A quarter century of excellence
Written By: Jacqueline Janelle
2002-04-29
How do you set up an institute to examine, study and preserve a culture that half the world vehemently argues doesn't even exist? With tenacity and skill.Two Sundays ago in the evening, a shining example of such determination was celebrated at the Faculty Club. Federal and provincial dignitaries, academics, religious leaders and the Ukrainian Canadian community turned out in full force for a gala evening to celebrate a quarter-century of incredible accomplishments by the Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies (CIUS).
Twenty-five years ago, Ukrainian culture was under siege: in Eastern Europe the occupying Soviet Union was actively suppressing any signs of Ukrainian individuality; in Western academic circles, attitudes towards the protection of this distinct culture ranged from indifference to downright hostility. As a consequence, nationalist pride eroded to the point that second and third generation Ukrainian-Canadians were only too happy to sweep their history under the rug.
Dr. Manoly Lupul saw things differently; he was a professor of the history of Canadian education at the University of Alberta and a strong supporter of Canadian principles of multi-culturalism. Concerned that his heritage faced extinction by apathy, Lupul became determined to stem the loss.
"He felt the Ukrainian community and academia needed more information about Ukraine, particularly since Ukrainian heritage was being persecuted by the Soviet Union at that time," said Dr. Zenon Kohut, director of the CIUS.
Professor Lupul and a group of fellow academics from across the country doggedly set about securing funds, endowments and academic support for an institute dedicated to protecting the Ukrainian identity. But the CIUS did much more, developing top-notch research in Ukrainian language, history, and culture. Over the last 25 years the CIUS has become a beacon for Ukrainian scholars around the world.
The institute initially played an important role as a cultural surrogate for politically oppressed Ukrainian nationals, preserving a broad range of cultural and historical information and excelling in research forbidden in the homeland. With the collapse of the USSR and the fledgling independence of a Ukrainian state, the role of the CIUS has blossomed into that of mentor both in the Ukraine and in North America.
"The fundamental mission of the institute has remained the same, but what changed were the priorities,” said Kohut. "Suddenly there was burgeoning interest in Ukrainian culture among Western scholars; there was a greater integration of Ukrainian culture into the mainstream."
Expert researchers at the CIUS have been called upon to help fill the void in other universities' academic calendars. The extensive and highly regarded inventory of institute publications, including the much heralded Encyclopedia of Ukraine, has become a hot commodity in academic circles. "Institutions like Columbia, Yale, and Stanford are looking to us to help establish programs at their university," Kohut said.
To ensure that Ukraine benefits from the current global enthusiasm for its culture, the institute has played a pivotal role in rebuilding academics in the newly independent state. After opening a CIUS office in Kyiv, the institute began publishing in Ukraine, organizing conferences, guiding Ukrainian institutions, and, most importantly, offering grants to scholars. "With the collapse of the Ukrainian economic system, young academics were being forced to abandon their profession," said Kohut. "Small grants go a long way."
The CIUS is most eager to encourage the development of new academics from the Ukraine, not only to enhance the Ukraine's global presence, but also to increase the number of qualified academics, who are now in short supply.
Currently, the institute is making a push to enter the digital age, but skilled academics are needed to edit and interpret the information. "There are very few of these people around because it takes years to train them," said Kohut. "We want to get things on the Internet because it's the first stop for so many people."
Simply getting the seminal Encyclopedia of the Ukraine online and ready for regular updates will be a mammoth undertaking.
Kohut also wants to post many simpler but equally important publications on the Web to actively encourage the development of Ukrainian studies enthusiasts. Since 1979, the CIUS' Ukrainian Language Education Centre (formerly the Ukrainian Language Resource Centre) has been responsible for developing and producing learning material for Ukrainian bilingual programs available across the prairies, and Kohut would like to see these materials made more widely available. Finding the money to support these projects is, of course, a perennial problem for the institution. "Funding cuts have really hurt us. In the decade I have been director we've been cut by almost a third."
Despite financial setbacks, Kohut remains optimistic about finding the resources to continue to support what is quickly becoming a national treasure on two continents.
Original: ExpressNews