05.08.25 16:16
The geopolitical consequences of the Second World War triggered a new wave of Ukrainian emigration to many countries around the world. Ukrainians brought with them to their new places of settlement their ancient traditions, cultural heritage, a strong sense of community, and a desire for independence and self-reliance. The populations of the countries where Ukrainian diasporas settled did not always welcome the newcomers with open arms and sometimes created conditions that made it difficult for them to adapt to their new lives.
Subsequently, the need arose for proper coordination of actions for the further development of cooperation. The completion of the cooperative organizational system followed the establishment of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (WCFU). At the first WCFU congress in 1967, a conference of representatives from Ukrainian cooperatives in Canada and the USA took place. The conference adopted a resolution according to which regional cooperative centers were to create the Ukrainian World Cooperative Council for the entire diaspora. Its task would be to establish ideological leadership, keep records of our economic-cooperative forces in the free world, and represent the Ukrainian cooperative movement externally.
At the second conference of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians (WCFU), held in Toronto, Canada, on October 31, 1973, the Ukrainian World Cooperative Council (UWCC) was officially established.
Members of the Ukrainian World Cooperative Council include the Ukrainian National Association of Savings and Credit Unions (UNASCU), the All-Ukrainian Association of Credit Unions (AUACU), Ukrainian National Credit Union Association (UNCUA), the Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions of Canada (CUCUC), and the Association of Ukrainian Credit Unions in Australia.
