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Ukrainian Community Abroad: Origins and Status. There have been four waves of massive migration from Ukraine in the formation of the current Ukrainian diaspora. The first wave, from the late quarter of the 19th century until the end of the WWI, was caused by predominantly socioeconomic conditions. The second population outflow, between the two world wars, was brought about both by socioeconomic and political circumstances. The third heavy wave of emigration, which was exclusively political, was instigated by WWII and its aftermath. The end of the 20th century marks the fourth migration wave, which is largely of socioeconomic character. In recent times, the emigration flow from Ukraine to certain countries (especially, the USA and Canada) has changed. Emigrants now come from the scientific and technical intelligentsia, including professionals in such fields as system analysis, programming, biology, novel materials, and computer application.
The collapse of the USSR and the emergence in its space of young sovereign states made Ukrainian ethnic minorities, that had formed in these countries because of human resources relocations practiced by the totalitarian regime, find themselves abroad. In fact, a new social phenomenon ? the Eastern Ukrainian diaspora emerged.
Due to international territorial division of the 20th century a portion of ethnic Ukrainians wound up beyond the Ukrainian borders. This category of Ukrainians abroad belongs to autochthonous national minorities of several European countries: Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Romania, Moldova’s TransDnistro region, border oblasts of the Russian Federation, etc.
Nowadays, the number of persons of Ukrainian origin living outside the country is close to 16 to 20 millions.
The majority of the Ukrainians abroad reside in the Russian Federation. The 2002 all-Russian census results show that 2 943 471 citizens of the RF identify themselves as ethnic Ukrainians. However, unofficial statistics estimate that the Ukrainian population of Russia exceeds 10 million. Thus, as far back as several years ago Russian demographers avowed publicly the fact of close to 8 to 10 millions Russian citizens of Ukrainian origin living in that country.
Over 1 027 000 citizens of Ukrainian origin reside in Canada in accord to census of 2001 conducted there.
The number of persons of Ukrainian descent in the USA in accord to 2002 census was close to 900 thousand, although some American demographers believe that the actual representation of Ukrainian ethnos in the US is within the range of 1.5 to 2 million.
Among the countries of major Ukrainian communities abroad are Moldova, 660 thousand; Kazakhstan, 550 thousand; Brazil, 500 thousand; Argentina, 300 to 350 thousand; Belarus, 237 thousand (leaders of Ukrainian community in this country claim that only in the Brest oblast ? the former ethnic region of Ukraine almost half a million of ethnic Ukrainians reside); and Uzbekistan, 100 thousand.
Large Ukrainian communities also exist in the following: Romania (over 61 thousand); Latvia (around 60 thousand); Kyrgyzstan (up to 46 thousand); Poland (close to 40 thousand according to the official statistics, and over 200 thousand under unofficial data); Slovakia (about 35 thousand); Georgia (roughly 35 thousand); Australia (over 34 thousand); the UK (about 30 thousand); France (close to 30 thousand); Germany (30 thousand); Azerbaijan (29 thousand); Estonia (28 thousand); Czech Republic (in excess of 22 thousand); Lithuania (22 thousand); Serbia and Montenegro (over 20 thousand); Turkmenistan (17 thousand); Hungary (over 6 thousand); Bosnia and Herzegovina (nearly 5 thousand); Croatia (4,3 thousand); Tajikistan (4 thousand); Austria (3 thousand); Armenia (over 2 thousand); and Bulgaria (closely 1,5 thousand).
At the same time, there are many Ukrainians representing temporal labor migration in Spain (over 80 thousand), Portugal (about 60 thousand), Greece (over 30 thousand), and other countries. The government of Ukraine is unsparing in its efforts to provide for the legal rights and interests of its citizens that work in the countries of Europe. Close attention is paid to adjusting mechanics of legal employment for the Ukrainian citizens in these countries, improving their social protection and expanding correspondent bilateral normative and juridical basis.
Compared with other diasporas, the Ukrainian communities’ public associations are the most numerous; at a conservative estimate they are close to 3 thousand. The greatest number of them are in Canada, where there is almost a thousand of political, cultural and educational, occupational (e.g., associations of physicians, teachers, engineers, lawyers, etc.), feminine, youth centers, and etc.
The World Congress of Ukrainians (WCU) is the international Ukrainian organization that rallies approximately 50 associations representing almost 30 countries. Overall, all these associations involve from 20 to 30 percent of the total number of every Ukrainian community.
In a number of states of Easter and partially Central Europe, as well as in Baltic countries, the political and legal status of Ukrainian community legislatively vested as of a national minority. It provides for substantial government support for the efforts of local Ukrainian communities aimed at preservation of the national originality, to get schooling and information in the native tongue, etc. In the countries where there is no status of national minority for the Ukrainian community, provision of national and cultural needs is becoming a matter of concern for those Ukrainians living there.
The issue of satisfaction of national and cultural needs of the Ukrainians abroad is a subject of bilateral intergovernmental negotiations at all levels. The number of the bilateral agreements that stipulate the realization of cultural, educational and other demands of Ukrainian diasporas are on the increase with mixed bilateral intergovernmental commissions on issues of securing national minorities’ rights created.
The state policy concerning relations with the Ukrainian community abroad is based on the following acts of law: The Constitution of Ukraine; the President’s of Ukraine Decree “On the National Program ‘Ukrainians Living Overseas’ for the Period up to 2005” dated September 24, 2001; and the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Status of Ukrainians Living Overseas” adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on March 4, 2004. In addition, work is being completed over the Draft Laws of Ukraine “On the Conception of the National Policy Towards the Ukrainian Community Overseas” and “On the Conception of the State Ethnic and National Policy”.
Helpful References
UKRSVIT Society
Institute of Diaspora Research
Ukrainian Diaspora's Portal BRAMA (USA)
PLAST Ukrainian Youth Association of Canada
Ukraine - Europe (France)
Diaspora's Site in Hungary
Ukrainian Portal in Poland
Ukrainian Diaspora's site in Australia
Ukrainian Forum in Czech Republic
Ukrainian Diaspora in the Russian Federation |
