Political Quotes

“the ties between America's ethnic communities and their countries or regions of origin have enriched our foreign policy and our relationships with the world. Developments in their countries or regions of origin have special meaning for our ethnic communities, which draw on common traditions, shared languages, and family ties. Today marks the 100th anniversary of one of America's great ethnic organizations, the Ukrainian National Association which was founded on February 22, 1894, and had its origins, like other immigrant organizations of the day, as a fraternal life insurance organization. President Kravchuk's upcoming visit to the United States marks a further step in Ukraine's assumption of its place among the world's sovereign nations. It is fitting, as we celebrate Ukraine's emergence as a nation, that we honor an organization which kept faith with Ukrainian culture and language, and with the idea of a Ukrainian national identity during decades when many in the West were willing, intellectually and politically, to concede that Ukraine had been absorbed into imperial Russia and the Soviet Union. Through initiatives such as the Taras Shevchenko memorial in Washington and funding of research on the Ukrainian famine, the Ukrainian National Association raised consciousness of 'Ukrainian-ness' well beyond the Ukrainian community.”