UKRAINE - GENERAL INFORMATION
Ukraine is one of the largest countries
in Europe in terms of area and population. It has a population of 48 million
and is situated in the South-Eastern part of Europe to the north of the
Black Sea. Ukraine's capital and largest city is Kyiv with the population
heading towards 4 million. Ukrainian is a distinct language belonging to
the Slavonic family of languages and uses its own version of the Cyrillic
alphabet. Practically every person in Ukraine is bilingual, speaking also
Russian. Ukraine gained its independence after the disintegration of the
USSR in 1991 and now is the member of the Commonwealth of the Independent
States (CIS).
On July 16, 1990 the Supreme Rada of Ukraine
adopted an important historic document - the Act proclaiming Ukrainian
state sovereignty, indivisibility of power within the boundaries of Ukrainian
territory, and independence and equality in conducting foreign relations.
On August 24, 1991 the Supreme Rada (parliament),
in effecting this Declaration and proceeding from the right to self-determination,
proclaimed the Act of independence of Ukraine. Its territory was proclaimed
indivisible and inviolable and the Constitution and laws of Ukraine have
exclusive validity. On December 1, 1991 by all-Ukrainian referendum more
than 90% of the population confirmed the proclamation of independence of
Ukraine. Leonid Kravchuk, the former head of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine
was elected the first President of Ukraine. The acting President of the
country now is Leonid Kuchma, now serving his second term as the highest
state official.
View the map of Ukraine
UKRAINIANS IN AUSTRALIA
World War II uprooted many millions
of Ukrainians from their ancestral lands. Some 30,000 Ukrainians live in
Australia. They brought with them what they treasured most: their Christian
faith, their tradition and their thousand-year-old culture. Gradually over
the years of their settlement here, the Ukrainians through their own hard
work and dedication, built a network of churches, community centers and
Saturday schools throughout Australia, and fund Ukrainian studies at Monash
and Macquarie universities. The Ukrainian schools provide opportunities
for students to learn the language, history, literature and culture of
the Ukrainian people. The community center provides a meeting place for
various youth, women's and senior citizens' social activities, recreation,
concerts and so forth. The dance ensemble regularly represent Ukrainians
at many festivals and the choir performs a variety of songs at concerts.
Last year Ukrainians celebrated the 50th
anniversary of their settlement in Australia and this year marks the golden
jubilee of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in this country.
Ukrainians settled into the Australian
community and now, along with the second and third generations born in
this country, they play their part in Australian cultural and political
life, while preserving and sharing their heritage and rejoicing in the
fact that Ukraine, after a lengthy period of persecution and foreign occupation
is again a free country.
