Annual General Meeting of the UNF Ottawa-Gatineau Branch

Join us for the Annual General Meeting 2025 of the UNF Ottawa-Gatineau Branch, where the UNF and community members come together to reflect on the past year, discuss key initiatives, achievements, and shape priorities for the year ahead. The meeting will include reports on activities and governance, open discussion, and the election of branch leadership.

Details of the Annual General Meeting 2025 of the UNF Ottawa-Gatineau branch:

Date: Thursday, February 12

Time: 6:30pm Doors open 6:00pm

Location: 476 Holland ave (Ukrainian Credit Union branch)

Our guest speaker — Volodymyr Palagniuk — will also join us to share insights on diaspora engagement and community impact in Canada with his presentation on the topic "Activism in the Ukrainian Diaspora".

He will talk about the Activism in the Diaspora as a systemic and practical activity aimed at uniting the community and strengthening its influence within Canadian society. Within this topic, he will examine the establishment and development of community initiatives in Canada that operate in the cultural, educational, and social spheres. Special attention will be given to political activism — engagement with elected officials at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, participation in advocacy processes, and representation of community interests. He will also highlight the importance of working with sponsors and partners, which ensures resource support for projects, expands their scale, and contributes to achieving sustainable results.

A few words about the speaker:

Volodymyr Palagniuk is the founder of the Vyshyvanka Association, Chair of the Vyshyvanka Committee of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and a dedicated advocate for the Ukrainian community on the Parliament Hill.

Before immigrating to Canada, Volodymyr was a student rights activist and community leader throughout his high school and university years. He served as Student President of Ukraine and played a pivotal role in coordinating the Chernivtsi Euromaidan.

In Canada, Volodymyr founded the Vyshyvanka Association, which consolidated local initiatives and established Vyshyvanka Day—now celebrated in all provinces and territories. He also initiated the Vyshyvanka Parade in Toronto, which has grown into one of the signature events now organized by UCC–Toronto. Following this, he launched the first Born in Vyshyvanka program outside of Ukraine, through which nearly 1000 Ukrainian children born in Canada have received their first embroidered shirts.

As Chair of the Vyshyvanka Committee at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Volodymyr has been deeply committed to promoting Ukrainian culture and raising awareness about Ukraine at every level of Canadian government. He also developed the idea of Vyshyvanka Ribbons for Canadian leaders — an initiative now embraced in the House of Commons, Senate, all provincial and territorial legislatures, and numerous city councils across the country.

While working on Parliament Hill, he has organized numerous Ukraine-focused projects, including the Canada–Ukraine Twin Cities Initiative, which has already resulted in seven successful municipal twinning agreements and continues to expand.

As a communications professional, Volodymyr is dedicated to amplifying the Ukrainian message among Canadian officials and the public, strengthening ties between Canada and Ukraine, and championing the interests of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada.

Volodymyr and his wife Julia are proud parents of their daughter Victoria and son Maxym.

All UNF members, Ukrainian community members and supporters are welcome to the meeting.

Registration is required to help us estimate attendance and plan refreshments accordingly.

We look forward to welcoming you there.

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