More than 1000 Ukrainians are living on the territory of South Africa. They are mostly the residents of Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannesburg. At the consular register, there are permanently or temporarily 300 citizens. The status of a Foreign Ukrainian was received by 8 people (7 citizens of South Africa and 1 citizen of Namibia).
Ukrainian diaspora in South Africa is enough young, as Ukrainians basically arrived in SA after 1990. Most Ukrainians in South Africa have higher education: teachers, physicians, representatives of engineering and technical specialties and services, as well as artists and business owners. Ukrainian communities in South Africa in the cities of Cape Town, Pretoria and Johannesburg began to form in 2014.
Since 2017, the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (NPO 189-705) has been working as a non-governmental public organization. The main priorities of its activities are the grouping and support of Ukrainians living and staying in South Africa; support of Ukrainian language and Ukraine's interests in South Africa; assistance in establishing scientific, educational, cultural, social and economic ties between Ukraine and South Africa; humanitarian support to Ukraine, cooperation with other non-governmental organizations for the implementation of humanitarian activities.
The role of the UAZA in countering Russian propaganda and dissemination of information about Russia Federation aggression against Ukraine and democracy
Ukrainian Association of South Africa is systematically informing the South African public about the Russian aggression against Ukraine (a series of lectures and other events in 2017 and 2018). In the city of Cape Town, there is an Ukrainian library containing books that tell about Russian aggression and the occupation of the Crimean peninsula.
The Ukrainian Association of South Africa maintains a regular newsletter on significant events in Ukraine and events organized both for Ukrainians living in South Africa and South Africans who are interested in Ukraine.
In October 2018, the Ukrainian Association of South Africa together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized a lecture by the President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Eugene Czolij "Ukraine, Russia and the Hybrid War" at the South African Institute of International Relations.
The Ukrainian Association of South Africa cooperates with members of the National Assembly of South Africa, representatives of the government of the province of Western Cape and representatives of the City Council of Cape Town.
In November 2018, the UAZA appealed to the National Assembly of South Africa with the requirements of condemning the aggression of the Russian Federation in Azov Sea and the release of Ukrainian sailors and ships.
Recognition of the Holodomor as an act of genocide
In 2017, on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, UAZA organized a screening of "Beaten Harvest" movie at the Labia cinema (Cape Town, November 22) and Brooklyn Mall (Pretoria, November 23).
On October 23, 2018, the UA of South Africa joined the international action "A candle of memory" and together with the Embassy of Ukraine in South Africa organized an open lecture by the researcher of Harvard University Nadia Kravets "Death by Famine: Geography and the Consequences of Stalin's Terror by the Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine". Both the families of Ukrainians in South Africa and South Africans visited the open lecture at the Holocaust Center in Cape Town.
UA of South Africa together with the Embassy of Ukraine conducts a campaign to recognize the Holodomor as an act of genocide. In particular, in October 2017, MPs of South Africa received a petition calling for recognition of the Holodomor, a genocide of Ukrainians.
Contribution to the popularization of Ukrainian music, dance, cuisine, traditions and folk culture is an important part of UAZA activity
On March 11, 2017, UAZA organized the "First Ukrainian Festival", which took place in Cape Town. During the festival, more than 1,000 South Africans were learning more about the history of Ukraine, the possibilities for economic cooperation, enjoying Ukrainian music, poetry, learned to dance folk dancing, to draw pysanky, and much more. Ukrainian folk theatre from Donetsk "Divina" performed for the festival visitors. The highlight of the festival was the performance of Ukrainian bandurists living in South Africa - Nadiya Prymak and Svetlana Neil.
The "Second Ukrainian Festival", which took place on October 28, 2018, was visited by 6067 South Africans and Ukrainians with their families. It was a festival of Ukrainian culture, cuisine, traditions, and innovations.
Participation of UAZA in the global activities of Ukrainian diasporas
On May 18-19, 2017, a representative of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa, Olesya Loubser, took part in the First Economic Forum of Diaspora, organized by the Ukrainian World Coordination Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine. As a result, a representative office of the CCI of Ukraine was opened in Cape Town.
July 7-8, 2017 - Representatives of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa participated in the 5th Forum of the Network of Ukrainian Diaspora Organizations "Global Ukraine".
August 25-30, 2017 - Representative of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa Tetyana Hurn took part in the 50th Congress of the Ukrainian World Coordination Council in Lviv.
On November 1, 2018, the UAZA organized events with the participation of the President of the World Congress of Ukrainians Evgen Czolij. Among them - an economic seminar on Ukraine in the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce with the participation of Evgen Czolij, Lyubov Abravitova (Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine in South Africa); Christian Baasson (Ambassador of South Africa to Ukraine (2014-2018)); Olesya Loubser (representative of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce in Western Cape); Dzvinka Kachur (President of the UAZA).
In November 2018, UAZA became an associate member of the World Congress of Ukrainians.
Among UAZA members there are many professional artists,
in particular:
Oleksiy Ishchenko is a professional choreographer in the fields of ballet, hip-hop, jazz, jazz-funk, and traditional folk dance.
Svitlana Sheremet is a classical vocalist and pianist. Works in a wide range of musical genres, from folk music to jazz.
Tatyana Hurn - Ukrainian artist-muralist. Recently completed work "Paradise Cruise" (264 square meters), depicting various countries of the world, including Ukraine, with the interest of the local population to discover the cultures of other countries.
Ana Kuni - Ukrainian artist. In 2018, she created a mural in Salt River, which became part of the International Festival of Public Art in Cape Town (www.ipafest.co.za).
Nadiya Prymak is a professional musician from Ukraine who popularizes Ukrainian culture by presenting a bandura in South Africa. Her repertoire covers both Ukrainian traditional songs and jazz. Nadiya performs at many cultural events, has recorded songs, represented a bandura on the SABC channel (South Africa).
Svetlana Neil - the Ukrainian bandura player, taught the Bandura at the music school in Ukraine.
Antonina Darienko is a professional singer in the genre of popular folk music. In collaboration with a South African musician, she recorded a musical "Droomvrou" that tells the story of a Ukrainian woman who came to South Africa.
For more information follow the links
http://www.uaza.co.za
http://www.uaza.co.za/ukrainian-school/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/UkrainianAssociationofSouthAfrica.UAZA/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gYRkGCU1v0&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUU8Ykhfy2s&t=364s
https://youtu.be/F55HdKq_Fx4