Posted by siania on April 19, 2002 at 08:11:24:
In Reply to: Re: Inevitable assimilation posted by Bohdan A. Oryshkevich on April 18, 2002 at 18:58:11:
: How many people in the Diaspora have sent their children to Ukraine for a year of high school so that they would learn Ukrainian? That is eminently possible. If they are interested in preserving their language (and updating it) would that not be an obvious and easy thing to do?
This is probably the first sensible thing you have suggested. Sending Ukrainian-Americans, -Canadians, -French, -German, -Argentine, etc., to study in Ukraine makes perfect sense.
Ukraine benefits from the $$$, Ukrainians benefit somewhat for the exposure to western values. The western Ukrainian students benefit by gaining an understanding of their heritage, improving language skills.
I disagree strongly that it is the responsibility/obligation of the Western Ukrainians to provide education for Ukraine's students. If someone has a desire to help them, that's fine, but I don't feel that the West should in any way be pressured to assist. However, the West does have an obligation to its youth, and sending them to Ukraine for a year would in part fulfill that obligation.
: Bohdan Oryshkevich
: usa.usa@attglobal.net