During the Forum of Ukrainians of Eastern Europe happening in Przemyśl, a delegation from the Pastoral and Migration Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, including Fr. Andriy Hakh, Fr. Roman Ilnytskyi, and Fr. Vitaliy Khrabatyn, had the opportunity to meet with Paul Grod, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC).
This was reported by the UGCC Department for Information.
During the meeting, the UWC President expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for its ongoing dedication to promoting Ukrainian identity on a global scale. He also extended special thanks to the UGCC Pastoral and Migration Department (PMD) for effectively coordinating Ukraine's advocacy efforts in regions where the UGCC's hierarchical structures are not present.
Members of the PMD actively participated in various thematic round tables throughout the Forum. For example, Fr. Andriy Hakh engaged in the discussion titled “Ukrainian Education Abroad: How to Preserve Ukrainian Identity and National Consciousness,” which was moderated by Lyubov Lyubchik, chair of the World Coordination Council for Education and Culture of the Ukrainian World Congress. In his remarks, Fr. Andriy highlighted the UGCC's readiness to collaborate with international educational institutions, emphasizing that “As a Church, we are not competitors to schools, but we are always open to participating in the educational process, particularly through the teaching of Christian ethics or catechism.”
Fr. Vitaliy Khrabatyn contributed to the round table on “Fakes vs. Truth: Are We Ready for New Waves of Information Warfare?”, moderated by Vira Konyk, chair of the Congress of Ukrainians of Estonia. During his address, he emphasized the need to produce high-quality information content for Ukrainians living abroad, foster partnerships with friendly news agencies across Eastern Europe, and develop strategies to protect Ukrainian organizations and leaders as they face escalating information attacks.
Fr. Roman Ilnytskyi participated in a discussion about engaging youth, titled “Networks Instead of Borders: How to Unite Ukrainian Youth in Eastern Europe?” He urged that special focus be given to those Ukrainians who have not yet engaged in public and church life, encouraging them to join communities and share their experiences in organizations that influence the cultural, linguistic, and spiritual foundations of the younger generation.
The Forum of Ukrainians of Eastern Europe took place in the Polish city of Przemyśl from December 12 to 14, marking the first significant gathering of Ukrainian community representatives from thirteen nations, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
“The Forum in Przemyśl confirmed the readiness of Ukrainian communities in Eastern Europe for joint, coordinated action and became an important step toward strengthening a united, strong, and European future for Ukraine,” concluded the UWC President.