Canadian lawyer Eugene Czolij was re-elected to a second five-year term as president of the Ukrainian World Congress at the group’s tenth gathering held in Lviv in late August.
A senior
partner at Lavery, de Billy, one of the largest law firms in Quebec, Czolij became
the international non-governmental organization’s 11th president in 2008 when
he was first elected.
Throughout
his first term in office, Czolij worked in defense of the national and human
rights of all Ukrainians, regardless of their country of residence. He has also
dedicated himself to ensuring that Ukraine realize its European integration
aspirations.
The UWC is
the international coordinating body for Ukrainian communities representing the
interests of more than 20 million Ukrainians. The UWC has member organizations
in 33 countries and ties with Ukrainians in 14 additional countries. Founded in
1967 as a non-profit corporation, the UWC was recognized in 2003 by the United Nations
Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organization with special
consultative status.
Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached
at rachkevych@kyivpost.com.
