Civil Liberties Opinion Editorial Award Recipient Announced

Calgary-Ottawa - The Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation (UCCLF) is pleased to announce Christina Dykun, 21, of Toronto, Ont. as the recipient of this year’s inaugural Civil Liberties Opinion Editorial Award.

It is awarded to a high school or post-secondary student who had an opinion-editorial on a Holodomor theme published in a major Canadian newspaper, an initiative undertaken in recognition of the 75^th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Great Famine Genocide.

Ms. Dykun’s submission, titled “Nation still hungers for the truth,” appeared in the Nov. 23 edition of The Calgary Sun.

As the winner of the competition, Ms. Dykun was awarded $1,000, as well as a copy of Into Auschwitz, For Ukraine by Stefan Petelycky.

Ms. Dykun is in her Fourth Year at the University of Toronto, and graduates in the spring with an Honours B.A. in English and History.  Her future aspirations are in law. Her active involvement in Plast Ukrainian scouting organization stems from early childhood, and is currently a ‘podruha’ at Plast’s Toronto Branch. Having graduated from Ridna Shkola in Chicago, she continues her study of Ukrainian linguistics and history at the university level. Ms. Dykun is very involved within the university Ukrainian scene, as both a member of the Ukrainian Students’ Club as well as member, past president and vice-president of the student council at St. Vladimir Institute in Toronto.

Ms. Dykun has played varsity sports all four years, with a good degree of success. Other interests include music, where she has played the piano competitively for 14 years, and today enjoys playing as a relaxing pastime. Her lifelong enjoyment of reading and writing are furthered by her chosen curriculum.

The UCCLF would like to congratulate Christina for writing an excellent opinion-editorial and having it published.

Below is Christina Dykun’s award-winning original essay, printed in its entirety.