“Glory to Ukraine – Ready to Defend!”

Vladimir Palamar, head of SUM’s national board in Estonia, has been elected Deputy Chair of the Comradely Court of the World Executive of the Ukrainian Youth Association (SUM)!

Last week the XX World Congress of the Ukrainian Youth Association, held in Whippany (USA), concluded its work.

The Congress was attended by delegates from 12 countries where SUM has official branches. The Estonian national board of SUM and its head Vladimir Palamar also took part. The Ukrainian Youth Association in Estonia was founded in 2001 and in 2003 became part of the worldwide SUM organisation. The World Congress is SUM’s highest governing body; it meets every five years to decide the most important questions of the Association’s activities and to elect its governing bodies. This year the Congress recognised SUM Estonia as one of the most active organisations and one that has given the most help to Ukraine, ranking second after America.

“The SUM greeting ‘Glory to Ukraine – Ready to defend!’ sounds special and more relevant than ever! Every day this year we have been defending Ukraine from the aggressor state Russia, which has been waging a full-scale war against civilians, women and children for 277 days in a row. The country is being defended at the cost of the lives of mostly young people. It is young people, weapons in hand, who are stopping the Russian occupier. It is young people who, in this brutal war, are winning the right to be free on their own land and freedom and independence for future generations of Ukrainians. That is why it is so important today to keep educating young people in the eternal values embodied in SUM’s main motto, ‘God and Ukraine’,” said Vladimir Palamar, summing up the 20th Congress.

During the Congress, members of SUM’s national organisations outlined prospects for SUM’s further development and new ways to help Ukraine at war, and elected the Association’s new world bodies for 2022–2027. In particular, Vladimir Palamar was elected Deputy Chair of the Comradely Court of the World Executive. Andrii Bihun was re-elected Head of SUM’s World Executive.

A “silent auction” was also held during the Congress, raising USD 10,239, which will go to SUM’s Ukraine support fund. The highest price – USD 850 – was paid for a 152 mm artillery shell casing engraved with the SUM emblem.

The valuable artefact was brought from the front line by soldiers of the AZOV unit. In their words, the 152 mm calibre made it possible to pay back for Bucha, Olenivka and all the defenders of the homeland. A lot from Estonia was also offered at the auction – a silver SUM coat of arms. It sold for twice its value.

The work of the World Executive concluded with the choice of SUM’s motto for 2023:

TODAY A SUM MEMBER – TODAY A FIGHTER! The motto refers to well-known lines of the SUM anthem: “Let us proudly carry our glory – today a SUM member, tomorrow a fighter – for the Ukrainian state!”

According to Vladimir Palamar, this motto very clearly reflects the mood of SUM members around the world today! “In the time of Ukraine’s armed struggle for liberation against the Russian aggressor, for our freedom and our future, everyone must become a fighter on their own front, because only then will we be able to achieve victory!” said the head of SUM’s national board in Estonia.