Diaspora

Buduchnist Credit Union, operating as BCU Financial, is proud to continue its legacy of support for Ukraine and her people. As part of its ongoing support, today BCU Financial is making another substantial contribution of $100,000USD to the Friends of Ukrainian Defense Forces Fund to provide essential supplies, including power generators, medical equipment for military hospitals, and rehabilitation support for veterans and their families. We are confident in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the networks of territorial defenses which stand bravely and nobly because they are protecting their land, their people. This funding is in addition to the $125,000 CAD which BCU Financial donated to FUDFF on behalf of its members in the early weeks of the invasion in March 2022. FUDF Fund was established in 2014 in response to the unprovoked aggression of Russia in eastern Ukraine. For the past 8 years, Ukraine has been fighting a war, while the Ukrainian Defence Forces as well as volunteer battalions have been fulfilling their duty in defending their nation. Donors of the FUDF Fund have been assisting those serving in the Armed Forces as well as the casualties of war, displaced persons, families of those serving, and children who have lost a parent due to war...

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Ontario Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the UCC-OPC held a Champagne Brunch at the Old Mill Toronto. The event was attended by 180 guests who came to mark this anniversary as well as to congratulate the recipients of the UCC- OPC Trillium Award. This Award honours individuals who have made meritorious contributions in a volunteer capacity, to create a strong, vibrant, and active Ukrainian Canadian community in the province of Ontario. After a welcome and remarks by Taras Bahriy, the current president of the UCC-OPC, the microphone was passed to MC Markian Shwec. Following the national anthems of Canada and Ukraine, Markian introduced special guests Oleksandr Shevchenko, Consul General of Ukraine, Alexandra Chyczij, President UCC National, and actress Kathryn Winnick. A special note was made to introduce the past presidents of the UCC-OPC, Bohdan Onyschuk, KC, Petro Hlibowych, Bohdan Maksymec, Dr. Evhen Roslycky, Dr. Orest Rudzik, Orysia Sushko, CM, John Pidkowich, Olha Sheweli, Yvan Baker, Steve Andrusiak, Lidia Narozniak, Walter Kish, Anna Kuprieieva, and Bohdan Wynnycky who were greeted with a warm round of applause. Taras Bahriy, presented Bohdan Onyschuk, the first president of the UCC-OPC with a commemorative Trillium lapel pin, thanking him for taking on this important roll 50 years ago...

Today, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced an additional $10 million for the Ukrainian World Congress’ (UWC) Unite with Uk­raine initiative. #UniteWithUkraine is a UWC global fundraising initiative focuses on providing protective and medical equipment for Ukraine’s defenders. Building on a $5 million in funding announced by Premier Kenney for UWC in March 2022, this round of $10 million will go towards tactical medical supplies and tactical medical training, and winter gear for Ukraine’s defenders. “It’s important for us, as Albertans, to continue to support Ukrainians who are fighting for their very survival,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “We promised the people of Ukraine that we would have their backs and we continue to, as this unjust war continues into the Fall and Winter”...

Ukraine and Ukrainians worldwide marked 31 years since the Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. This year’s celebration took on a new significance, as the value of Ukraine’s independence and national self-determination is being defended with blood and immense human sacrifice. In Toronto, the League of Ukrainian Canadians (LUC) and the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women (LUCW) organized an official Ukrainian flag-raising event in front of the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen’s Park. The event was organized under the auspices of the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Ontario Provincial Council. It was attended by members of the Ukrainian community, as well as politicians at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. During the speeches many of the politicians greeted the crowd with the patriotic “Slava Ukraini” or “Glory to Ukraine!”...

Toronto journalist and musician Nate Hendley has been feeling helpless every night when he watches the news. “Ukraine has suffered more than its share of devastation, warfare, and calamities throughout its history, he says. “(It) is heartbreaking.” So when he was invited to be the Master of Ceremonies at a musical benefit for Ukraine, he jumped at the chance to make a difference. “We have to stop Putin’s aggression,” says Hendley. “Now.” The benefit will raise money for the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, which sends humanitarian aid to the war zone. It takes place Sunday, May 15 at 7pm, at the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Holy Protection (33 Leeds St., Toronto). The lineup features a diverse array of musical acts: dancers (the Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance), Ukrainian singers (Kalendar), folk singers (Lunar Bloom), and more. Melodies can unite disparate groups, says Hendley. “The power of music is that… (it) is universal.” Hendley hopes the concert will entertain audiences, raise money, and also spread awareness about...

For more than a month, the Russian Federation has waged an unprovoked and brutal war of choice against Ukraine. As a military aggressor against a peaceful nation, Russia has broken the world’s trust, is in violation of international agreements to which Russia is a signatory, and has become a violent transgressor of borders and laws. There is no parity between the actions of Russia, which offensively inflicts mass destruction on Ukrainian people and land, and of Ukraine, defending her people and land...

Stepan Bandera was born on 1 January 1909 and died on 15 October 1959. He was a revolutionary and gifted strategist of the struggle for Ukraine's statehood. Born into a clerical family (his father Reverend Andriy was a priest in the Ukrainian church), from his early days Bandera was always active in Ukrainian community affairs, was a member of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast, and an agronomy student at the Lviv Politechnical Institute. He became a member of the Ukrainian Military Organization (UVO) in 1927, and of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) in 1929. In the OUN he rose very quickly to top positions of leadership in the Homeland Executive of the organization, namely: chief of the Directorate for Publications and Propaganda (1930-32); deputy head of the Homeland Executive (1932); and head of the Homeland Executive (1933-June 1934)...

THEY WHO SURROUND US is a movie directed by and starring Troy Ruptash. Inspired by his Ukrainian ancestry and released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, he brings us a collection of true stories wrapped up in this drama. A Ukrainian farmer living in Alberta loses his wife in a tragic accident. Guilt and grief send him into an emotional spiral where mysterious and inexplicable events force him to relive traumatic incidents from his childhood in Ukraine...

This text should have been titled “Easter traditions in Galicia”, but then I realized that traditions are common and are spread on significantly broader territory. In the process of writing, it became apparent that apart from clerical traditions there are plenty Easter-related superstitions and straight-out fiddlesticks. Finally, it became clear that writing about traditions will not be enough, there is a need to present a personal story based on what I know “from home” and some things I picked up throughout my life. Easter bread is the foundation for celebration in all Christian countries. It is always yeasted dough, with plenty of eggs, butter, sugar, spices and seasonings. It is an embodiment of everything that is best, the most delicious and the most valued of what one could afford – almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, saffron, and I don’t even mention dozens of eggs and the best flour and butter. Easter bread or Paska is baked in...

In Ukraine, Easter was celebrated for three days, with many hours spent in church as well as with family and friends. During this time there were various songs and dances known as the haivky and many games played by the children. Most often the games required a boiled coloured egg known as a krashanka from the word “kraska”, meaning “color”. A game called line rolling required two groups of children to stand in two parallel lines and roll the eggs back and forth between partners. The pair with the last remaining un-cracked egg would win all of the eggs that had cracked. Older children would do the airborne variation of the parallel line game. The eggs would be thrown between the teenagers in the lines. Again, the team with the last un-cracked egg would be the winner. There was also another game called chockamia. In this game, children...