Himka John-Paul

Peter Savaryn and the Western Canadian Branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society

Section: Shevchenko Scientific Society in terms of biography (to the 150th anniversary of its foundation)

Abstract: The purpose of the article is to research an important page of Peter Savaryn’s (1926–2017) biography, which reveals his work within the Western Canadian branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society. Despite the difficult circumstances of the Ukrainian scientific emigration life in Western Canada, he made extraordinary efforts to establish the fruitful work of the Shevchenko Scientific Society and publishing it’s issue the Zakhidn’okanads’kyi zbirnyk. Scientific novelty. A multifaceted biographical portrait of Peter Savaryn has been created in the context of Western Canadian branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society. The extraordinary person and one of the most influential figures of the post-war Ukrainian emigration in Canada is represented through the personal perception of the author of the article, who was a close friend of Peter Savaryn. The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a key concept, which reflects the main features of Peter Savaryn’s character, first, his inexhaustible energy, human decency, devotion to the idea of preserving Ukrainians in the world, and boundless love for Ukraine. Accented relations of Peter Savaryn with representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, members of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, contributors to the Zakhidn’okanads’kyi zbirnyk identify his position as a respectful and wise person with rich life experience and high moral ideals. The research methodology is based on the biographical criticism, focused on the historical-documentary analysis of the memoirs of Peter Savaryn and his epistolary legacy, which is stored in the Provincial Archives of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). Conclusion. Based on the representative array of archival documents, numerous facts reflected in the correspondence and reflections noted in memoirs, as well as the author’s own observations during long work at the Western Canadian Branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, the significant and intense work of Peter Savaryn aimed at the development of Ukrainian science in the world and his profound influence on the activities of this organization in Western Canada is substantiated.

Keywords: biography, Peter Savaryn, Western Canadian Branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, Zakhidn’okanads’kyi zbirnyk.

  Full-text PDF    https://doi.org/10.15407/ub.24.041     Citation

• Himka John-Paul (University of Alberta, Canada, Edmonton, jhimka@ualberta.ca)

Cite:
Himka John-Paul (2023). Peter Savaryn and the Western Canadian Branch of the Shevchenko Scientific Society. Biographistica Ukrainica, (24) 41-54. https://doi.org/10.15407/ub.24.041

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