UCCLA - For Immediate Release (Calgary, 21 January 2009)
The Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation (UCCLF) is pleased to announce Christina Dykun, 21, of Toronto, Ontario as the recipient of this year’s inaugural Civil Liberties Opinion-Editorial Award.
This award was to be given to a high school or post-secondary student who had an opinion-editorial on a Holodomor theme published in a major Canadian newspaper, an initiative undertaken in recognition of the 75th anniversary of Ukraine’s Famine Genocide.
Christina’s submission, titled “Nation still hungers for the truth”, appeared in the November 23rd edition of the Calgary Sun.
As the winner of the competition, Christina will be awarded $1,000.00 as well as a copy of Into Auschwitz, For Ukraine by Stefan Petelycky for her efforts.
Christina is in her fourth year at the University of Toronto, graduating in the spring with an honours B.A. in English and History. Her future aspirations are within the field of Law. Her active involvement in the Plast organization stems from early childhood, and is currently a ‘podruha’ at the Plast Toronto Branch. Having graduated from ‘Ridna Skola’ in Chicago, she continues her study of Ukrainian linguistics and history at the university level. Christina is very involved within the university Ukrainian life, as she has been a member of the Ukrainian Students Club at the University of Toronto as well as a member, past president and vice-president of the student council at St. Vladimir’s Institute in Toronto.
Her involvement in extracurricular activities is quite varied. She has played on the Varsity Team at the University of Toronto all four years, helping her team secure a first-place OUA finish 3 years in a row. This year, Christina was elected captain, and continues her involvement in Varsity Athletics as a representative on the Varsity Board. Other interests include music, where she has played the piano competitively for 14 years, and today enjoys playing as a relaxing pastime. Her lifelong enjoyment of reading and writing are furthered by her chosen curriculum.
The UCCLF would like to congratulate Christina for writing an excellent opinion-editorial and having it published.
