Ostrih Academy Hosts Conference on the Diaspora

By Roman Yereniuk 

The National University of Ostrih Academy (NUOA), located in Ostrih, Ukraine, and its Institute for the Research of the Ukrainian Diaspora, hosted a conference on the Ukrainian Diaspora, both Eastern and Western, on May 22-23.

Other co-sponsors were the Ukrainian Historical Society, the World Educational Council of the World Congress of Ukrainians and the Ukrainian American Association of Ukrainian Professors. Some 60 scholars from 10 countries and 18 institutions of higher learning, including Canadian ones, and approximately 100 university students attended.

The conference featured papers on seven themes: co-operative work among Ukrainians; higher educational development; prominent Ukrainian figures; development of the arts and culture; community and political organizations, archives, libraries and museums, and Ukrainian education outside of Ukraine.  The gathering also featured two plenary sessions and a session devoted to the presentation of new books.

The conference was opened by the Rector of the  University, Ihor Pasichnyk, who emphasized the importance of the university’s Institute for the Research on the Ukrainian Diaspora, under its director, Alla Atamanenko.

Special lectures at the plenaries were presented by Lubomyr Wynar, editor of the Ukrainian Historian and professor at Kent State University;  Alla Atamanenko, professor of history at the NUOA; Petro Kraliuk, NUOA; Giovanna Brogi, University of Rome, Oleh Wolowyna, New York  and Mykola Mushynka, NTSh – Slovakia.

From Canada presenting papers were Ihor Stebelsky from the University of Windsor and Roman Yereniuk from St. Andrew’s College and the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies, University of Manitoba. At least five other Canadians who were unable to attend the conference submitted papers.

The conference also formulated a series of recommendations as well as a major position on the use of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine (these will be published in the near future).

Overall, the conference was successful as it brought together some of the major figures researching the Ukrainian diaspora. Such conferences ensure that issues relating to the Ukrainian diaspora are well-documented and researched.

A conference will be organized in Ostrih in the spring of 2008 – and every two years thereafter.  Other conferences are planned by other universities in Ukraine.