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Solutions to Issues of Rusyns from Different Countries Were Discussed

Resolution from the meeting of the World Council of Rusyns (WCoR)

They Are Looking for a Way to Solve the Problem

In Rusky  Kerestur after a decade…

Resolution from the meeting of the World Council of Rusyns on May 28th, 2006 in Krynica, Polland

 

Solutions to Issues of Rusyns from Different Countries Were Discussed

 

Solutions to issues of Rusyns from different countries were discussed at a meeting of the World Council of Rusyns (WCoR), the executive body of the World Congress of Rusyns (WCR), on Febraury 23rd, 2007 in Sighetul Marmaţiei, where on June 21st – 24th, 2007 the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will take place.

 

Gheoghe Firczak, the host of the WCoR members, the “landlord“ of the nearest congress and the Chairman of the Cultural Association of Romanian Rusyns, in his opening speech, welcomed all members of WCoR, who came in full attendance. The only person who did not attend and had not excused himself from the event was Mykola Medješi, the Chairman of the World Forum of Rusyn Youth, who had been invited as a guest.

 

The meeting was lead by Paul Robert Magocsi, the Chairman of the WCoR. He informed those in attendance about his meetings with representatives of embassies and international organisations, resident in Washington. As it was necessary, he revisited the Embassies of Ukraine and Romania. He also met Condoleezza Rice, the US Minister of International Affairs and the senator John McCain, who was also interested in status of Rusyns in Ukraine. The Chairman of the WCoR asked all members of the WCoR to send him the two most pressing issues that trouble Rusyns in their respective countries, so that he could competently and concretely request their solution at meetings with ambassadors of the countries where Rusyns live, as well as with the nuncio of the Vatican Embassy in Washington. He asked the Chairman of the WCoR to write a letter about Rusyn issues in the Greek-Catholic Church in Slovakia and Ukraine. That is why on February 17th, 2007, he met Marcel Mojzeš, a general vicar, Peter Pavol Haľko, OSBN, a vicar for Rusyns and Ľubomír Petrík, the Head of the Episcopal Office in Prešov as well as Mons. Milan Šasík, CM, the Eparch of the Mukachevo Greek-Catholic Diocese on Februaray 21st, 2007 in Uzhhorod. He has not yet met the Croatian Ambassador in Washington, but he is going to do so early on.

On February 23rd, 2007 in Sighetul Marmaţiei in Romania a meeting of the World Council of Rusyns (WCoR) took place. At the head of the table (from left) the Vice-Chairman of WCoR and the host of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns in this town G. Firczak and the Chairman of WCoR P. R. Magocsi were seated. At the end of the long meeting, the members of WCoR had their photograph taken as a souvenir: (from right) Deputy of WCoR A. Zozuľák, Father D. Sidor, S. Ljavinyec, A. Kopcza, Chairman P. R. Magocsi, L. Segedi-Falc, Vice-Chairman G. Firczak, A. Pilatová and D. Papuga. During lunch, Rusyn youth from Romania met the members of WCoR. In the last picture, the building of the Lyceum of Arts can be seen. Here, the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will take place on June 21st – 24th, 2007.

 

Another piece of information concerned the preparatory works for the 3rd International Congress of Rusyn Language, which will take place on September 13th – 16th, 2007 in Krakow. The Chairman of WCoR informed those in attendance about the outcome of the meeting of members of the programme, financial, editorial and exhibition committees of this congress in the Pedagogical Academy in Krakow on February 19th, 2007.

A. Zozuľák, the WCoR Deputy informed those in attendance about the financial situation of the WCR in 2006 and asked all members of the organisation to pay their membership fees for those years, in which they did not do so, as this is one of their duties. The Chairman of WCoR requested a list of addresses of all the organisations connected with the WCR (also those who are members of the associations) to be sent to the address of the Deputy of the WCoR.

 

S. Ljavinyec and G. Firczak informed the present members about the possibilities of gaining European grants for the WCR. The information presented by G. Firczak that, with help of Ľudovít Orban, a Euro-Commissioner, who deals with languages, he will try to lobby so that Rusyn was entered in the list of European languages. This is also one of the goals of the WCoR.

 

A. Zozuľák was authorised to prepare a proposal of changes in the WCR Statute. These changes must be operative, flexible. The fact that, with any serious change, it is necessary to wait until the next congress takes place (which is once every two years) also needs changing, as some issues could be solved by the WCoR.

 

Prot. D. Sidor presented the proposal of the Rusyn flag, which was discussed and dealt with by members of the WCoR, and it was decided that, at the 9th WCR, the proposal together with the Rusyn anthem – Ja Rusîn byl, jesm i budu... will be presented for official approval.

 

Individual members also informed the Council about the situation of Rusyn organisations and Rusyn issues in particular countries. It also came to an important decision that a Resolution of WCR will be prepared on the occasion of the 60th anniversary (commemorated this year) of the notorious event of “Wisla“, which will also be presented for approval at the next congress.

 

For Slovak Rusyns it is very important that the Chairman of the WCoR was, by the assigned Deputy of the WCoR, given the Resolution from the Joint Meeting of Slovak Association of Rusyn Organisations (SARO) and the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia (RRS), according to which both parties agreed to respect each other, cooperate and help each other realise the goals of the Rusyn movement in Slovakia. They also agreed that Slovak Rusyns will have representation in the WCR. The WCoR welcomed this opportunity and decided to ask the WCR to accept both organisations as one proper member with two integral parts – SARO and RRS. It was also decided that 6 delegates and 2 guests from RRS (and their collective members) and 4 delegates and 2 guests from SARO and its member organisations will represent Slovak Rusyns at the congress. Apart from this, 5 delegates from each member organisation will participate at the 3rd World Forum of Rusyn Youth (SFRM), which means that it also applies to the Association of Rusyn Youth of Slovakia. (The names and surnames of all delegates and guests of the 9th WCR and the 3rd SFRM with their addresses are to be e-mailed to the Deputy of the WCoR to: rusyn@stonline.sk by May 25th, 2007. Due to visa regulations, Serbia needs to do so by May 1st, 2007.) The WCoR also decided that representatives of SARO and RRS will take two-year turns in representing Slovak Rusyns in the WCoR.

 

Concerning the request of the National Council of Sub-Carpathian Rusyns (NCSCR) for acceptance into the WCR and permission to have 5 delegates at the congress, it has been decided that the Assembly of Sub-Carpathian Rusyns will stay a proper member of the WCR. Furthermore, two representatives of the NCSCR E. Župan (the Chairman) and Father Štefan Sič will be invited to the congress as guests of the Chairman of the WCoR. He was given the right by members of the WCoR to invite 10 significant guests to the congress. Askold S. Lozinský, Chairman of the World Congress of Ukrainians, will be one of them. He officially met the Chairman of the WCR last year in Toronto, where they discussed issues of Rusyns in the world.

 

G. Firczak informed members of the WCoR about the stage of preparatory works of the 9th World Congress Meeting of Rusyns and, consequently, a detailed programme of the congress was discussed and approved. As a part of the congress, an exhibition of photographs focusing on the activities of the individual member organisations of the WCR will take place as well as a cultural programme (taking place on June 23rd, 2007) where Rusyns from all member countries of the WCR will perform.

 

At the end of the WCoR meeting it was decided that the next meeting of the WCoR will take place on the morning of June 22nd, 2007 in Sighet and the 10th World Congress of Rusyns in 2009 will take place in Rusky Kerestur (Serbia), while one day of meetings will be held in Petrovce (Croatia).

 

The meeting in Sighetul Marmaţiei (Romanian name, we have decided to use Sighet as a simpler version) was constructive, it solved a lot of issues and was one of the richest in the history of the World Council of Rusyns.

 

Alexander ZOZUĽÁK, Deputy of WCoR, March 2nd, 2007

 

Resolution from the meeting of the World Council of Rusyns (WCoR),

which took place on February 23rd, 2007 in Sighetul Marmaţiei, Romania

 

WCoR approved the following:

 

1.      Information that the Chairman of WCoR took part at a meeting, which took place in Washington at Embassies of those countries where Rusyns live, and that he also met other significant personalities from political life and talked about Rusyn issues in the countries in question (P. R. Magocsi).

 

2.      Information about the stage of preparation of the 3rd International Congress of the Rusyn Language on September 13th – 16th, 2007 in Krakow, Poland (P. R. Magocsi).

 

3.      Information about the finances of the World Congress of Rusyns (WCR) in 2006 (A. Zozuľák).

 

4.      Information about possibilities of using European grants for WCR and entering the Rusyn language in the list of European languages within the European Union (S. Ljavinyec, G. Firczak).

 

5.      Information about a proposal of the Rusyn flag and anthem (Father D. Sidor, D. Papuga).

 

6.      Information about the agreement upon a solution to the issue of representation of Slovak Rusyns in the WCR and their representative in the WCoR (P. R. Magocsi).

 

7.      Information about the request of accepting the National Council of Sub-Carpathian Rusyns as a proper member of WCR (P. R. Magocsi).

 

8.      Information about a need to change the WCR Statute (A. Zozuľák).

 

9.      Information about the stage of preparation of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns, taking place on June 21st – 24th, 2007 in Sighetul Marmaţiei, Romania (G. Firczak).

 

WCR developed the following solutions:

 

1.      Every member of the WCoR will submit the two most serious Rusyn issues in his/her country to the Chairman of WCoR, so that he could act to achieve a solution to these problems by discussing them with the leader representatives of the countries in question. Deadline: March 30th, 2007.

2.      Every member of WCoR will prepare a list of organisations connected to WCR, including complete addresses and contact data, so that the Chairman of WCoR could base his sessions on this list. All organisations must request, in writing, their membership in the WCR from the WCoR and hand in a copy of a registered Statute. This must be sent to the Chairman of the WCoR to rusyn@stonline.sk by March 15th, 2007.

3.      A proposal of the Rusyn flag and anthem (Ja Rusîn byl, jesm i budu...) will be presented for appointment at the 9th World Congress of Rusyns on June 22nd, 2007.

4.      The Chairman of WCoR alone has the right to invite up to 10 guests to the 9th WCR.

5.      At the 9th WCR, to propose accepting the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia (RRS) into the World Congress of Rusyns and the Slovak Association of Rusyn Organisations (SARO) as one Slovak two-part member of WCR. Delegates of both organisations will propose a representative for the WCoR for a two-year period, in turns for the RRS and SARO. 6 delegates of RRS and 4 delegates of SARO can take part in the 9th WCR.

6.      For each member organisation of the World Congress of Rusyns, 4 guests can attend the 9th WCR and each member organisation of the World Forum of Rusyn Youth (WFRY) can, at the 3rd WFRY, be represented by 5 delegates. The list of all delegates and guests must be e-mailed to the Deputy of the World Council of Rusyns by May 25th, 2007. Those who need a visa to enter Romania (Serbia), must provide the list by May 1st, 2007.

7.      The Assembly of Sub-Carpathian Rusyns stays the only proper member of the World Congress of Ukrainian Rusyns as an association of Rusyn organisations. The National Council of Sub-Carpathian Rusyns has not been accepted as a proper member of the WCR, however, its three members under the leadership of its Chairman Eugen Župan will be invited to the 9th WCR as guests of the Chairman of the World Council of Rusyns.

8.      The Deputy of the WCoR will propose modifications to the WCR Statute by June 22nd, 2007.

9.      Delegates of the 9th WCR will present the Resolution regarding the event of “Wisla“, the 60th anniversary of which is commemorated this year. A. Kopcza will send the proposal of the text to the Deputy of the WCoR by April 30th, 2007.

10.  The presentations from the 8th WCR in Krynica (Poland) must be submitted to A. Kopcza in writing, so that he could issue an annual from this congress by the 9th WCR. Deadline: March 15th, 2007.

11.  A list of the most significant Rusyn cultural events will be submitted to the Deputy of the WCoR by each member organisation of the WCR, so that he could prepare a Calendar of Rusyn Cultural Events in 2007 and send it to each member of the WCoR. Deadline: March 15th, 2007. 

12.  In the cultural programme of the 9th WCR on June 23rd, 2007, the following ensembles will perform: 3 groups from Romania (30 minutes), 1 group from Serbia (maximum 35 people; 20 min.), 4 groups from Ukraine (max. 60 people; 40 min.), 1 group from Croatia (15 people; 10 min.), 1 group from Slovakia (the Chairman of the RRS is supposed to inform the Deputy of the WCoR about the number of people; 10 min.), and a poet from Hungary will recite her poems between particular performances of the groups. The whole cultural programme will last 2 hours.

13.  Within the 9th WCR, an exhibition of photographs focusing on the activities of member organisations of the WCR will take place, which is why 4 good-quality photographs must be sent to the exhibition curator by May 1st, 2007. His address and further instructions will be e-mailed to each member of the WCoR.

 

They Are Looking for a Way to Solve the Problem

 

On June 25th, 2005 at the 8th World Congress of Rusyns in Krynica (Poland) after the election for the World Council of Rusyns, the then Chair of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia and newly appointed member of the World Council of Rusyns Anna Kuzmiaková declared that their organisation is to suspend its membership in the World Congress of Rusyns and she, personally, in the World Council of Rusyns. That is how Rusyns of Slovakia lost their representation in the World Congress of Rusyns and the World Council of Rusyns. That is why, in the resolution of the following meeting of the World Council of Rusyns on May 28th, 2006 in Krynica in Point 9 the following was agreed: „The participation of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia in the activities of the World Congress of Rusyns is welcomed; however, that only applies for the configuration of the association with other Rusyn organisations in Slovakia. The Chair of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia Vladimír Protivňák and the Chair of the Slovak Association of Rusyn Organisations  Alexander Zozuľák are supposed to agree about this point by the following meeting of the World Council of Rusyns.“ In Point 12 of the same resolution it is said that the next meeting of the World Council of Rusyns will take place at a time between January and March 2007 in Giget in Romania.

 

On the basis of the aforementioned Point 9 of the resolution, V. Protivňák and A. Zozuľák met on August 4th, 2006 in Medzilaborce to, in the presence of the Chair of the World Council of Rusyns Paul Robert Magocsi, the Deputy of the Rusyn Revival in the Slovak Republic (RRSR) Mikuláš Krajkovič, the Chair of the Inspection Committee of RRSR Pavol Dupkanič, a member and former Chairman of RRSR Alexander Franko and the Mayor of Medzilaborce Mirko Kaliňák, look for the solution of the above-mentioned problem. At the end of the meeting, both parties found a possible solution to the given problem, about which the Heads of both organisations will inform their members. In particular, the chair of the RRSR will inform its Executive and Coordination Committee and the Chair of the Slovak Association of Rusyn Organisations will inform its Executive Committee. Consequently, both Chairs will meet again at the following meeting to find out about the solution of the aforementioned organs. At the previous meeting in Medzilaborce, both Heads expressed their hope to solve the problem that had arisen by the end of 2006. 

– az –  August 21st, 2006

Resolution

from the meeting of the World Council of Rusyns

on May 28th, 2006 in Krynica, Polland

 

  1. A new representation from Hungary – the Association of the Rusyn Organisations in Hungary – was admitted in the World Congress of Rusyns; and Štefan Ľavinec was elected a member of the World Council of Rusyns.

 

  1. All member organisations have to pay a membership fee of USD 100 yearly. Those who, in the given year, organise a meeting of the World Council of Rusyns have the right to be forgiven the fee.

 

  1. USD 500 yearly for running of the World Council of Rusyns has been approved.

 

  1. The World Council of Rusyns approves of the previous activities of its chairman and requests further international activities.

 

  1. The representative of each country is supposed to inform the chairman of the World Council of Rusyns about two most important problems that the Rusyns living in his country are coping with, so that he could submit them at prominent meetings with the leaders of particular states and European institutions.

 

  1. It is necessary to look for opportunities of financing from European institutions and organisations.

 

  1. A two-member committee (Gheorghe Firczak and Štefan Ľavinec) was appointed to look for financial opportunities in the European Union.

 

  1. The resolutions from the 8th World Congress of Rusyns in Krynica, Polland; and the last meeting of the World Council of Rusyns in Rusky Kerestur, Serbia, in 2005; are being systematically met.

 

  1. The participation of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia in the activities of the World Council of Rusyns is welcomed, however, only within the association of other Rusyn organisations in Slovakia. It is to be discussed by the chairman of the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia Vladimír Protivňák and the chairman of the Slovak Association of the Rusyn Organisations Alexander Zozuľak by the next meeting of the World Council of Rusyns.

 

  1. The main organising body of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns in Siget, Romania, Gheorghe Firczak, will inform all the members of the World Council of Rusyns in September 2006 about the specific date when the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will take place.

 

  1. We will try to involve a Greek-Catholic clergyman from Siget in the preparatory committee of the next congress.

 

  1. The next meeting of the World Congress of Rusyns will take place sometimes between January and March of 2007 in Siget in Romania.

 

 … MEETING OF WORLD COMMITTEE OF RUSYNS

 

For a decade the World Committee of Rusyns (WCR) have been meeting in the countries where Rusyns live. However, on Septemeber 19th, 2005 the executive committee of the World Congress of Rusyns – World Committee of Rusyns – finally met in Rusky  Kerestur in Vojvodina (Serbia and Montenegro). The meeting was held by the following members of the World Committee of Rusyns: Paul Robert Magocsi, the chairman and a representative of North America, Gheorghe Firczak, the deputy chairman (Romania), father Dimitrij Sidor (Sub-Carpathia in Ukraine), Lyubka Segedi-Falc (Croatia) and Dyura Papuga (Serbia and Montenegro). The secretary and three other members of WCR did not participate. Mykola Medesi from Kocur (Serbia and Montenegro), the chairman of World Forum of Rusyn Youth, took part at the meeting as a regular member.

 

The meeting was opened by the Rusyn national anthem Sub-Carpathian Rusyns followed by a working session of WCR where the Resolution from the 8th Congress of Rusyns, which took place on June 24th – 25th, 2005 in Krynica (Poland) was discussed. The participants also talked about the program preparation for the next 9th Congress of Rusyns, which will take place in Seged (Romania) in June 2007. After the morning session, the WCR chairman answered the questions of journalists at a press conference. In the afternoon, the members of WCR met the members of the Executive Committee of cultural-national organisation of Rusyns living in Serbia and Montenegro named Ruska Matka (Rusyn Cultural Foundation), with the residence in Rusky Kerestur. The issues discussed at the morning session were considered once again – the participants talked about the completion and realisation of particular points in the Resolution from the 8th World Congress of Rusyns and about the preparation of the 9th congress. Later on, the major representatives of the Ruska  Matka organisation informed the members of WCR about their activities. Like at the last congress, they again appealed to develop co-operation between Rusyn businessmen, to encourage students' mobility and to complete the cultural event calendar of those Rusyns, the organisations of who are members of the World Congress of Rusyns. D. Sidor, a member of WCR pointed out that the Rusyns living in Serbia and Montenegro have always been a moral support and a model for Rusyns living in Sub-Carpathia for the achieved national minority rights and the possibilities of their use; which, in Ukraine, is still rather inaccessible.

 

On September 15, 2005 a meeting of executive committee of the Ruska matka organisation took place. The participants talked about the 15th anniversary of the existance and activity of the Ruska Matka organisation and the preparation of a ceremonial celebration of the event. Moreover, the conception of the 3rd issue of the magazine Rusnak was discussed.

Michal ZAZULYAK, Rusky  Kerestur