McGill Ukrainian Students’ Exhibit

Montreal - The McGill Ukrainian Students’ Association (MUSA) showed a week-long Holodomor exhibit at McLennon Library from January 24 to 28.   The exhibit coincided with a lecture by Prof. Timothy Snyder of Yale University and presentation of his recent book Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin at McGill’s Leacock Building.  The exhibit was coordinated by MUSA vice-president Marta Cybulsky.

The exhibit was just one of many events organized by MUSA for the 2010-2011 term.  In early November, MUSA sent two student delegates - MUSA president Alyssa Paterson and SUSK executive member Adriana Luhovy (recipient of the UCC Youth Leadership Award) to participate in the 23^rd Triennial National Ukrainian Canadian Congress held in Edmonton, Alberta.  Also in November, MUSA organized the showing of the award-winning internment documentary film Freedom Had A Price on McGill Campus, in preparation for students travelling to the official opening of the Spirit Lake Interpretive Museum in Amos, in Northern Quebec, this March.

The annual MUSA Christmas carolling to many Ukrainian families was held in January. This outing also served as a fundraiser for the club’s ongoing projects. In January, the traditional pre-Trembita and a pre-Malanka student socials were held, with students coming to Montreal from Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa.  

MUSA currently has over 300 student members. The club holds monthly meetings with the Concordia Ukrainian Students Union (CUSU), whose current president and Plast member is Matthew Ramsey.  Both clubs have joined the rest of the community by participating in the postcard drive, insisting that both the 1932-33 Famine-Genocide and Canada’s First National Internment Operations be given a permanent and prominent place in the Canadian Museum For Human Rights in Winnipeg, a museum partially funded by the Canadian government.

In November, Kalyna Franko was elected president of MUSA for the next term.

MUSA and CUSU, both members of the Ukrainian Canadian Student’s Union (SUSK), will be sending their delegates to the upcoming SUSK Congress to be held in June in Ottawa. The SUSK Congress booklet is being prepared by Adriana Luhovy.  She is currently inviting short articles from SUSK member organizations.

For further information, MUSA may be contacted at musa@ssmu.mcgill.ca.    

PHOTO

Prof. Timothy Snyder (left) with members of the McGill Ukrainian Students’ Association, following his book signing and lecture