« »

28 April 2009 11:46

Ukraine 3000 Foundation Donates Ukrainian Stage Costumes to Arcan Children’s Dance Ensemble (Przemyśl, Poland)

Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation sponsored purchasing Ukrainian stage costumes for Arcan children’s dance ensemble (Przemyśl, Poland). The action was a part of the Foundation’s Flourish, Ukrainians program to support diaspora organizations, aimed at developing Ukrainian communities abroad, supporting and popularizing the Ukrainian language and culture in the world.

The Arcan ensemble belongs to the Przemyśl branch of the Polish Ukrainians Union, headed by Maria Tuczka. Around 100 children aged from 7 to 18 take part in the ensemble. It is divided into three age groups and renders folk dances from all Ukraine’s regions.

The Polish Ukrainians Union, having 10 regional branches, carries out broad range of activities to develop and preserve the culture, traditions, and national memorials of the Ukrainians. Among its nationwide events are the Ukrainian culture festival in Sopot, annual youth fairs, Shevchenko festivals, annual hikes to the burial places of Ukrainian soldiers from World War I in Pikulichi, etc. It also organizes systemic education and runs the Zhuravli [Cranes] men’s choir, Dumka (Thought], Vitrohon [Fan], and Arcan [Lasso] dance ensembles.

The Ukrainian diaspora in Poland has over 27,000 people. The biggest number of Ukrainians (12,000) reside in Województwo Warmińsko-Mazurskie. Ukrainian language as first language is studied in 136 Polish schools. Among other proactive Ukrainioan organizations in Poland are the Ukrainians’ Union in Poland, Independent Ukrainian Youth’s Union, Podliacie Ukrainians Union, Ukrainian Doctors’ Union, Ukrainian Teachers’ Union in Poland, Ukrainian Political Prisoners of the Stalin Regime Union, St. Volodymyr Church Brotherhood, Ukrainian Culture Foundation, St. Volodymyr, the Baptist of Kyiv Rus’, Foundation. There are also newspapers in Ukrainian published in Poland: Nashe slovo [Our word], Svitanok [Daybreak], and Nad Buhom i Narvoyu [Over the Buh and Narva Rivers].