Re: Accreditation for observers

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. The deadline for submitting applications to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) was 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, December 10, 2004.

Re: Funding

As of December 8, 2004 successful applicants must pay for return flights to Ukraine, insurance and meals while in Ukraine.

UCC will organize and provide training, accommodation in Kyiv, transportation to and from the oblast in which you will be a monitor, accommodation in the oblast, and other materials and equipment required to fulfill one’s obligation.

Currently, UCC can financially accommodate the first 500 qualified applicants. Preference will be given to those who fluently speak, read and write Ukrainian.

Financial assistance is also dependent on full participation in the program, including completion of the required training sessions, willingness to accept monitoring locations as they are assigned by UCC and filing of a final report.

Re: Funding for students

Students who qualify will be fully subsidized to participate in the program. Preference will be given to full time students, fluent in Ukrainian and 25 years of age or under.

Re: Qualification for the UCC program

We will notify all applicants by the beginning of next week whether or not they have been accepted into the UCC observer mission.

Re: Timeframe for travel

You must arrive in Ukraine no later than Tuesday, December 21 and depart no earlier than Wednesday, December 29. The final training session available in Kyiv will be held on Wednesday, December 22.

For those able to depart earlier, there is a training session scheduled in Kyiv on Monday, December 20.

UCC will not be able to accommodate applicants who are unable to arrive by the specified date.

Re: Flights

UCC is currently looking into flight options, including the possibility of a charter. However, if you are able to book your own flight, please do so ensuring that you have cancellation insurance.

Re: Visas

Visa applications should be prepared, but not yet submitted to the consulate or embassy. They will be processed centrally and free of charge. Separate instructions will be issued for submitting passports and visa applications. Visa applications can be downloaded at http://www.infoukes.com/ukremb/consular.shtml.

Re: Training in Canada

The December 11th and 12th training sessions for applicants in the Southern Ontario region have been filled. We will provide more training sessions next week. More information will be posted on this website tomorrow.

Please note that to qualify for funding assistance you are required to participate in one of the provided sessions. Participation in the training does not mean that you have been accepted into the program. However, your participation will be part of your assessment.

PLEASE NOTE: We are aware that many emails are being circulated about this program, some with inaccurate information. This is an official communication from UCC National and all subsequent communication will be noted as such.