Since then, the group has become an integral part of the life of the Ukrainian community in Chicago and Indiana. Every year, the choristers participate in festive events, public carol concerts, visit Ukrainian parishes with carols, and even give their music to patients in American veterans' hospitals.
The choir's conductor, Volodymyr Popovych, has deservedly gained recognition as the "golden maestro, our tuning fork," and the choir itself unites people of all ages - from 18 to 70. The participants are not only CYM members, but also singers outside the organization, including those of non-Ukrainian origin.
The festive concert ended with warm words of wishes: "And we generously wish you happiness, health, and many years!" - which symbolically summed up the spirit of unity, gratitude, and faith in the future of the Ukrainian community in America.
Background
The Union of Ukrainian Youth (SUM) in America was established in 1949. Its founders on American soil were Ukrainian immigrants from Europe - former members of the liberation movement, in particular, OUN-UPA activists, as well as adherents of the ideas of the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine (SVU) and the Union of Ukrainian Youth (SUM). The leaders of these organizations in the interwar period were Serhiy Yefremov and Mykola Pavlushkov.
The SVU and the SYM operated in Ukraine in 1925-1930, but were liquidated as a result of the so-called Kharkiv Process. Their leaders were repressed, sent into exile and later destroyed by the Soviet regime.
Based on the original ideas of the SVU-SUM, the main goal of which was the struggle for an independent Ukrainian state, the post-war generation of Ukrainians resumed the activities of the SYM in 1946 in Germany. The organization worked under the slogan “God and Ukraine,” focusing on educating Ukrainian youth in the spirit of national consciousness and readiness to gain Ukraine’s freedom.
From 1949 to the present, CYM in America has grown into a large and powerful public and educational organization.
In the city of Chicago, one of the largest and most active centers, the Mykola Pavlushkov CYM Center, is successfully operating, playing an important role in the life of the Ukrainian community and in the education of the younger generation. This year, CYM in Chicago, which proudly bears the name of Mykola Pavlushkov, is celebrating its honorable anniversary – 75 years since its founding.
Photo: Radio UA Chicago / Surma Newspaper
Author: Inna Mikhno