50th Anniversary of Ukrainian Women`s AssociationPrint Page

The Chinese Weeping Elm trees commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Ukrainian Women`s Association which was founded in the Cowra Migrant Camp on September 13th 1949.

The first branch of the Ukrainian Women's Association (U.W.A.) was formed on September 13th, 1949 in Cowra migrant camp. Mrs. I. Polensly was the inaugural president. Ukrainian women were holding meetings in all the migrant centres across Australia, however Cowra is always considered to be the cradle of the U.W.A in Australia

The Ukrainian women who came to Australia in the period immediately after the second world war were highly organised at a very early stage. This, in part, can be explained by the fact that they regarded themselves to be simply 'renewing' pre-exisitng assocations that were established in the Ukraine some years earlier. The National Women's Council founded in Ukraine iin 1919 served Ukrainian women during the period of Ukrainian independence and continued its work in exile in Prague, Czechoslovakia until 1937 when the Ukrainian Women's Association in Lvov, Western Ukraine took upon itself the task of founding another co-ordinating centre - the World Association of Ukrainian Women. World War Two, however, terminated the work of this co-ordinating body.

As well as organising events and services for the local community, the organisation took a keen interest in the position of women back in the Ukraine. They circulated petitions to bring attention to human rights abuses of women under the Soviet system.

Location

Address:	Mid-Western Highway, Europa Park, Cowra, 2794
State:	NSW
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -33.829602 Long: 148.707971 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Trees
Monument Theme:	Culture
Sub-Theme:	Community
Actual Event Start Date:	13-September-1949
Actual Event End Date:	13-September-1999

Dedication

Source: MA