Ukraine’s multiethnic heritage in focus

KIEV, Ukraine (JTA) — A Ukrainian minister introduced a new almanac on multiethnic Ukraine, which includes a chapter devoted to Jews.
 
Ukraine marked the anniversary of the Universal Human Rights Declaration on Wednesday with the presentation of several books and discussions.
 
A new almanac, Multiethnic Ukraine, was presented by the Ukrainian State Committee on nationalities and religion at the Ukrinform state news agency.
 
 Aleksandr Sagan, minister of  Ukraine’s State Committee on Nationalities and Religion, said: “We need such a book at our internal level as well as at the international one to inform about ethnic minorities in Ukraine, their needs and traditions and to improve their lives." Sagan invited experts and representatives of ethnic groups to collaborate with the State Committee Interdepartmental Council.
 
The book, in both Ukrainian and English, contains information on statistics of ethnic groups in Ukraine, their traditions and memorials. One chapter deals with the history of the Jews in Ukraine, as well as current statistics.
 
Sagan also presented a book devoted to the implementation of a framework for the protection of national minorities.
 
He told the news conference in Kiev that Ukraine has “missed or lost” a generation of young people and now is going “to educate students’ tolerance and to combat xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the country.”