In 1967, the World Congress of Free Ukrainians — the largest global organization of Ukrainians — was created in New York. The congress took place from November 12 to November 19, 1967. The purpose of the congress was to unite and help the Ukrainian people in their struggle for state independence and to coordinate the activities of its members — organizations of the Ukrainian diaspora in different countries.
The Congress of Freedom became the first mass manifestation of Ukrainian unity in the church, public, and political spheres of life. More than a thousand delegates from 17 countries of the world took part in these meetings.
At this Congress, a decision was made to create the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, which, after the declaration of Ukraine’s independence in 1993, was renamed the World Congress of Ukrainians (WCU).
Social and political developments in the Soviet Union, the harsh policy towards the Ukrainian SSR, the protests of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, and the suppression of the dissident movement in the 1960s played a significant role in the formation of the Ukrainian community abroad. Ukrainians who left their homeland could not be mere observers; they sought to help their homeland in every possible way in the struggle for freedom and independence of Ukraine.
Father-Prelate Vasyl Kushnir, who was later elected as the first president, opened the WCFU Congress in New York.
The delegates of the Congress adopted the “First Manifesto to the Ukrainian People in Ukraine and Beyond Its Borders in the USSR and the Countries of the Moscow Bloc,” which emphasized that the WCFU would help its people in their struggle until they were finally liberated and built an independent, sovereign, and united state.
Since 2003, the WCU has been recognized as a non-governmental organization with special consultative status by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
The governing body of the WCU is the congress, which is convened once every five years, and between congresses — the secretariat, which is headed by the presidium.
The following points are set as goals:
- To represent the interests of Ukrainian diasporas from all over the world.
- To preserve the national Ukrainian identity, spirituality, language, and culture of Ukrainians.
- To coordinate the activities of Ukrainian member organizations of the WCU in the areas of activity determined by the congress.
- To mobilize public opinion among fellow citizens in the countries where Ukrainians live to strengthen favorable attitudes towards Ukraine and its state, spiritual, and economic development.
- To protect the rights of Ukrainians (regardless of their place of residence) in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.