Press Release
September 5, 2000
American and Canadian Belarusans Receive a Message from George W. Bush
On September 2, 2000, under the sunny skies of Strongsville, Ohio, the four-hundred-strong 24th Biennial Convention of Belarusan-Americans and Belarusan-Canadians was warmly welcomed by Mayor Walter F. Ehrnfelt. The mayor congratulated the Belarusan Christian Orthodox community on their newly built church and urged them to pass on Belarusan traditional values and language on to the younger generation. The Governor of Ohio, Bob Taft, in his address to the Convention, conveyed greetings from presidential candidate George W. Bush and praised Belarusan-Americans for their contribution to the economy and cultural tapestry of the United States.
The next day, after a religious service celebrated by Metropolitan Mikalay and clergy of the Belarusan Autocephalic Orthodox Church, United States Senator George V. Voinovich was the recipient of the Third Belarusan American Freedom Award. Senator Voinovich exhorted his audience to be aware of potential dangers that could come from the remnants of the Soviet dictatorial mentality and to continue working on behalf of a free and independent Belarus.
Other speakers at the convention included Ms. Ivonka Survilla, President of the Rada (Council) of the Belarusan Democratic Republic in Exile, Mr. Siamion Sharetski, Speaker of the 13th Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus (now in exile in Lithuania), and Mr. Zianon Pazniak, Chairman of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusan Popular Front (now in exile in Poland). Written statements were also received from numerous local and federal officials.
The Convention was organized by the Belarusan American Association (BAA) and the Belarusan Canadian Alliance and was also sponsored by the Belarusan American Community Center "Polacak" and the Mother of God of Zyrovicy Belarusan Autocephalic Orthodox Church and chaired by Mr. Paul Wasilewski, chairman of the Cleveland chapter of BAA.
The following Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Convention.