UKRAINIAN DIASPORA IN THE USA: PRESERVING CULTURAL TRADITIONS

Abstract

The Ukrainian diaspora in the USA is one of the largest and most organized ethnic communities, which plays an important role in preserving national identity and popularizing Ukrainian culture abroad. For over a century, it has contributed to the development of Ukrainian education, art, literature, religious and public life, while adapting to the new socio-economic conditions of American society. The main challenge for Ukrainians in the USA remains the issue of preserving their own cultural identity in the context of globalization and integration into a multinational environment.

The article examines the historical prerequisites for the formation of the Ukrainian community in the USA, its structural features and mechanisms for supporting national traditions. Considerable attention is paid to the activities of Ukrainian public, religious and cultural organizations, which play a key role in preserving the Ukrainian language, traditional holidays, customs and art. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of Ukrainian educational institutions, Sabbath schools, as well as cultural centres that ensure the transmission of national heritage to new generations.

An important place in the study is occupied by the analysis of the challenges that the Ukrainian diaspora faced as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, in particular, the activation of public initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine, the organization of charitable actions, information campaigns and cultural events that contribute to the preservation of historical memory and national consciousness. Modern forms of cultural volunteering and the influence of digital technologies on the spread of Ukrainian traditions in the USA are considered.

Special attention is paid to modern challenges that arise in the process of integrating a new wave of Ukrainian migrants into the existing diaspora, which requires the adaptation of cultural policy and the development of new mechanisms for interaction between Ukrainian communities in different regions of the USA. The study emphasizes that the preservation of the national identity of Ukrainians in the USA largely depends on effective communication between different generations of the diaspora, support for public initiatives and cooperation with Ukraine. Prospects for further research include the analysis of changes in the structure of the Ukrainian community, the impact of the new wave of emigration on diasporic processes, and the role of social networks in preserving the cultural traditions of Ukrainians abroad.