Notes from the Convention
The 28th Convention of Belarusians of North America was held this year on the grounds of the Belarusan-American Community Center Polacak near Cleveland. It was organized by the Belarusan-American Association (BAZA) and the Belarusan Canadian Alliance (ZBK), and hosted by the local branch of BAZA.
The first day allowed the participants from many US states, Canadian provinces, from Great Britain and Belarus to mingle, exchange the latest family news and political concerns, view the art and craft stands, buy books and souvenirs, see recent documentary films, take part in the volleyball tournament, and taste traditional foods. The day ended with a sing-along accompanied on accordion by Fedzia Paulavets who flew in from Las Vegas for the occasion.
The next day was somewhat more formal. After the various church services, and after the raising of US, Canadian and Belarus flags, the Polacak President Anatol Lukjanczuk, the local BAZA head Siarhei Ramaniuk, and the heads of the sponsoring organizations, Walter Stankievich and Dzmitry Elyashevich invited the guests to enter the Center.
The BNR Rada President Ivonka Survilla and Ambassador David Swartz, the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Belarusian Studies (CBS), addressed the gathering.
The key element of the Convention – the Conference Panel Discussion focusing on the Convention’s theme “The Year of Belarusian Statehood”— was moderated by Vital Zajka, the President of the New York BAZA Branch. The Round Table dealing with the role of the future diaspora generations, was led by Paula Survilla, Wartburg College professor and the Executive Director of CBS. (Some conference selections and the text of the adopted resolution are featured elsewhere in this issue.) The panel speakers were Alena Makouskaya, the head of Batskaushchyna, the worldwide Association of Belarusians, Valentyna Tryhubovich, an activist in the ecumenical movement in Belarus, historian Illa Kunitski, and Zianon Pazniak, the leader of the Belarusian Conservative Christian Party.
On display in the hall were the works of a number of Belarusian artists from US and Canada. The final part of the event — the Convention Ball was preceded by a well-received concert, arranged and MC’d by Alla Orsa Romano. Representing Canada at the concert were soloists Sviatlana Litvinava and Valentyna Shauchenka, accompanied by Yuras Zhvalikoski, and the US – Fedzia Paulavets, poet-bard Siarzhuk Sokalau-Voyush, his sons Svietavit and Slavamir, Valentyna Yakimovich and the video presentation of songs by Danchyk.
A number of locations in Canada and the United States are under consideration as the venue for the Convention in 2010.
This article appeared in
Belarusian Review, Vol. 20, No. 3
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