The Ukrainian National Federation (UNF) will be holding its triennial general meeting and convention this September to elect a new Board of Directors and set the direction for the organization’s future. The last general meeting of three years ago brought about a significant change, in that many of the perennial established board members that had held sway over the UNF for the past several decades, were replaced by a newer generation of members that had grown disenchanted with the direction the organization was headed, and with how the its assets and resources were being used. Despite their best intentions and motivations, the new board has had a difficult time in effecting significant changes to the organization’s programs and operations. One notable exception has been the revitalization of this newspaper, an effort that it initiated and has supported both morally and financially.

Nonetheless, revitalizing the organization itself is a major and difficult challenge

that will require a significant shift in attitudes and priorities. In preparation for the convention, the organizational committee has prepared a draft set of “Guiding Principles” for the delegates to discuss, consider and hopefully use as the building blocks for charting a new future for the UNF. These principles are as follows:

The organization needs major “renewal”.

The original founding principles of the UNF are still relevant.

The UNF needs to focus less on politics and more on culture, identity and service to the Ukrainian-Canadian community.

The UNF, through its activities, should strongly foster the image of being a community-based, inclusive, non-partisan, non-sectarian Ukrainian organization.

The UNF should be a leader in the effort of unifying all Ukrainian political/cultural organizations in Canada.

The primary focus of the UNF should be on activities and programs here in Canada.

The UNF’s top priority should be attracting new and younger members.

The UNF must strive hard to build bridges between the various generations of Ukrainians in Canada.

The UNF must make a concerted effort at attracting and involving the newest wave of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada.

The UNF should not waste time, energy and effort on historical ideological debates and conflicts, or finding fault with past policies or leadership.

The UNF should mount a concerted effort at bringing back once active members, particularly those that served in leadership roles in the UNYF.

The UNF should accept that “bilingualism” is a reality and necessity within our organization.

The UNF should work towards consolidating all the component fraternal organizations into one integrated UNF structure, with a youth organization (UNYF) serving as a developmental or “feeder” role.

The UNF must develop more effective ways of using the organization’s accumulated funds and assets towards rebuilding and revitalizing the organization.

The significant decline over the past decades in the number of branches and members indicates strongly that the UNF is no longer as relevant to the lives of today’s Ukrainian Canadians as it was to their parents and grandparents. It is obvious that, to re-establish its relevance, the leadership and remaining membership must create a new vision, sense of purpose, and programs that are meaningful and of value to those vast numbers of Canadians of Ukrainian descent that are the potential future of the UNF. The above list is a good starting point.