| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | The objective of the Ukrainian Youth Association is to organize Ukrainian youth in Canada and to afford to its membership the means of social interpersonal contact, mutual assistance, spiritual, mental, social, cultural, educational and physical welfare, and recreation within their national organization. ; Based on the highest ideal - "God and Ukraine", the Association's programs promote the strongest principles of Christian ethics and national pride. Emphasis is placed on the important connection between one's role as a Canadian and one's role as a member of a Ukrainian Canadian community and Ukrainian nation. ; The founding meeting of Ukrainian youth in Toronto, held July 4, 1948, resulted in the establishment of the first Ukrainian Youth Association branch. One month later, on August 15, a temporary Organizational Bureau was established. Its goal, defined by the organization's Central Executive, was to organize as many branches as possible and to convene the First National Congress of the UYA in Canada. The Edmonton Branch was established November 1949.; By this time, the National Congress was held October 9-10, 1949, in Toronto. 700 members were organized in the following branches: Toronto, Oshawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Fort William, Windsor, Sudbury, Brantford, Noranda, St. Catherines and Vancouver. ; The Ukrainian Youth Association of Canada received a Federal charter September 23, 1957. |