The Ukrainian Weekly 2011, No.24
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Chornobyl’s lessons are examined at U.N. conference – page 3. • UCCA tops off 70th anniversary celebrations with cruise – page 4. • Song celebrates 120 years of Ukrainians in Canada – page 13. THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine UCC launches 120th anniversary Ukraine prepares for Euro-2012, of Ukrainian settlement in Canada hoping to impress 700,000 visitors assembly (MLA) for St. Albert, Alberta. by Mark Raczkiewycz third most viewed sporting event for three In attendance also were descendants of Special to The Ukrainian Weekly weeks starting on June 8 of next year. Iwan Pylypow, Nykola Tychkowsky and Among them will be tourists with Anton Paish – the original immigrants KYIV – Ukraine and Poland will earn a Ukrainian roots. The sporting event from Nebyliv, Halychyna (western prominent place in sports history next year appears to be an impetus for diaspora Ukraine), then part of Austro-Hungary. by becoming the first Eastern European Ukrainians to visit their historic homeland These were the first such settlers to countries to host the European soccer and give something back. Some will come the unbroken lands of East-Central championship. as devout soccer fans or as curious tour- Alberta, who endured untold hardships And, like any gracious host, Ukraine is ists. Others will arrive as volunteers and and seemingly insurmountable challeng- cleaning house and refurbishing its aged advisors. es to put down roots and build lives on Soviet-era infrastructure for Euro-2012. “Our Euro-2012 local organizing com- the untamed Canadian prairies. Billions of dollars of both public and mittee has been receiving requests for vol- As part of the ceremony, the repli- private money are being pumped in to unteering from diaspora Ukrainians since ca marker was pounded into its per- build new stadiums, airports and hotels, to early 2010,” said Andriy Bantser, Ukraine manent place by descendants, com- refurbish roads, and to upgrade rail trans- volunteer manager for UEFA, Europe’s munity and professional representatives. portation links and training facilities. top soccer governing body. “They consid- A solemn prayer service in memory of All this to impress the more than er Euro-2012 as a chance to help their all pioneer settlers of East-Central 700,000 expected visitors to Ukraine as Alberta was celebrated by clergy of the the country readies to host the world’s (Continued on page 5) Ukrainian Catholic Church and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. The gathering, which was hosted by Radomir Bilash, chief historian of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village With a little help from his friends, (UCHV), was the official launch of a full year’s celebrations marking the 120th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement in Ringo Starr performs in Kyiv Canada, under the umbrella of the by Zenon Zawada interview. “I would have never thought Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC). Special to The Ukrainian Weekly that this would happen.” Events from banquets to festivals to On June 4, the things that once sound- academic conferences will be held across KYIV – Growing up in the 1960s in ed like a silly fairy tale became reality. the country through May of 2012. (These the Ukrainian community in Hamtramck, Mr. Palmar took the stage of Kyiv’s will be listed and archived at the UCC Mich., Wally Palmar could have never Ukrayina Palace concert hall and played website, www.ucc.ca, and will also imagined that one day he’d be playing on his guitar alongside Mr. Starr, performing include the incorporation of social media the same stage as Ringo Starr, already a Beatles classics from his childhood such The official to get the word out and keep the message rock legend. Nor could he have imagined as “With a Little Help from My Friends” logo for the current.) that he’d one day play a rock concert in and “Yellow Submarine.” 120th anniversary In addition, the official 120th anniversa- an independent Ukraine. of Ukrainian settle- ry logo was unveiled, as the culmination of Ringo Starr and His All-Starr band, “If someone would have told me in which included six U.S. rock stars of past ment in Canada, a nationwide call for proposals that saw 1968 or ‘69 that you’ll be playing in more than 30 different submissions made decades, kicked off its first European tour which was unveiled by the Ukraine with Ringo, I would have said, by inspired artists, several of whom were in 13 years in Kyiv that evening. Ukrainian Canadian Congress. ‘Yeah sure,’ ” Mr. Palmar told The from beyond the Ukrainian Canadian com- (Continued on page 5) munity. Ukrainian Weekly in a May 11 phone EDMONTON – On a Victoria Day, The winning submission is by Toronto- enveloped by typically and historically based artist Oleh Lesiuk. It will be avail- unpredictable Alberta weather, a group able for general use by the community as of determined, undeterred enthusiasts it organizes and realizes anniversary gathered to launch celebrations of the events and projects. 120th anniversary of Ukrainian settle- “Let’s mark this milestone with highly ment in Canada. charged enthusiasm and unbridled cre- As the 2011 Summer Season officially ativity,” declared Roman Brytan, chair of got under way at the Ukrainian Cultural the National 120th Anniversary Heritage Village (UCHV), a provincial Commemorative Committee. The senti- historic site 50 kilometers east of ments were echoed by Daria Luciw, Edmonton, a seemingly unremarkable, national vice-president and Alberta pro- yet historically significant addition was vincial president of the Ukrainian made to the permanent interpretive dis- Canadian Congress. play of the village. “Driven by our official jubilee theme This cooperative project between the “Kanada-Ukraina 120: Groundbreakers – Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Society Nation-Builders – Trailblazers,” continued and the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Mr. Brytan, “this is the year for highlight- Association unveiled a replica home- ing our individual accomplishments, won- stead marker, identical to those planted dering at our infinite community potential by the very first Ukrainian settlers in and driving towards making this Alberta, some 120 years ago. Ukrainian Canadian milestone one in Guests at the May 23 ceremony includ- Appearing on June 3 at a press conference in Kyiv before their concert, are rock ed Ken Allred, member of the legislative (Continued on page 13) stars (seated, from left) Rick Derringer, Ringo Starr and Wally Palmar. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011 No. 24 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS ' Reports of girl s stoning death Court rejects appeal by Tymoshenko Tony Blair visits Kyiv in Crimea turn out to be false KYIV – The Kyiv Court of Appeals has KYIV – The subject of religious toler- refused to satisfy an appeal filed by former ance is very urgent for Ukraine and the by Farangis Najibullah with Mr. Gaziev, who, according to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko against world. This was emphasized by President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine at his RFE/RL classmates and relatives, was Ms. the opening of criminal cases against her, Korin’s friend and admirer. Ms. Tymoshenko wrote on Twitter on June meeting on June 6 with former British The headlines were nothing short of Mr. Gaziev, an ethnic Russian, was 8. “They have just decided to reject [my Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was in chilling. adopted from an orphanage by a appeal], and the decision was taken in a Kyiv to present two programs of the Tony “Aspiring ‘Miss Ukraine’ Killed Crimean-Tatar family, when he was 2 few minutes... They are working quickly,” Blair Faith Foundation. “I believe that the Under Shari’a Laws In Crimea,” warned months old. Quoting local religious lead- she said. Thus, the court upheld the legality mission with which you came is very Ukrainian online newspaper Gazeta ers and neighbors, media reports of a criminal case opened against Ms. important for Ukraine,” Mr. Yanukovych Po-Kievski. describe Mr. Gaziev’s parents as non- Tymoshenko over the gas contracts signed said. Mr. Blair, in turn, said he welcomes “Radical Islamists Murder Young Girl practicing Muslims who don’t attend with Russia in 2009. On May 16 the the initiatives of the president of Ukraine In Crimea,” screamed Russia’s mosque. Pechersk District Court of Kyiv declared on the issue of religious tolerance. Svobodnaya Pressa. legal a resolution by the Procurator According to him, most recently in the Misinformation chain “Muslim Girl, 19, Stoned To Death General’s Office to open a criminal case Middle East, where he delivered public After Taking Part In Beauty Contest” Initial reports about the killing against the former prime minister in con- lectures under the aegis of the Victor was the headline on Britain’s Mail appeared on May 25 but stuck to the nection with the gas agreements that she Pinchuk Foundation, Globalization and Online, The Daily Mail website. basic facts that Ms. Korin had been slain signed with Russia in 2009. Ms. Faith, this issue is very relevant. The circumstances around the death of in a forest. Tymoshenko and her lawyer Serhiy (Ukrinform) Kateryna Korin, a 19-year-old Ukrainian But a day later, Russian-language Vlasenko, one of the most eminent lawyers Yanukovych on corruption student on the Crimean peninsula, websites in Ukraine, including Novoross. in the country, appealed against that deci- appeared to point to a made-for-tabloid info and Rusnovosti.ru, began giving the sion in the court of appeals. (Ukrinform) KYIV – Corruption is destroying tragedy: a young beauty-pageant contes- story a more sensational — and errone- Ukraine’s international reputation, tant brutally killed by her admirer, a rad- ous – twist. Chornovil’s body is exhumed President Viktor Yanukovych said at a ical Islamist who chose to stone her to Some of those reports claimed that KYIV – The results of another forensic meeting of the National Anti-Corruption death under an unforgiving interpretation Mr.