2010 – A Year in Review

Dear Friend,

As we approach the end of 2010, we wanted to share with you some of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC)’s special accomplishments from the past year:

• UCC hosted Ukraine House at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games in January 2010.  In cooperation with the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, the Ukrainian World Congress, and the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada, we were proud to host Ukraine House during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  Ukraine House was the official home of Ukraine’s Olympic team and was host to a number of events and initiatives aimed to support and promote Ukraine’s presence at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
• Election Observer Mission – In January-February 2010 – An Election Observation Mission (EOM) of the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF), in association with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, deployed 65 experienced and trained Canadian election observers in 6 oblasts for the First Round of the Presidential Elections. On February 1st, a further 50 observers were deployed in 6 oblasts which were chosen in cooperation with the CANADEM Observer Group, so that 24 of the 25 oblasts were covered by Canadian international observers. The UCC was instrumental in ensuring that the Government of Canada funded an additional 200 election observers in addition to the 115 observers it fielded through CUF for Ukraine’s Presidential elections.
• Key representatives of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canada Ukraine Foundation met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the Presidential Election Observer Missions and the future of Canada-Ukraine relations.  (March 11, 2010)
• In May, the Congress participated in celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the Orlyk Constitution on Parliament Hill.
• In May we hired Taras Zalusky as Executive Director for our Ottawa office.
• The UCC participated in Prime Minister Harper’s official visit to Ukraine in October and would like to thank the Prime Minister for sharing our community’s views on our concerns with the current political situation in Ukraine.  The Congress was pleased to provide input into the development of the Prime Minister’s itinerary and messaging which were impactful on both the government and people of Ukraine. The Prime Minister underscored our long friendship but insisted that friends must be able to speak honestly with one another in addressing concerns about local elections, Ukraine’s democratic development and eroding freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and clampdowns on media and academics.
• The UCC will continue to work with the Prime Minister and the government of Canada to ensure that Canada remains vigilant in supporting democracy and human rights in Ukraine.
• For the first time in UCC’s history, we were proud to host a very successful Triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians in Edmonton, Alberta from November 5-7.

These successes are just a few from a long list of incredible milestones in 2010 that we could not have reached without your ongoing support.

Thanks to you, we’ve been able to make some real strides on behalf of the Ukrainian Canadian community.  Our recent efforts have focussed on ensuring that the Canadian Museum for Human Rights fairly and equitably represents the Holodomor of 1932-33 as well as Canada’s first national internment operations are given permanent and prominent gallery space in Canada’s newest taxpayer funded museum.

Your support, your actions, and your generosity have helped to inform the government of Canada on our concerns domestically and internationally, they have promoted Ukrainian language, culture and sports, and have made 2010 an unprecedented year for UCC. But as you have seen, these battles must be fought continuously and be won again and again. Together, we must remain committed to a strong and vibrant Ukrainian Canadian community.

With only a few days remaining in 2010, we would like to ask if we can count on your support for the pivotal year ahead? If you’re able, I’m asking you to please make a year-end contribution to continue our successful efforts in 2011.

With your generous gift, UCC can hit the ground running in 2011.

Please visit our secure donation form on our website to donate and ensure you receive your 2010 tax receipt and help build our community for the future or make a cheque payable to Ukrainian Canadian Congress Charitable and Educational Trust dated December 31, 2010 and send your cheque to us at Ukrainian Canadian Congress, 952 Main Street – Suite 203, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2W 3P4.

For 70 years, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has been leading our community. On behalf of everyone at UCC, thank you for putting your trust in us and generously giving your support.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Grod, President
Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Please click here to donate to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

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