Ukrainian Institute of America: what is remarkable about this place and why you should visit it

One of the most valuable assets of the Institute of America is its building. The unique estate is located a few streets from the legendary Metropolitan Museum of Art and the equally famous 5th Avenue, as well as a few minutes from Central Park. The house is listed on the US National Historic Landmarks Register. The publication told more about the activities of the organization Voice of America.

The founder of the organization, the famous Ukrainian inventor William Vladimir Dzhus, purchased the premises in 1955 at an auction for $225.

The building was built in 1899. It was the residence of one family. The first owner had a large art collection, so the building has some very interesting features, such as built-in lighting. We have the original elevator, which again was cutting edge technology at the time. The building is a national and historical monument,” says Kathy Nalivaiko, president of the Ukrainian Institute of America.

According to her, the institute was founded after the Second World War, when all of Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Therefore, the main goal of the institute was to preserve the Ukrainian cultural and historical heritage.

In the fund for organizing the works of Alexander Archipenko, Alexei Grishchenko, there are collections of museum exhibits: church cassocks, icons, manuscripts and patents of Ukrainian inventors.

“He wanted to make sure that our culture, history, language would not be lost, which is why he founded the Ukrainian Institute. And since then we have really become the center of everything Ukrainian, not only within the diaspora, but also for the outside world. Because it was an important part of his mission - to tell non-Ukrainians about who and what Ukraine and Ukrainians are, ”Katy Nalivaiko explained.

This mission has remained unchanged for almost 75 years. Ukrainian festivals, exhibitions, concerts, master classes, film screenings, community meetings with presidents and high-ranking officials, and not only Ukrainian ones. This is an incomplete list of the activities of Nalivaiko and her team.

“When Ukraine regained its independence, almost 31 years ago we got more opportunities to spread the word, introduce artists from Ukraine, and work with organizations in Ukraine,” notes Kathy.

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According to her, large-scale Russian aggression has caused a new wave of American interest in Ukraine. Since February, the number of visitors to the institute has increased significantly. The location of the house - the tourist center of New York - contributes to this. For visitors wishing to learn more about Ukraine, there is a permanent information exhibition.

“We have information sheets that people can take home. Our website has a lot of additional information. There is a resource page for all Ukrainians who come and need help. We do not offer social services ourselves, but we have checked the various resources available and help newcomers move in the right direction,” Nalivaiko says.

The Institute cooperates with Ukrainian, American and European organizations.

“We are now spending much more time collaborating with our partners at the European Cultural Institute. This is a very important initiative, because Ukraine really does not have a cultural mission here, as in most other European countries. European partners wanted to show their solidarity with Ukraine, so we are now cooperating very closely with the National Cultural Institutes of the EU countries,” the president of the Ukrainian Institute of America emphasized.

The organization's annual budget ranges from $650 to $1 million. The institute receives part of these funds from renting a building for events and filming. The other part is from membership dues.

Our one-time membership fee is $1 and we more than doubled it in September. Most members support us very well with annual fees, but they are not required. We do not have such that if you do not pay, we will deprive you of membership. We usually ask for a minimum of $250 per year,” explains Kathy Nalivaiko.

The organization currently has about 600 members. This status is for life. Members of the institute vote together to make important decisions for the organization, such as choosing a president. According to Nalivaiko, it is not necessary to have Ukrainian roots for membership, the main thing is to be interested in and love Ukraine and its culture.

Now Katy is working to increase the number of members of the institute, and first of all, to include successful modern Ukrainian inventors and businessmen living in the United States in their ranks.

Nalivaiko is convinced that the main mission of the institute - the preservation and dissemination of information about Ukraine - is more relevant today than ever.