Summary:
On 21 and 22 August, Budapest hosted the second session of the World Council of Rusyns formed at the last World Congress of Rusyns in Prague. The agenda for the session was primarily made up of updates from Rusyn organizations from around the world, but plans for the upcoming Seventh World Congress were also discussed.

Among the issues to be resolved before the 2003 Congress is the status of the two separate Rusyn communities living in Hungary. One group is indigenous to the land, while the other is made up of Rusyns originally from Subcarpathia who moved to the area decades ago. Each group would like to be represented at the World Congress by separate organizations.

Also discussed was the newly formed Rusyn organization in Romania, which will be admitted to the World Congress as a full member in 2003. Romania is home to between 15,000 and 17,000 Rusyns. The community has named 10 May as the Day of Rusyns in Romania, and the World Council will convene in Bucharest on that date next year.

Following the Council meeting, the Rusyn village of Komloska hosted a two-day camp for Rusyn young people from across Europe. The camp was not intended for recreation, however. Gathering the leaders of European Rusyn youth organizations in one place meant that the hottest topic of discussion at the camp was the preparations for the First World Forum of Rusyn Youth, to be held from 6 to 8 June 2003, simultaneously with the seventh World Congress of Rusyns, in Prešov, Slovakia.

Click here to read the article

Return to the 2002 News Archive index