World Congress of Ukrainians Declares 2026 Year of Global Unity

The World Congress of Ukrainians (WCU) held its Annual General Assembly in a virtual format on October 25 and proclaimed 2026 as the Year of Global Ukrainian Unity.

According to the organization, 185 delegates and guests from 48 countries were present at the gathering. The theme of this year’s event is “United for Ukraine.”

Addresses and main messages of the gathering

The World Congress of Ukrainians proclaims 2026 as the Year of Global Ukrainian Unity – a time to strengthen solidarity among Ukrainians worldwide, to affirm national identity, and to mobilize united efforts for Ukraine’s victory, its reconstruction, and the global strengthening of Ukrainian communities

The official part of the assembly began with the national anthem of Ukraine and a prayer led by Bishop Stepan Sus, head of the Pastoral-Migration Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC).

Participants observed a moment of silence in memory of fallen Ukrainian heroes.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sibiga welcomed the participants and thanked the WCU for its cooperation with the ministry, including the implementation of the law on multiple citizenship.

Thank you to the entire global Ukrainian community for your contribution to Ukraine today being a global legend

The head of UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, thanked the WCU for its devoted service to the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian national idea.

Metropolitan Epiphany, the Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine and head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), wished the WCU success in building and strengthening Ukrainian communities worldwide, and also thanked them for supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian defenders.

Today, as Ukraine continues its heroic struggle for freedom, for life, for the very possibility of being, every word of support, every act of love and every prayer and good deed has enduring value

Iryna Klyuchkovska, director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations, emphasized that the WCU Annual Meetings are a testament to systematic, persistent work that has been ongoing for many decades in support of Ukraine.

The chair of the assembly is Mykola-Miroslav Petretskyi, the WCU vice president for the Eastern Europe region.

The assembly approved the report of the WCU president, which reflected the organization’s main work over the past period, including contributions to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine, advocacy activity, and the development of capable Ukrainian communities.

WCU urged all Ukrainian organizations worldwide to join the organization’s structure and the global network of Ukrainians supporting its key priorities: Ukraine’s victory, the country’s restoration, and a strong Ukrainian world.

Based on the results of the coming year, they plan to expand military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, strengthen international political support, involve a broader global Ukrainian community in rebuilding the country, reinforce Ukrainian communities and youth structures in the diaspora, raise Ukraine’s visibility in the global information space, and increase the effectiveness of Ukrainian national action.

WCU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Ukrainian people’s struggle for freedom, independence, and the territorial integrity of Ukraine and condemns the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the crimes committed by its political and military leadership

It was also noted that in Serbia, from November 28 to 30, the European Forum of the Ukrainian Diaspora “Novi Sad 2025” will take place, along with the Annual Meetings of the European Congress of Ukrainians (ECU).