Upcoming SUSK Congress

By Marta Iwanek

Organizers and Ukrainian Students' Clubs across Canada have been busy at work preparing for the 51^st National SUSK Congress, this year taking place in Toronto from February 20 to 22.

SUSK (Soyuz Ukrains’kykh Studentiv Kanady) which stands for the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union, was founded in 1953 and is an umbrella organization for all Ukrainian student organizations across the country. It co-ordinates events among the different university-based clubs as well as is a member organization of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, giving Ukrainian students a voice in the Canadian government.

The SUSK Congress, one of the organization’s main events, brings the clubs together for one weekend in February to learn from each other’s achievements or disappointments throughout the past year, set goals and hears from guest speakers.

 “Delegates come back enriched, aware of other clubs and other clubs’ experiences,” said Andrew Wodoslawsky, VP for the Eastern Region, who is a member of the University of Toronto Ukrainian Students’ Club. He added, that this year’s location allows for the opportunity to get more people involved in Ukrainian student bodies since the Southern Ontario region has a very high Ukrainian population density. According to Canada’s 2006 Census, there are about 330,000 respondents of Ukrainian heritage living in the Province of Ontario, with around one third of that figure in the Greater Toronto Area.

The University of Toronto’s Ukrainian Students’ Club has been very involved in the preparations for the annual event, since this year, they are the host city. The Club’s President Jacob Kachuba is worried about the stability of the organization. “The SUSK organization has to find a means to be sustainable and [figure] the role they play within all USC’s (Ukrainian Students’ Clubs),” he said.

After remaining dormant for approximately three years, SUSK re-initiated its activities in October of 2007 at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Winnipeg under National President Artem Luhovy and held its 50th Congress in 2008 in Montreal. This year, President Tamara Mischena wants to keep the fire going. She says that the Congress is a good networking opportunity for clubs and can help them “inspire and recruit new members”. She added it’s useful for those who want to start their own clubs or become more involved in the Ukrainian community.

“People who are coming to the Congress have a very deep passion,” said Mischena. “It’s beneficial for all of them.”

Some presentations throughout the weekend take place at St. Vladimir Institute and include relations between Third and Fourth Wave Ukrainian immigrants in Canada, anti - trafficking initiatives, Zakerzonnia community projects and a seminar on effective fundraising skills. Other events include a Congress pre-party at Tryst nightclub on Friday (82 Peter St., Downtown) and a Dinner and Zabava (dance) on Saturday at Golden Lion Restaurant, 15 Canmotor Dr., Etobicoke.