UCC President to Accompany Governor General to Ukraine

April 18, 2009 -- Following the historical State visit to Canada by Ukraine's President Victor Yushchenko, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, has requested Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, along with her husband, His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond, to conduct a State visit to Ukraine, from April 23 to 26, 2009.

The State visit to Ukraine will focus on Canada's ongoing support for the country's democratic transformation and economic reform. It has particular meaning to the 1.2 million Ukrainian Canadians who draw their ancestry to Ukraine. The visit will be an opportunity for the Ukrainian Canadian community to highlight some of the many important projects they are leading or supporting in Ukraine. The Governor General will visit the Dzherelo Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv, a project of Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fund as well as unveil the new office of the Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce in Kyiv.

UCC President Paul Grod, H.E. Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, Ukrainian Canadian Students' Union President Marko Jacuta, Ukrainian World Congress President Eugene Czolij

A delegation of Canadians representing a variety of fields-including diversity, governance, arts and culture, civic engagement and youth-will play an active role in Their Excellencies' meetings with civil society. Paul Grod, UCC National President will join Their Excellencies as part of the accompanying delegation to Ukraine.

"This State visit is extremely important to both Canada and Ukraine," stated Paul Grod, UCC National President. "With the upcoming Presidential elections in Ukraine, Canada is publicly demonstrating its solidarity with the people of Ukraine for democracy, transparency, the rule of law and a strong civil society, just as we did during the Orange Revolution. Ukraine is a key European partner to Canada. This State visit will play an important role in promoting Canada's interests and in projecting a positive image of contemporary Canada and Canadian values -- something we are all very proud of."

The Ukrainian community was invited to a celebration of culture and friendship between Canada and Ukraine hosted by Their Excellencies on April 15 at Rideau Hall as a launch to the State visit. "The bonds of fellowship between us are bridges that span the ocean and reach across borders," stated the Governor General during the Cultural Evening on the Occasion of the State Visits to Ukraine delivered at Rideau Hall on April 15, 2009. "Consider for example the fact that Canada is home to the largest Ukrainian population in the world outside of Ukraine and Russia."

In describing Canada's commitment to Ukraine, Her Excellency continued by stating, "On December 2, 1991, Canada became the first Western country to recognize Ukraine's independence, and we are committed to supporting every effort by the people of Ukraine to adopt the democratic values and principles of a country based on the rule of law. We also fully support Ukraine's aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, of which Canada and Norway are founding members."

Ukrainian Canadian community guests at Rideau Hall with H.E. Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada holding a plate of pysanky (traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs) with the paintings by William Kurelek (a Ukrainian Canadian painter) in the background during the Cultural Evening on the Occasion of the State Visits to Ukraine and Norway on April 15, 2009. Photo by Sgt Serge Gouin, Rideau Hall.

Current information about the State visit, the Ukrainian Canadian community and Ukraine and its people can be found at www.ucc.ca. The full itinerary of State visit to Ukraine is now available on www.gg.ca.

• Throughout the visit, the speeches, photos and videos will be posted daily at www.gg.ca.
• Daily blogs together with photos by Paul Grod will be posted on www.ucc.ca.
• Blogs written by Their Excellencies and the delegates will be posted on www.citizenvoices.gg.ca.

UCC Communique

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has been coordinating and representing the interests of the Ukrainian Canadian community for over 60 years. In addition to being one of Canada's largest ethnic communities (1.2M), Ukrainian Canadians are one of its founding peoples helping to settle Canada starting almost 120 years ago and being instrumental in shaping Canada and Canadian values such as Multiculturalism.