A Productive Online Meeting between CNAUI and the Ukrainian World Congress

A significant online meeting was recently held between the President of the National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy (CNAUI), Lara Levchun, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), Paul Grod, and UWC manager Yevheniia Petrova, who joined from Canada.

The meeting addressed key issues of cooperation between Ukrainian organisations in Europe and ways to improve the coordination of efforts in support of the Ukrainian diaspora.

Main topics of the meeting

• ✓Support for Ukrainian refugees and their integration into European societies;
• ✓Preserving the national and cultural identity of Ukrainians abroad;
• ✓Developing new educational projects, legal assistance and cultural events to strengthen the Ukrainian diaspora.

Lara Levchun particularly stressed the importance of supporting young Ukrainian organisations that are only just starting out in various European countries. It was noted that close interaction between new initiatives and established diaspora structures will help the Ukrainian community abroad to grow further.

Outcomes of the meeting: The parties agreed to hold further consultations and to develop joint strategic initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of Ukrainians abroad. Areas of cooperation in culture, education and legal support were also outlined.

Paul Grod, President of the UWC since November 2018, has many years of experience in the organisation, where he previously served as Vice-President for ten years. He was responsible for key initiatives, including the international election observation missions in Ukraine and the Ukraine Support Coordinating Committee. His efforts have helped strengthen ties between the Ukrainian diaspora and Ukraine at the international level. Lara Levchun closed the meeting by emphasising that cooperation between Ukrainian organisations in Europe is essential to preserving Ukrainian identity and maintaining close ties with the homeland.