On 11 December, an important meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and leading figures of the Ukrainian diaspora took place at 91Ƶ. The event brought together public activists, diplomats, politicians and students who seek to better understand the role of global Ukrainians in modern challenges for Ukraine and discuss the prospects for interaction with the diaspora. The event was attended by Paul Grod, President of the UWC; Andrii Shevchenko, Head of the UWC Mission in Ukraine, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Canada and People’s Deputy of the 5th–7th convocations; Yurii Chopyk, Head of the Ukrainian Community of Spain; and Oksana Wynnyckyj-Yusypovych, Honorary Consul of Canada in Ukraine and former Chair of the UWC International Educational Coordinating Council.
Paul Grod expressed gratitude to the IECDR staff for their many years of cooperation and emphasized their key role in popularizing Lviv Polytechnic and Ukrainianism in the world. He also addressed the youth:
– You study at the university known not only in Ukraine, but throughout the world. And today we have just been talking with your Rector about how the Ukrainian World Congress can support and further strengthen your work. The role of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations (IECDR), headed by Iryna Kliuchkovska, is very important. Lviv Polytechnic is like a second home for us. You are doing remarkable work in strengthening global Ukrainianism, and today I would like to speak with you about this.
Paul Grod emphasized that nowadays approximately 25 million Ukrainians live abroad. The UWC unites communities in over 80 countries around the world – on every continent.
Introducing the guests to the students, Iryna Kliuchkovska, the IECDR Director, emphasized that Ukraine has two wings: those who live in Ukraine and those who live abroad. The strength of global Ukrainianness, she noted, depends on the quality of cooperation between these two communities. She also highlighted the contribution of the Wynnyckyj family, who received the Ukrainian Golden Tree honorary award from Lviv Polytechnic in recognition of their many years of service to Ukraine, as well as the valuable experience of Andriy Shevchenko, former Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada.
Rector of Lviv Polytechnic Nataliia Shakhovska emphasized the responsibility of students in shaping the future of Ukraine:
– Dear students, you bear a great responsibility. Unfortunately, your generation has been entrusted with the task of determining how our Ukraine will be rebuilt and what kind of state we will live in. Therefore, maintaining strong relationships with Ukrainians abroad, as well as mutual support between those at home and those overseas, is of paramount importance.
The International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations plans to continue its educational work with students by presenting them the structures of the Ukrainian World Congress and its key projects. Gifts were also given during the meeting, including the Institute’s latest book The Key to Ukraine. The Greatness of Small Cities, providing young people with access to knowledge about their native country.
This meeting became an important platform for discussing the global role of the Ukrainian diaspora, the strategic initiatives of the UWC, and the interaction of students with international institutions. It once again confirmed that the strength of Ukraine largely depends on the close cooperation of all parts of Ukrainians – both those who live in Ukraine and those who are abroad.
