Ukrainian World Congress ( or ''СКУ'') is a non-profit organization, nonpartisan association, international coordination assembly of all Ukrainian public organizations in diaspora. Originally founded in 1967 as the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, the organization was renamed in 1993 to its current name. The UWC lists its main goals and objectives as: 1) to represent the interests of Ukrainians in the diaspora; 2) to coordinate an international network of member organizations that support and promote the Ukrainian national identity, spirit, language, culture and achievements of Ukrainians throughout the world; 3) to promote the civic development of Ukrainians in their countries of settlement, while fostering a positive attitude towards Ukrainians and the Ukrainian state; and 4) to defend the rights of Ukrainians, independently of their place of residence in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

History

Originally founded in 1967 as the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, the organization was renamed in 1993 to its current name. Since Ukraine’s independence in 1991, the UWC has been helping Ukraine become the natural epicentre for Ukrainianism throughout the world for the benefit of Ukrainians both in Ukraine and abroad. In 2003, the Ukrainian World Congress was recognized by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with special consultative status. The UWC has focused on such important issues as: the protection and defence of the human and national minority rights of Ukrainians; the international recognition of the Holodomor of 1932-33 as an act of genocide (now officially recognized by 16 countries); the democratization of Ukraine and its integration into the European Union; the strengthening of Ukraine as a state and the inviolability of its borders; election monitoring, including the UWC’s International Election Observation Mission to the 2012 Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine (the largest non-government sponsored mission of its kind); the social and economic issues surrounding the economic migration from Ukraine; the promotion of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine and the diaspora; the return to the Ukrainian community in Poland of the Ukrainian National Home in Przemyszl which was confiscated during the Operation Vistula (Akcja Wisla); and the global problem of human trafficking. Currently, the UWC has been actively promoting Ukraine's Euro-integration in meetings with high-ranking officials of the European Union. The UWC has called for the signing of the ''EU-Ukraine Association Agreement'' as early as 25 February 2013 during the EU-Ukraine Summit in Brussels, Belgium. In 2019, the UWC was designated as an ' undesirable organization' in Russia.

2022 - Present: UWC response to Full-Scale Russian Aggression against Ukraine

As of September 2023, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has raised more than 90 million dollars to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In September 2023, the UWC president announced that the organization had delivered 50 armored vehicles and 70 military trucks. In April 2023, the UWC transferred 25 British armored vehicles to Ukraine, including 12 Spartan FV103 armored personnel carriers (APCs), seven FV432 APCs, two FV434 APCs, one Spartan SPA8 APC, one Spartan SPA017, and two FV104 Samaritan medical vehicles. In September 2024, an additional 15 British armored personnel carriers were delivered.

Leadership

The UWC has a president and an Executive Committee. 13 UWC councils and committees work actively to address questions that define Ukrainian community life. These include human and civil rights, UN matters, awareness of the Holodomor in the international community, education, social services, youth, assistance to Ukrainian citizens living abroad, scholarly matters, culture, the fight against human trafficking, media, sport and the cooperative movement.

Member organizations

The congress has member organizations in 33 countries and ties with Ukrainians in 14 additional countries. Founded in 1967 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

as the World Congress of Free Ukrainians.

European Congress of Ukrainians (Yaroslava Khortiani)

Others

Conventions

* I World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 12–19, 1967;

) * II World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 1–4, 1973;

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

) * III World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 23–26, 1978; New York) * IV World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 30 - December 4, 1983; Toronto) * V World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 22–27, 1988; Toronto) * VI World Congress of Free Ukrainians (November 2–7, 1993; Toronto) * VII Ukrainian World Congress (December 2–7, 1998; Toronto) * VIII Ukrainian World Congress (August 18–21, 2003;

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

) * IX Ukrainian World Congress (August 20–22, 2008;

Ukrainian House The Ukrainian House International Convention Center (), is the largest international exhibition and convention center in Kyiv, Ukraine. The five-storey building is the host venue for a variety of events from exhibitions, trade fairs and confere ...

, Kyiv) * X Ukrainian World Congress (August 20–22, 2013;

Lviv Polytechnic Lviv Polytechnic National University () is a public university in Lviv, Ukraine, founded in 1816. According to the Times Higher Education, as of 2024, it ranks first as a technical institution of higher education and second among all instit ...

Lviv Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

) * XI Ukrainian World Congress (November 25–27, 2018;

Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex The Olympic Stadium (also known as Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex; , ) is a multi-use sports and recreation facility in Kyiv, Ukraine, located on the slopes of the city's central Cherepanova Hora (Cherepanov Hill), Pecherskyi District. Th ...

, Kyiv)

References

Sources

Official Web site
{{Authority control Ukrainian diaspora organizations Organizations established in 1967 Organizations listed in Russia as undesirable 1967 establishments in New York City Non-profit organizations based in Toronto