Eugene Czolij | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Czolij in 2012 | |
| 10th President of theUkrainian World Congress | |
| In office 2008–2018 | |
| Preceded by | Askold Lozynskyj |
| Succeeded by | Paul M. Grod |
| 9th President of theUkrainian Canadian Congress | |
| In office 1998–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Oleh Romaniw |
| Succeeded by | Orysia Sushko |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 (age 65–66) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Eugene Czolij (born 1959)[1] is aCanadian lawyer ofUkrainian descent who was the elected president of theUkrainian World Congress (UWC) from 2008 to 2018,[2] theUkrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) from 1998 to 2004,[3] and the Ukraine-2050non-governmental organization.[4]
In 1982, Eugene Czolij was admitted to theQuebec Bar. He currently holds a senior partner position at Lavery, de Billy,[5] a legal practice inQuebec that employs over 175 attorneys. He practicesinsolvency and financial restructuring law in addition to corporate and commercial disputes. He appears before all Quebec courts as well as theSupreme Court of Canada. He joined the UCC's board of directors in 1994 and served as its president from 1998 to 2004.[6]
Czolij has served as a member of the UWC'sboard of directors since 1993. He served as the President of the UWC for ten years, from 2008 to 2018. During his second five-year term as president, he traveled to 51 countries on 147 separate occasions. While there, he held 1,500 bilateral meetings with leaders of state governments andinternational organizations, including theUN,OSCE,Council of Europe,NATO, and theEU, as well as 160 public speeches at formal events and 200 community meetings. He has served as the leader of the international observation mission of the UWC at thecountry's parliamentary and presidential elections in 2019.[6]
Czolij joined the board of directors of the Ukrainian-Canadiancredit union Caisse populaire Desjardins Ukrainienne de Montréal in 2004 and served as its president from 2006 to 2019. He has been on the Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions of Canada's board of directors since 2006.[5] Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, has welcomed him as a member of its East of Montreal Community Collaboration Group since 2018. Prior to that, he served as a member of the organization's council of representatives from 2009 to 2018.[6]
Czolij has been included in Best Lawyers in Canada's list of practitioners since 2012, becoming one of the most well-respected in the legal field.[7] He has served as president of thenon-profit organization "Ukraine-2050" since 2019. Additionally, he has served as President of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of Canada since 2019.[6] He is also the Head of the UWC International Observation Mission to Ukraine's 2019 Elections.[8]
Czolij was congratulated by the UCC on his appointment as theHonorary Consul of Ukraine inMontreal on October 16, 2020, where he signed the contract to become an honorary consul in an online event.[3][7] The Advisory Board of the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Montreal was established by him to offer guidance and support while he carried out his duties.[9]
Czolij is born in 1959, inMontreal,Quebec.[1] He is married to Anna and they have three children – Melania, Stephane and Sophie –and two grandchildren – Zachary and Julia.[6]
Czolij has earned the following awards and recognitions:[6][5]
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
Order of Merit Third Class
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise Fifth Class.PNG)
25 Years of Independence of Ukraine Medal| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | President of theUkrainian Canadian Congress 1998–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of theUkrainian World Congress 2008–2018 | Succeeded by |