the importance of solidarity and unity during these difficult times. Time and again, our history has proven that during times of uncertainty and despair, those who are the most vulnerable often face the most challenges.

TORONTO. The global Ukrainian community is facing unprecedented challenges today. The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) announced on March 30 that it has established an International Task Force to coordinate support for Ukrainian communities in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Task Force, bringing together Ukrainian community leaders from all over the world, will closely work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, governments, international organizations and Churches.

OTTAWA – Holy Week and Easter comprise the apex of the liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church. But Canadian Kenneth Nowakowski, the newly installed Ukrainian Catholic bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in London, will be marking the Crucifixion and Resurrection – like all of his fellow prelates around the world – in a cathedral with empty pews.

The global lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced churches to shutter their doors to the faithful. Many, including the Cathedral of the Holy Family in London that last year had as many as 7,000 attend Easter divine liturgies, have turned to social media to broadcast services.

TORONTO – Ukrainian World Congress President Paul Grod held a teleconference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine on March 19.

Mr. Grod was joined on the call by UWC First Vice-President Stefan Romaniw, Vice-President Andriy Futey, UWC Executive Director Mariia Kupriianova and Serhiy Kasyanchuk, director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine.

As the international coordinating body for Ukrainian communities in the diaspora, the UWC offered help and support to the essential efforts of Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, including in disseminating official information to Ukrainians abroad and providing humanitarian support on the international level.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – “At the Front Line. Ukrainian Art, 2013-2019” explores how visual artists interpret and conceptualize the turbulent political and cultural situation in Ukraine of the last six years: from the civil protests in Kyiv (2013-2014) to the annexation of the Crimean peninsula and the military conflict with Russia in the east of the country (2014-today).

The project aims to talk about Ukraine using the visual language of the artistic works and to discuss the significance and possibilities of art and artists in the context of the war. It will help fuel an international dialogue about how the artists reflect on civil protests of the Maidan and the war with Russia, and how the situation encourages art production at the frontline.

OTTAWA – At the conclusion of his first official visit to Ukraine as Canada’s foreign affairs minister, François-Philippe Cham­pagne told reporters back home that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is assisting Ukrainian police in their criminal investigation of the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plane that Iran said its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accidentally shot down on January 8.

“We always said from the beginning that we want to bring closure, accountability, transparency and justice – and this is the justice part,” said Mr. Champagne in a March 6 teleconference from Lviv. “We want to do everything we can to support [Ukraine] because obviously this was a Ukrainian airline flight, so we’re supporting Ukraine in their criminal investigation of those that would be responsible.”