Chortkiv Delegation Visit (Oct’23)

In October 2023, UCAY was thrilled to welcome a three-member delegation from Chortkiv, Ukraine, Whitehorse’s newest sister city. The delegation included Mayor Volodymyr Shmatko, Ms. Marta Hlubish, Chair of Department of International Relations, Innovations, and Energy Management, and Dr. Serhii Budenkevych, City Deputy and Chair of Chortkiv Medical Branch.

The week-long visit to the Yukon, organized by UCAY, allowed our guests an opportunity to build relationships and share mutual economic and cultural benefits with local businesses and First Nations, as well as our Federal, Territorial and City officials and politicians.

The week was busy with meetings and events. The delegates met with Premier Ranj Pillai, Member of Parliament Brendan Hanley, Mayor Laura Cabott, along with Kwanlin Dun Chief Sean Smith, Ta’an Kwach’an Council Chief Amanda Leas, and CTFN Haa Shaa du Hen Maria Benoit, as well as local business and community organizations.

A highlight of the week included a trip out on the land with members of CTFN on their traditional territory, featuring a welcoming prayer, a tour of CTFN’s traditional territory, and a lunch hosted by Haa Shaa du Hen Maria Benoit and the community.

Mayor Shmatko said that his team was excited to meet the allies and supporters behind UCAY’s Yukon to Ukraine missions and to thank them personally for their work.

“It was like a light in the sky at night for us to receive the first assistance and friendship of the people of the Yukon,” Shmatko said. “It is an incredible boost to understand that the support of Canadians reaches [from] the far northwest of Canada, and we cannot wait to […} experience the beauty of the fabled Territory of Yukon firsthand.”

Yukoners were able to enjoy an evening of friendship, music, borsht, and a live and silent auction with our visitors at a gala charity event at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre. The evening provided an opportunity to showcase Ukrainian art, food, and hospitality to raise funds for future deliveries of medicines and supplies to Ukraine.

UCAY President Jeff Sloychuk said: “This is the first meeting of many between Yukon and Ukraine back home in Canada. They have been the most sincere and hospitable hosts for us on our many missions into Ukraine. We cannot wait to show them the foundation from which our support and solidarity springs.”

UCAY sent our visitors back to Ukraine with ten suitcases full of humanitarian aid and goods, including much needed tourniquets, IFAK’s, foldable stretchers, chest seals, hemostatic gauze, over the counter medicines, other medical supplies, laptops, tablets, cell phones, radios, winter boots, and thermal clothing.