Belarusan-American Association is a non-profit organization of Belarusians in the United States. In the United States, the Belarusan-American Association is a member organization of the Central and East European Coalition, which coordinates the efforts of national ethnic organizations representing 20 million Americans, whose members continue to maintain strong cultural, economic, political, and religious ties to the countries of Central and East Europe.
General information
Currently Belarusan-American Association, Inc. is the biggest and the oldest Belarusian organization in the USA. The Association unites people of Belarusian descent, people who migrated from the territory located within ethnographic borders of Belarus and those related to Belarusians through marriage or though professional relations irrespective of party affiliation. Belarusian-American Association, Inc. performs the following functions:
informs the American society and leadership about the history and culture of Belarusians as well as about the political situation in the modern Republic of Belarus;
promotes preservation, advancement and celebration of Belarusian culture and history;
encourages contribution of Belarusians to the American society;
provides support to the members of the organization;
oversees and contributes to the publication of books and periodicals about Belarusian topics.
Hanna Surmach is the Chairperson of the Belarusan-American Association at present time.
Creation of the Association
Belarusan-American Association was established in 1949 in New York City. The first preparatory assembly of the Association was held in June, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. On July 31, 1949 the second assembly took place in Manhattan, where the Belarusan-American Association was actually created. The cofounders of the Association were Mikola Garoshka, Mikola Darashevich, Uladzimir Mashanski, Janka Stankievich, Janka Nikhaenak, Aliaksandar Orsa and Mikhas Tuleyka. In 1950 the Association was officially registered in the State of New York.
Belarusan-American Association has of two structural levels: the National Headquarter and Chapters. The National Headquarter, located in New York City, consists of the Board of Directors, which is the executive body of the Association. The Board of Directors governs the policies of the organization and oversees functioning of the local Chapters. There are seven local Chapters of Belarusan-American Association :
Each chapter is governed by the locally elected Executive Board that consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and other members. The Chairperson and the Chapter’s Executive Board directly control functioning of the Chapter. Members of the Chapters of Belarusan-American Association regularly participate in political, social and cultural events. There is a membership fee associated with the organization; however, all members of the association regularly receive an official Association’s periodical - newspaper “Bielarus”.
Newspaper “Biełarus”
The newspaper “Biełarus” is an official periodical of the Belarusan-American Association. It was first issued on September 20, 1950 in New York City. “Biełarus” often publishes opinions of its readers on political and economical situations in Belarus.
