Founder Karatnycky used to head Freedom House; group will host Yushchenko this month in New York
A prominent Ukrainian-American has launched an advocacy coalition to support the continued development of democracy in Ukraine.
According to founder Andrian Karatnycky, the Orange Circle is an emerging coalition of politicians, businessmen and high-flying members of Ukraine’s overseas diaspora who are committed to advancing the values that “represented that essence of the Orange Revolution.”
He says the non-profit group has already secured the endorsement of President Viktor Yushchenko and close associates. He hopes that it will, in cooperation with Ukraine’s democratic leaders, work to strengthen the country’s international image and promote investment by building public and official support in the United States, Europe, and Canada.
Yushchenko and his U.S.-born wife Kateryna will take part in the Orange Circle’s founding dinner on Sept. 15 at New York City’s luxurious Rainbow Room restaurant.
Karatnycky is well-known in democracy-building circles. He served for over a decade as president of United States-based Freedom House, one of the world’s oldest and most distinguished non-governmental pro-democracy organizations.
“With the remarkable triumph of nonviolent civic resistance last December, I began thinking that Ukraine needed an effective international network that would build upon the unprecedented outpouring of global support that came during the Orange Revolution,” Karatnycky said.
“This immense energy needs now to be harnessed both to support internal reform processes and to press for Ukraine’s entry into the democratic community of nations.”
Numerous Ukraine advocacy groups currently exist, yet Karatnycky claims the Orange Circle will be different, as it is backed by leading figures in Ukraine and will work “in a coordinated fashion at the international level.”
“We have the highest level of support from President Yushchenko, Prime Minister Tymoshenko, Deputy Prime Minister Oleh Rybachuk, and Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk,” Karatnycky said. He said that all have committed themselves to taking part in key initiative meetings over the coming year.
The Orange Circle’s international board boasts corporate bigwigs, European Parliament Vice President Janusz Onyszkiewicz, U.S. statesman Zbigniew Brzezinski and Californian hi-tech investor Tim Draper.
Brzezinski, an ethnic Pole who served as U.S. national security advisor under President Jimmy Carter and is known for his support of Ukraine, will be the keynote speaker at the Sept 15 dinner.
Karatnycky said he expects to raise about $1.5 million in support from private sources across the globe this year, adding that several hundred thousand has already been granted.
“Much of that money will then be disbursed in grants to think tanks to fund research on political, economic and international issues, briefings, conferences, and to promote extensive business interest in Ukraine. We hope to cooperate with leading investment funds, brokerages, business councils and chambers of commerce in achieving this latter aim,” he added.
Orange fad
Asked whether the organization will be seen as pro-Yushchenko given its name, Karatnycky said the group will support the values of the Orange Revolution – press freedom, fighting corruption-cronyism, and human rights – and not any particular regime or government.
“The values of the Orange Revolution are timeless and the achievements of the Orange Revolution cannot be denied and are unlikely to be reversed given the growing level of civic activism and civic courage on display in Ukraine,” he said.
Myron Wasylyk, senior vice president at the PBN Company, a strategic communications firm active in Ukraine, welcomed the emergence of the Orange Circle and its trendy brand name. The Yushchenko team has recently lost support at the polls due to internal bickering, the slow pace of reforms and other problems.
Wasylyk says seizing the “Orange” brand name was a good choice for the group.
“Orange symbolizes the up and coming in Ukraine, the new Ukrainian political elite, as opposed to the post-Soviet hierarchy,” said Wasylyk, who plans to cooperate with the Orange Circle.
“Ukraine’s new leaders are a new brand of leaders who are more democratic, more pro-Western.”
“If the Orange Circle proves effective in uniting Ukraine’s new players with their international supporters in decision-making centers of the world it would be a good thing, as it would promote Ukraine. It would also be a support mechanism for Ukraine as a whole in the years to come,” Wasylyk added.
