Eugene Czolij, former president of the Ukrainian World Congress, was appointed honorary consul of Ukraine in Montreal, Canada. The agreement to take on the responsibilities was signed on Oct. 16.
The mandate of the newly appointed honorary consul will encompass the Province of Quebec. Ukraine will have its diplomatic presence in Quebec for the first time in history.
‘This is an important geographical region and a unique personality,” stated Andriy Shevchenko, ambassador of Ukraine to Canada. “At this time, Quebec is the leader among all Canadian provinces in terms of trade with Ukraine. We are extremely pleased that Ukrainian interests will be represented here by Mr. Czolij – an iconic figure for the world Ukrainian community, as well as a brilliant and established lawyer.”
Czolij was president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (1998-2004) and of the Ukrainian World Congress (2008-2018). Since 2012, he has been listed in the publication Best Lawyers in Canada. He is an honorary doctor of the Lviv Polytechnic National University and of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. He is known for his active international work in support of Ukraine.
“It will be both an honor and duty for me to fulfill the obligations of honorary consul by promoting the interests of Ukraine in Canada and furthering the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between the two countries,’ Czolij said.
In recent years, Ukraine has significantly expanded its diplomatic presence in Canada. The Consulate General of Ukraine in Edmonton opened in 2018. A Consulate General of Ukraine operates in Toronto and there is an Honorary Consul in Vancouver.
