Avalon

ABOUT THE BRANCH

UNF Avalon – the first UNF in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Shortly after Russia’s war on Ukraine began in 2022, Ukrainians began to arrive on NL shores. Prior to this wave of immigration, there were very few people of Ukrainian heritage in the province and no existing Ukrainian cultural infrastructure. The Ukrainian Cultural Organization of NL (Ukrainian NL), created in 2022 as the province’s first incorporated Ukrainian not-for-profit, worked with a quickly growing Ukrainian diaspora to provide a soft landing for those newcomer Ukrainians. They worked to administer Ukraine-focused events and rallies, while engaging with newcomers to understand their needs and working with government on ways to support such activities.

As demand grew for larger projects, strategic planning began to find a way to connect with the national Ukrainian community for aiding in the development of consistent Ukrainian programming in NL. In 2023, the Ukrainian National Federation – Avalon Branch (UNF Avalon) was brought to life, with the goal of supporting existing Ukrainian groups in holding events while using UNF’s national network to create and share ongoing programming, such as Ridna Shkola, launched in March of 2024, and Ukrainian-bilingual summer camp, first held in Summer of 2023.

Building with an active Ukrainian diaspora, we pursue goals of enriching the community, cultural and educational fabric of our wonderful province to benefit all those who call Newfoundland and Labrador home. These projects have benefited greatly from the knowledge imparted by the UNF network.