Statement of UCC President Orysia Sushko on the occasion of its 65th Anniversary

The first Congress of Ukrainian Canadian was held at the Royal Alexandra Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 6 and 7th in the year 1940. The thoughts expressed at the Congress by the first president, Rev. Dr. W. Kushnir -- “The community at large can always solve cooperatively what you are unable to do alone” still hold true 65 years later. The act of unity pledged at this time was indeed a historic event, not only for the Ukrainians but for the Canadian community as well, profoundly affecting its social, political and cultural aspects.

The goal set out by the participants of this Congress was to strive for the “principles of democracy, Christian civilization, social justice and freedom of all nations”. This goal carried the Congress throughout its history and remains foremost even today.

We are greatly indebted to those individuals and organizations that, at the onset, had the courage and foresight to unify the efforts of the Ukrainian community under the banner of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee. (Changed to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in 1989).

It is their unyielding spirit that has carried the Congress through these many years of service to the Ukrainian Canadian community and set the standards that have guided our efforts throughout our existence.

We are indeed proud of the accomplishments of the Congress as we continue our efforts in areas that are vital to our future existence of the Ukrainian Canadian community, to Canada and our ancestral homeland, Ukraine.