Stefan was the long-time Chair and later Co-Chair of the AFUO and First Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress. He also held many other leadership roles in our community over his life. Beyond his work in our community, professionally he dedicated his life to education and multicultural Australia, particularly in his role leading Community Languages Australia.
For decades he gave himself to Ukraine and to Ukrainians, here in Australia and across the world. He led the global campaign to have the Holodomor recognised as genocide and lit the first Unquenchable Candle across 32 countries. He championed our language, culture and identity through the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Community Languages Australia, work that earned him the Medal of the Order of Australia. He stood with our people through the Orange Revolution, the Revolution of Dignity and the full-scale war, often at personal risk. He mentored, he unified, he fought, and he had a rare gift for making everyone around him feel welcomed, heard and valued.
Two years on, his example still guides everything we do. We remember him with love and with gratitude.
Вічна пам’ять. Eternal memory.
