Category: Culture

Ukraine at a Crossroads –Yale seminar

UKRAINE AT A CROSSROADS: WILL IT BECOME A SUCCESS STORY?

Monday, November 6, 2017 at 4:00 pm

Watson Center (WTS), 60 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT 06511

Four years have passed since the Revolution of Dignity began in Ukraine. The country faced war, the annexation of Crimea, and millions of internally displaced persons. At the same time, Ukraine was pushing a reform agenda with major involvement from the international community and civil society. Today, the nation is in a time of transition. Pension, medical and educational reforms were introduced only during the last 2 months. Despite many changes in place, a high level of corruption still remains.

While the future is uncertain and the tipping point has not passed, the question is: What can make Ukraine a success story? How can it avoid being treated as a failed state? What is a bigger priority now: democracy, economy or rule of law? These issues will be discussed by three World Fellows (Taras Shevchenko ‘17, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk ‘15, and Andriy Shevchenko ‘08), joined by the executive director of the IMF. They will speak about possible future scenarios for their country and will share their views on how to achieve success in a difficult situation.

Speakers:

  • Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, social activist, founder of the Centre for Economic Strategy and lead vocalist for Okean Elzy (2015 World Fellow)
  • Andriy Shevchenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada (2008 World Fellow)
  • Taras Shevchenko, director of Center for Democracy and Rule of Law (2017 World Fellow)

Moderator:

  • Vladyslav Rashkovan, alternate Executive Director at International Monetary Fund

To RSVP for the talk, please email taras.shevchenko@yale.edu

Contact:
Jackson Institute for Global Affairs
203-432-6253
jackson.institute@yale.edu

Holodomor | Ukrainian Genocide

November is the month of commemoration to honor the victims of the 1932-1933 genocide-famine in Ukraine.

A website curating all sorts of events, resources, and reflections on the Holodomor can be found here. This website is work of the U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness 1932-33.

This year it is the 85th Anniversary of this VERY tragic event of human history.

Anne Applebaum’s “Red Famine”

Anne Applebaum’s book, Red Famine is spoken of as a major contribution to the public recognition of the state-orchestrated famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine during which estimated 4 million Ukrainian died. The book puts the story of the forced famine (Holodomor) in the context of the Russian imperial, early Soviet (Leninist and Stalinist), as well as post-Soviet attempts to subjugate Ukraine. Red Famine integrates newly available archival evidence into an account that is compelling and well-written. Of special value is Applebaum’s attention to the politics of memory and the relentless attempts by the Soviet and the present-day Russian government to distort, diminish, and suppress the memory of the genocide against the Ukrainian nation.

One reviewer said, “If you want to have one book in your library on the Ukrainian Holocaust of 1932-1933, this is the book to own and read. Get a copy of Red Famine.

The author is a columnist for the Washington Post and a Pulitzer-prize winning historian. Applebaum is a Professor of Practice at the London School of Economics’s Institute of Global Affairs where she runs Arena, a program on disinformation and 21st century propaganda. Previous history books include Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956,  Gulag: A History (for which she won a Pulitzer in 2004); as a cookbook author she has From a Polish Country House Kitchen, and a travelogue writer, Between East and West: Across the Borderlands of Europe. 

Anne Applebaum, 53, is a native of Washington, DC, she graduated from Yale University, was a Marshall Scholar at the LSE and St. Antony’s College, Oxford. Anne is married to Radoslaw Sikorski, a Polish politician and writer. They have two children, Alexander and Tadeusz.

Benefit for Wounded Soldiers

We invite everyone to a fundraiser benefiting  wounded Ukrainian soldiers undergoing medical treatment in the U.S. The concert/dance will be held 5:00 p.m. on October 14th at the Ukrainian American Club, 279 King Dr., Southport, CT.

Food and beverages may be purchased. Musical entertainment will be provided gratis by a trio from Ukraine that has performed over 100 concerts in Ukraine’s ATO war zone.

$25 tickets are available from Fr. Iura, Myron Melnyk (203) 397-2087, or Carl Harvey (203) 530-8232.

50th Connecticut Ukrainian Festival

Today, the Ukrainian faithful and friends gathered to pray, have fun, and share friendship at the 50th Ukrainian Festival at St Basil’s Seminary in Stamford, CT. There were 15 CT parishes and institutions who participated in making the Fest a success.

Thanks to our parishioners, Gloria and Donald Horbaty, for their good work in leading the Fest! They have worked the festival for 50 years and were given recognition by Bishop Paul Chomnycky, OSBM.

The Divine Liturgy was served by Bishop Basil Losten with a clergy assisting. The Bishop, 87, the bishop-emeritus of the Stamford Eparchy, returned from a meeting of bishops in the Ukraine to pray with us and to represent Bishop Paul. On June 10th, Bishop Basil celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood.

Our cultural festival included music, folk dancing, Ukrainian and American cuisines, tables selling honey, garlic, books, jewelry, and arts and crafts.

Here are some pictures to give a sense of the day.

Good food, time with new and old friends made for a very lovely day to express the beloved Ukrainian culture through expressions in art, food, music and folk dancing.

May the Holy Theotokos abundantly bless all the participants.

Ukrainian Festival this coming Sunday

The 50th Anniversary Ukrainian Day Festival will take place on Sunday, September 10, 2017, on the grounds of St. Basil Seminary, 195 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT.

The Festival will begin with Divine Liturgy at 11:00 a.m. served by Bishop Basil Losten, the bishop-emeritus of the Eparchy of Stamford.  Following our Worship we have ethnic Ukrainian Foods and traditional BBQ.

There will be a program of entertainment in the afternoon for all to enjoy. Please come and join us for this milestone event.

Advance admission and raffle tickets are available for purchase in the church hall. Please see Luba Dubno if you wish to purchase tickets.

Happy New Year 7526

Happy New Year to all my New Calendar friends! Happy Indiction for the year 7526!

May this year be one that is peaceful and blessed.

“O Fashioner of all creation, Who in Thine authority hast appointed the times and seasons: bless Thou the crown of the year with Thy goodness, O Lord, pre­serving in peace orthodox Christians and Thy city, and save us through the prayers of the Theotokos.”

And remember there is only one verifiable and observable Vernal Equinox established by God and it falls on March 20 NS (March 7 OS)!

A very helpful page on liturgical time and the cycle of liturgical services, read this page.

Ukrainian Independence Day Annual Dinner

The Greater Hartford Council of Ukrainian American Organizations and the Ukrainian National Home of Hartford, Inc. (UNHH) invite you and your family for the 26th Ukrainian Independence Day Annual Dinner (August 24, 1991) on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at 961 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, CT featuring performances by Zolotyj Promin Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, the Choir Lanka Halychanka and a buffet dinner after the program.

Donations: Adults: $30.00 per person, Seniors (65+): $25.00, Students (ages 13-22): $20 and children-free of charge.

For tickets and table reservations in advance, please contact the UNHH office at 860-296-5702.