Resolution of the Delegates of the 3rd World Forum of Rusyn Youth

23 June 2007, Maramorosh-Sighet

1. The delegates of the 3rd World Forum of Rusyn Youth (SFRM) as its most important task recognizes the admission of two new members, Rusyn youth organizations from Croatia and Romania.

2. We have taken the decision to create a website for the SFROM which would function as a press agency. And this activity will fall to groups of young people from various countries who will work on the website.

3. SFRM at its plenary meeting elected its president - Slavko Zahirsky of Poland and vice-president - Alena Blykhova of Slovakia.

4. SFRM unanimously expressed its appreciation that the president or the vice-president are now able to take part in meetings of the World council of Rusyns, with voting rights.

5. The work of the SFRM at its first meeting resolved that its next meeting will be held in the fall of 2007 in Presov in Slovakia.

Photo: President of the World Council of Rusyns Paul Robert Magocsi with the new president of the Council of the World Forum of Rusyn Youth Slavko Zahirsky of Poland and Vice-President Alena Blykhova of Slovakia.

New World Council of Rusyn Youth President

Newly-elected World Council of Rusyn Youth President Slavko Zagorski of Poland (on the right). Zagorski is also the head of a new Rusyn youth organization, Czuha, based in Krakow.

(from Lemkowyna.net)

Young Rusyn poets win major prize for literature

On Saturday, 23 June, the Dukhnovych Prize was awarded to three young writers from Serbia – Slavko Vinaji, Natalija Ribovic and Ivan Medjesi – for their collection Triolohija (Novi Sad, 2006).

The Dukhnovych Prize is given each year to honor and encourage Rusyn writers. The $1000 award was presented to the three poets at the Ninth World Congress of Rusyns and Third World Forum of Rusyn Youth in Sighetu Marmaţiei, Romania.

Triolohija was published in March 2006 by the youth journal MAK under its MAKoff imprint launched by MAK editor Boris Varga. This was the first book of poetry by young Rusyns in Serbia to appear in 17 years (the three poets are 24, 30 and 30 years of age).

Dukhnovych Prize jury member Elaine Rusinko describes the collection as “unusual both visually and linguistically, in form and content. The poems are avant-garde in style and express the thoughts of young Rusyns on contemporary themes in a creative use of the Rusyn language. In the work of the three authors there are suggestions of existentialism and the absurd, and the collection as a whole champions poetic freedom. Not every example is successful, but on the whole, the book is a bold attempt that will surely inspire other young Rusyns of all countries.”

Triolohija is not yet available on the internet, but the third book in the MAKoff line, Obecana zem (The Promised Land), is available here on the internet in .pdf format.

Saturday at the World Congress of Rusyns

Maramorosh/Sighetu, 24 June 2007 (RuthenPress) – The Aleksander Duhnovyc Prize for the best book written in the Rusyn language in the last five years was awarded at the World Congress of Rusyns to three young authors from Serbia.

A three-member jury chose a book of poetry by Natasa Ribovic, Slavko Vinaji and Ivan Medjesi, and jury member Vasilj Homa presented the award Saturday night in Sighetu.

On Saturday, the 9th World Congress of Rusyns worked in five commissions and their chairpeople reported on recent activities. They spent the afternoon working on the text of a resolution of the Congress’s delegates.

Saturday afternoon the World Forum of Rusyn Youth met, at which aside from news on their members’ work two youth organizations, from Croatia and Romania, were accepted as members of the Forum. A new president of the World Forum of Rusyn Youth, Slavko Zagorski of Poland, was also elected.

In the Congress program on Saturday was also the unveiling of a memorial plaque commemorating the nearly 100 Rusyns who in the beginning of the 20th century for religious reasons were arrested and tried by the Austro-Hungarian state.

- I am happy that we are in Romania for the first time and have the opportunity to meet with Rusyns from Maramures and Sighetu who were separated from the other Rusyn communities for a long time. Now we have the opportunity to speak and exchange experiences, President of the World Council of Rusyns Dr. Paul Robert Magocsi told RuthenPress.

The delegates’ Saturday work ended with a proposed Congress resolution that will be adopted today at the final meeting of the 9th World Congress. The decision to hold the 10th World Congress of Rusyns in Ruski Kerestur in 2009 will also be confirmed today.

Today, 24 June, the 9th World Congress of Rusyns ends with a meeting of the newly-elected World Council made up of representatives of Rusyn organizations from nine countries of Europe and North America. Dr. Paul Robert Magocsi was once again elected president of the World Council of Rusyns, and Djura Papuga was elected vice-president.

World Congress of Rusyns continues its work

SIGHETU, 23 June 2007 (RuthenPress) – With the reading of a letter of greetings from the Prime Minster of Romania and a welcoming speech by Sighetu Marmaţiei mayor Eugenii Godza, the plenary meeting of delegates and guests of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns began.

The World Congress began on 21 June with the arrival of delegates and guests from ten countries: Hungary, Poland, the United States and Canada, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Croatia and the Czech Republic. The official work of the congress began with an exhibition of photographs and promotions for books in the Romanian language by Paul Robert Magocsi and Marija Mal’covska. The working part of the congress yesterday evening ended with a meeting of the World Council of Rusyns.

This afternoon, presentations by all nine delegations which are participating at the congress brought news of their activities since the last congress. Everyone has experienced problems in their work, but the fact that “the Rusyn movement is experiencing a renaissance” is unavoidable.

At today’s plenary meeting, representative of the delegation of Rusyns from Serbia, Djura Papuga, suggested that Ruski Kerestur host the 10th World Congress of Rusyns in two year’s time. The final decision will be made on Saturday, 21 June.

At the same time, delegates of the Congress adopted official symbols for Rusyns. They adopted a flag, coat of arms and for the hymn adopted Dukhnovych’s song “Rusnak.”

Part of today’s program for the afternoon, guests and participants of the Congress will travel out on a several-hour visit to four Rusyn villages in Maramures. They are expected to visit Bistrij, Kruchuniv, Vishnja Rivna and Tisa.

Of the events that have already taken place, the ecumenical service for participants in the Congress must be mentioned, along with the literary and musical program that will be held tonight with performances by guests from Slovakia, Croatia and Romania.

Tomorrow, the Congress continues its work with reports on the activities of the sections as well as a meeting of the World Forum of Rusyn Youth. The same day in the center of Sighetu a memorial plaque will be unveiled to commemorate the Orthodox Rusyns who were victims of judicial processes in 1913-1914.

In the morning, elections to the World Council of Rusyns will be held, and the Resolution of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will be passed. A special program will be held Saturday evening to award the Aleksander Dukhnovych Prize for Literature.

The Congress ends its work on Sunday, 24 June, with a meeting of the newly-elected World Council of Rusyns.

9th World Congress of Rusyns, Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania

Programme of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns and the 3rd World Forum of Rusyn Youth

21st June, 2007 (Thursday):

After 12.00 – arrival of the participants at the Coroana hotel (Sighetu Marmaţiei, Piaţa Liberăţii, nr. 21), registration, check in.

15.00 – 16.00 – the participants of the congress and guests from Ukraine in particular will be welcomed by the attending members of the World Council of Rusyns (WCoR), at the Solotvino crossing, near Sighetu Marmaţiei.

17.00 – 18.30 – Exhibition Opening showing photographs of the activities of particular member organisations of the World Congress of Rusyns (WCR) in the foyer of the Coroana hotel and a ceremonial presentation of the Rusyn and Romanian version of “The People from Nowhere” (Народ нивыдкы; Popor de niciunde), a book by Paul Robert Magocsi, as well as the latest book by Mária Maľcovská – “The Green Mirage” (Zelená fatamorgána). In the cultural programme, Javorina, a group from Snina (Slovakia) will give a performance.

18.30 – 22.00 – dinner at the Coroana hotel

20.00 – 22.00 – meeting of WCoR in the Villy Royal restaurant, where the members of WCoR will be staying

22nd June, 2007 (Friday):

6.45 – 7.45 – ecumenical liturgy for the congress participants

8.00 – 9.00 – breakfast at the Coroana hotel

10.00 – 13.00 – plenary meeting of the 9th WCR in the concert hall of the local Lyceum of Arts

10.00 – 10.30 – 1st part – all participants will be welcomed by Gheoghe Firczak, the host of the congress meeting, who will lead this part of the plenary meeting. Speeches by the official guests will be given.

10.30 – 11.00 – 2nd part – election of the mandate, proposal and electoral committees and the leaders of the following sections: (1) culture and history, (2) literature and journalism, (3) confessional, (4) education, (5) economy and environment. This part will be lead by Alexander Zozuľák, Deputy of WCoR.

11.00 – 11.30 – 3rd part – voting on accepting the Association of Rusyn Organisations of Hungary, Slovak Association of Rusyn Organisations and the Rusyn Revival in Slovakia as full members of WCR. Approving of the Rusyn flag and national anthem. This part will be lead by P. R. Magocsi, Chairman of WCoR.

11.30 – 13.30 – 4th part – the leaders of individual delegations from the WCR member countries (in alphabetical order) will give 10-minute reports; at the end, a 20-minute speech by Paul Robert Magocsi, Chairman of WCoR, will be given. This and the following parts will be lead by A. Zozuľák, Deputy of WCoR.

13.30 – 14.30 – 5th part – discussion in which delegates and guests representing individual member countries of WCR, who registered in advance, will give their speeches. 12 participants of the congress can each give a 5-minute speech.

14.45 – 16.00 – lunch at the Coroana hotel

15.30 – 21.00 – eight 11-member groups of delegates from the individual WCR and World Forum of Rusyn Youth (WFRY) member countries, accompanied by members of the host organisation, will visit 4 Rusyn villages in the Maramoroš area (Bystryj – 40 km away from Sighetu, Kručuniv – 15 km, Vyšňa Rivna – 30 km and Tysa – 8 km). Transport will be provided by means of 8 minibuses.

19.00 – 22.00 – dinner at the Coroana hotel, a performance by Javorina (literary-singing-musical group from Snina, Slovakia), the singing-dancing group of the Rusyn Cultural-Educational Association from Nový Sad (Serbia), the group “Forum of Youth” based at the “Rusnak” Association (Croatia) and the school folk group Poľana (Deva, Romania).

23rd June, 2007 (Saturday):

8.00 – 9.30 – breakfast at the Coroana hotel

10.00 – 13.00 – meeting of the congress in five sections in the summer restaurant of the Coroana hotel: (1) culture and history, (2) literature and journalism, (3) confessional, (4) education, (5) economy and environment

– at the same time, a meeting of the 3rd WFRY in the restaurant of the Coroana hotel

13.00 – 14.00 – ceremonial unveiling of a memorial plate dedicated to the Orthodox Rusyn victims of the trial in 1913 – 1914 at the Town Hall of Sighetu Marmaţiei (former building of the Court)

14.00 – 15.00 – lunch at the Coroana hotel

15.30 – 18.30 – plenary meeting of the 9th WCR in the concert hall of the Lyceum of Arts, lead by A. Zozuľák, Deputy of WCoR

15.30 – 16.05 – 1st part – speeches given by the 5 section leaders on the outcomes of individual sections, 10 minutes each, as well as a speech by the Chairman of the WFRY (15 minutes) on the outcomes of the 3rd meeting of WFRY.

16.05 – 16.40 – 2nd part – report on management and approving the changes in the WCR Statute, read by the WCoR Deputy.

16.40 – 17.40 – 3rd part – discussion; a maximum of 12 delegates and guests can give a speech, 5 minutes each.

17.40 – 18.00 – 4th part – electing the World Council of Rusyns

18.00 – 18.15 – 5th part – electing the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Deputy of WCoR at the 1st meeting of the newly-elected WCoR

18.15 – 18.30 – 6th part – accepting the Resolution of the 9th WCR

18.45 – 19.45 – dinner at the Coroana hotel

20.00 – 22.00 – cultural programme in the concert hall of the Lyceum of Arts. At the beginning of the programme, the Aleksander Dukhnovich Award for Rusyn Literature will be ceremonially presented. The following groups will give performances in the programme: singing-dancing group of the Rusyn Cultural-Educational Association from Nový Sad (Serbia), the group “Forum of Youth” based at the “Rusnak“ Association (Croatia), literary-singing-musical group Javorina from Snina and the singing trio “Magurových” from Humenné (Slovakia), a poetry reading by Valéria Moriljaák (Hungary), singer Oľga Prokop (Ukraine), children’s group Lastivka from Dermanešt, the singing group Holubok from Veľký Pereg and semi-symphonic orchestra Rivulus Dominarus of the Lyceum of Arts in Baia Mare (Romania), which will play the Rusyn Symphony by Dragos Pavliuk.

24th June, 2007 (Sunday):

9.00 – 10.00 – breakfast at the Coroana hotel

10.30 – 12.30 – meeting of the new WCoR in the café of the Coroana hotel. The other participants can either enjoy time-off or take an excursion through town

12.30 – 14.00 – lunch

After 14.00 – departure of the participants of the 9th WCR and the 3rd WFRY

Photo: The building of the Lyceum of Arts in Sighetu Marmatiei (Romania), where, on June 22nd - 23rd, 2007, a plenary meeting of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will take place.

Vojvodina Rusyns ready for the World Congress

From RuthenPress (Serbia)

Ruski Kerestur, 19 June 2007 – The ninth World Congress of Rusyns and the Third World Forum of Rusyn Youth starts on Thursday, 21 June, in the Romanian town Sighet, Ruska Matka president Djura Papuga has told RuthenPress.

The Ruska Matka delegation to the 9th World Congress, which runs through 24 June, is made up of its president, Djura Papuga; Ljubomir Dudas of Ruski Kerestur; Jaroslav Sabol, Janko Pap and Vladimir Harhaji of Novi Sad; Ksenija Medjesi and Marija Skrbic of Kocur; Vladimir Bucko of Kula and Miroslav Siladji and Julijan Hornjak of Verbas.

Together with the World Congress of Rusyns, Sighet will also host the Third World Forum of Rusyn Youth, where the participants from Vojvodina will be: Mikola Medjesi from Kocur, who is the president of this world body of young people, as well as Tat’jana Siladji of Verbas, Vladislav Cap of Ruski Kerestur and Anita Govlja of Sid.

Just as all other World Congresses of Rusyns, this one also has its guests, and from Vojvodina these include Slavko Oros, president of the National Council of Rusyns; Fr. Joakim and Fr. Mihail Holosnjajovo, priests from Djurdjovo; Igor Varga, president of the Kerestur youth organization Pakt Ruthenorum; and Slavko Vinaji and Igor Petricevic, journalists from Radio Television Novi Sad.

Delegates and guests of the 9th World Congress of Rusyns will take part in the work of five commissions of the Congress – for education, culture, spiritual life, information and economic development.

Aside from the delegations and guests who will participate in the working sections of the Congress and the Forum, the folk ensemble of the Rusyn Cultural-Educational Society (RKPD) of Novi Sad will also participate in the cultural-artistic program accompanying the Congress and Forum.

Together with the RKPD ensemble, the delegates and guests from Serbia to the 9th World Forum of Rusyns and Third World Forum of Rusyn Youth in Sighet numbers 55 persons.

Already at the beginning of this year, the World Council of Rusyns confirmed a proposal for organizing and holding the Congress, and expects that among the decisions of the 9th Congress in Sighet will be passage of a resolution on a symbol, flag and hymn for all Rusyns.

Summer in Kerestur

The Vojvodina Rusyns’ youth organization Pakt Ruthenorum is organizing ”Summer in Kerestur,” an international summer camp in Ruski Kerestur, Serbia, from 17 to 30 July.

“We want to entice as many young people in Kerestur as possible. Recently, we had the first promotional party for the camp, and soon this will be included in the activities of Volunteer Center Vojvodina, which is the camp’s main organizer,” Pakt Ruthenorum member Saso Paljenkas told the Rusyn press agency Ruthenpress.

Young people from 15 countries are expected to participate, and the camp will be conducted also in cooperation with local municipalities, institutions and individuals. Participants are not required to stay all 15 days, but are encouraged to participate as much as possible.

If you want more information and you’ve got international long distance, call Vladimir Nad’ Acim at 064-618-21-24 or Igor Varga at 064-183-92-97. Otherwise you can email Saso Paljenkas.

Juraj Jakubisko�s statement to the World Forum of Rusyn Youth
Read by Anna Kuznakova


I am awfully happy that there were, are and will still be Rusyns in the world!

I am happy that Andy Warhol was a Rusyn, that I am a Rusyn. You are Rusyns and everyone at this congress are Rusyns! We simply are here in this world, and we are leaving traces behind us of which we can be proud...

I sincerely congratulate you all.

Your Juraj Jakubisko.

______________________________________

Som stra�ne rad, �e na svete bolo, je a e�te bude vela Ruskanov!

Som stastny, �e Andy Warhol bol Rusnakom, �e ja som Rusnak. Vy ste Rusnak, i v�eta na tomto kongrese ste Rusnaci! Proste sme tu a na tomto svete ostave po nas stope, na ktoru mo�eme byt pysni...

Srde�ne Vas v�etkych pozdravujem.

Vas Juraj Jakubisko.

Jar� hosts Rusyn youth in Krakow

On 14 and 15 March, the preparatory committee for the World Forum of Rusyn Youth met in Krakow, Poland. Unfortunately, only delegations from Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine managed to arrive. The Serbian delegation was unable to attend due to the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran �in�i� just days before; the Russians could not come due to the cost of the visa for Poland.

These issues made European integration a major topic of discussion at the meeting. There are Rusyn minorities in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, all of which will join the European Union next May. However, Rusyn populations also live in Ukraine, Russia, Romania and Serbia; these countries are expected to sit on the sidelines of European integration for many years to come.

The meeting was hosted by the Lemko Rusyn youth group Jar�, led by Damian Trochanowski and Olena Du�. The organization is based in Ruska Bursa, in the Gorlice region of Poland. The Pedagogical Academy of Krakow co-hosted the meeting.

The prep committee for the youth forum met twice last year, in Budapest and Komlo�ka, Hungary. The World Forum of Rusyn Youth will be held simultaneously with the World Congress of Rusyns in June 2003, in Pre�ov, Slovkia. Delegations from ten countries made up of Rusyns under the age of 30 are expected to participate.

See:

Petro Krajnjak, Jr. �Rusyn�ska molode� zasidala v Krakovi,� Narodny Novynky, 13-14, 2 April 2003. p.1

and

�Miedzynarodowy zjazd Lemkyw,� Gazeta Krakwoska, 15 March 2003.

Narodny Novynky: Molody Rusyny sja Strityly v Komlosci

Petro Krajanjak describes the first-ever World Rusyn Summer Camp, held from 21-25 August 2002 in the Rusyn village Komloska, Hungary. Young Rusyns from Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia and Russia gathered to prepare for the upcoming World Forum of Rusyn Youth. The World Forum will be held in Presov, Slovakia, on 7 June 2003.

Organizers hope to attract delegations of young Rusyns from the Czech Republic, Romania, the United States and Canada to future events. Delegations of young people from the six countries which participated in the summer camp, as well as from those which did not, will form the World Forum.

At Narodny Novynky

Kerestur's United Party

YUGOSLAVIA, 3 June 2002. Ruski Kerestur's Rusyn and Ukrainian groups joined forces on 10 May to host the United Party, an invitation-only cocktail party designed to show that the two groups can rise above their differences and cooperate towards common goals. More than 50 people attended the party, which lasted until 4 a.m.

Five groups joined in: Ruska Matka's Youth Forum, the youth group of the Union of Rusyns and Ukrainians (Sojuz), the magazines MAK and Time Out and a brand new organization called Teledom Ruthen.

Despite its name, Teledom Ruthen has nothing to do with television. It is a small network of cultural centers in villages and smaller towns. The centers offer such services as internet access, foreign language classes and theatre workshops.

Cocktail parties are rare enough in Kerestur, but what was even more interesting were the cocktails' names: Matka and Sojuz mix, MAK Hurricane , Rusyn National Poison...

The party also honored MAK, which began publication last September. Ruski Kerestur's Rusyns and Ukrainians hope to build on the success of the United Party with further joint actions.

Rusalka: First Independent Rusyn Youth Event

This year's Med�ilabirce 40th Festival of Culture and Sport will feature the first major event organized by the Rusyn Youth Movement of Slovakia, a concert entitled "Rusyn National Song in the Lives of Young People." The concert will be held on 30 June 2002 as the final event of the festival.

Prague's IGNIS will perform, along with the Med�ilabirce folklore group Kamjana. The event will also feature a short program prepared by local students, and will be followed by a "national party" with Rusyn songs preformed in modern styles by Roland from the town of �ir�o.