People

List of BINiM’s Membership 1967-2017

Belarusian Institute of Arts and Sciences, Canada

Institut bélarussien des arts et des sciences, Canada

Founding members (1967, Toronto).

Name/title/occupation Exec. Position at BiNiM Term of service Credentials
Dr. Vincent Žuk-Hryškievič, PhD; BiNiM’s 1st President 1968-70 Scholar; philosopher; educator; writer; radio journalist, and public figure.
Dr. Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič Dentist; writer, educator, and public figure; community worker.
Mr. Alieś Hrycuk (MA) BINiM’s 1st Secretary-Treasurer Scholar, administrator, and community worker.
Prof and Dr. Barys Ragula (MD) BINiM’s 2nd president 1970-72 Renowned and highly decorated medical doctor: performed the first renal (kidney) transplantation in Canada; cancerologist; receiver of a number of professional awards; writer, educator, and public figure.
Mrs. Ludmila Ragula (RN) Pharmacist; registered nurse; community worker.
Dr. Jaŭchim Skurat Educator; scholar, researcher, writer, and community worker; public figure; received his graduate degree (equivalent to DSc) in France (1930s); Minister of Education: Biełaruś, 1942-1944).

Members who joined and / or continued to serve after 1967

Name/title/occupation Exec. Position at BiNiM Term of service Credentials
Mr. Kastuś Akula Prolific writer; journalist; public figure, and community worker.
Professor Emeritus Zina Gimpelevich BINiM’s 5th president 2002-2018 Educator, researcher, literary critic; author of seven academic monographs and over 70 peer-reviewed articles; Executive member of MAB (International Association of Biełarusists’ (2005-); Executive member (various capacity) of CAS (Canadian Association of Slavists, 1993-2014); President and Past-President of the CAS 2010-14); one of the founding members and a former Vice-President of the NAABS (North American Association for Biełarusian Studies; the founding member and the Vice-President of the Canadian Relief Fund for Chernobyl Victims in Belarus (Biełaruś) [CRFVCB]); Awarded the Life Membership and memorable plaque #ooo2 from the CRFVCB; Recipient of the acclaim-letter for teaching from the Governor-General of Canada, Mr. E. Schreyer.
Ms. Valancina Paškievič Educator; writer and author of Biełarusian text-books; public figure: community worker.
Prof. Janka (John) Sadoŭski BINiM’s 3rd president 1972-74 Educator; researcher and scholar; literary critic with peer-reviewed publications; public figure.
Mrs. Ivonka (Joanna) Survilla BINiM’s 4th president; the President of the Biełarusian Government in Exile: Biełarusian Democratic Republic, RADA BNR. 1974-2002 Government, public and community worker; scholar, linguist, writer, translator; artist with over thirty exibitions. The founding member and the President of the Canadian Relief Fund for Chernobyl Victims in Belarus [Biełaruś] CRFVCB); Awarded the Life Membership and memorable plaque #ooo1 from the CRFVCB.
Professor Maria Paula Survilla Fulbright scholar; Ethnomusicologist; ethnographer; educator; researcher; scholar with peer-reviewed monographs and articles; writer; public figure; artist and musician. Past-President of the North American Association for Biełarusian Studies (NAABS); the Executive Director of the Center for Belarusian (Biełarusian) Studies (CBS).
Mr. Janka Survilla (MA, Economics) Economist; radio and print media journalist; writer; public figure; accomplished artistic photographer; community worker and administrator.

Members joined in 2002 (AGM at Waterloo, ON)

Name/title/occupation Exec. Position at BiNiM Term of service Credentials
Metropolit Mikalaj, Archbishop BAOC Distinguished theologian scholar; writer; translator: translated the Bible into modern Biełarusian; highly profiled ecclesiastical and public figure.
Dr. Natalia Barkarŕ (PhD) Educator, researcher, scholar, and accomplished scientist with peer-reviewed publications; member of the Editorial Board of magazine “Culture, Nation.”
Dr. Alex Danilovič Scholar: political scientist presently not active
Dr. Sirhiej Drozd Retired scholar: literary studies presently not active
Mrs. Nadzeja Drobina Public figure; performer; community worker. resigned Sept. 2016
Mrs. Vialeta Kavalova Educator; journalist; editor-in-chief of the newspaper “The Biełarusian Word;” editor for various Biełarusian press & media; translator; musician; artistic director of the Biełarusian folk group “Javarovy ludzi” and folk group for children; public figure; community worker;
Dr. Ruslan Kačatkoŭ (MD, Prof.) Medical doctor, oncologist; an educator; professor; public figure; poet; writer; composer.
Dr. Siarhiej Kryčeŭski Scholar: economist presently not active
Dr. Irena Lysenka BINiM’s Treasurer 2002-16 Scholar and educator; historian; linguist; translator; archivist.
Dr. Piotra Murzionak (MD; DSc., PhD., Prof.) BINiM’s 6th president 2018- Distinguished Scholar with over a hundred-and-forty peer-reviewed scientific publications; public figure; poet; writer and journalist; founder and editor of the web-magazine “Culture, Nation.”
Dr. Yurka (Yury) Pelyushonok (MD) Medical Doctor; writer, musician; sportsman. presently not active
Mr. Valodzia Ragula (MA) Educator. presently not active
Mr. Jurka (George) Rapećki Theologian; pastor, educator; writer and radio-preacher http://gr.krinica.org
Mr. Juraś Šamiećka Computer scientist; poet; community worker.
Mrs. Vłada Šamiećka Musician -violinist; community worker.
Mr. Peter Schwartzman Architect, artist and designer; Many of the artist’s paintings are bought by museums and private collectors. Received first prize in the international artists’ competition (Italy, 1979).
Ms. Iryna Varabei Secretary of the BINiM 2002-16 Writer; translator; journalist; member of the Society of Biełarusian Writers; artist; artisan; photographer; needlework designer; member of the Canadian Guild of needlework designers.
Mr. Anton Varabei Artist presently not active
Ms. Jaŭhienija Šaŭčenka (MA) Architect; artist and designer; Designed BINiM’s major symbol, Pahonia (The Pursuer). presently not active
Ms. Volha Jankouskaja Folk singer. presently not active

Members Joined in 2016

Name/title/occupation Exec. Position at BiNiM Term of service Credentials
Dr. Volha Ipatava (PhD) Renowned writer, journalist, and translator. Mrs. Ipatova authored over twenty books, which are translated into fourteen languages. She served as the executive editor and as the editor-in-chief for several major Biełarusian publishing houses and press & media; Vice-President [1998-2001] and the President of the Society of Biełarusian Writers [2001-2002]. Mrs. Ipatova is the awardee of the Order of Symbol of Honor, the Francysk Skaryna Medal, and a recipient of a number of International Literary Prizes, among which is the Honorary Membership of the Eurasian International Academy of Sciences.
Mr. Siarhiej Paniźnik Highly accomplished poet, writer for adults and children, journalist, ethnographer, translator and the chronicler of Biełarusian culture; public figure, active member of the BSSR’s Writers Union from 1967 and the PEN International (Biełarusian Chapter); Mr. Paniźnik is awarded the Francysk Skaryna Medal (1991); among many other national and international awards, the recipient of UNESCO’s International Literary Prize (1992), and Latvian Order of the Three Stars (1998).
Ms. Niki Paniźnik Highly accomplished poet, writer for adults and children, journalist, ethnographer, translator and the chronicler of Biełarusian culture; public figure, active member of the BSSR’s Writers Union from 1967 and the PEN International (Biełarusian Chapter); Mr. Paniźnik is awarded the Francysk Skaryna Medal (1991); among many other national and international awards, the recipient of UNESCO’s International Literary Prize (1992), and Latvian Order of the Three Stars (1998).
Dr. Galina Toumilovitch, (PhD) Historian, researcher and scholar with peer-reviewed publications; regular contributor to the academic and community press; public figure and administrator: formerly a dean of French-Biełarusian Faculty of Political Sciences and European Studies, European University of Human Sciences, Minsk); the Executive Director of the two major international programs in Eastern Europe; an activist in the Belgian-Biełarusian Charity, “The Future to Kids” (10 years of service); member of the Association of Biełarusian Szlachta and the Assembly of the Russian Nobility in Biełaruś; The recipient of the French most prestigious academic Order, Ordre des Palmes académiques (Order of Academic Palms, 2004).
Ms. Natasha Kolas, (MA) Secretary-Treasurer 2016- Educator: former EFL instructor at Minsk State Pedagogical University and Minsk Linguistic University; translator and interpreter; performed a long-term work for the Minsk chapter of the Rotary International; community worker: past-Treasurer/current BOD member of Toronto chapter of BCA
Mr. Jurka Šaŭčenka, (MEng) Engineer; photographer; stage designer for performances of Javarovy ludzi; artisan; community worker; current BOD member of Toronto chapter of BCA
Mrs. Valancina Šaŭčenka, (MMath) Mathematician; computer scientist and analyst; public figure; singer, musician, actress, and an artist; community worker: past 2-terms Chair of the BOD/current Treasurer of Toronto chapter of BCA.
Ms. Iryna Toŭstsik Educator: former teacher of Biełarusian language and literature, writer and journalist; political activist; founder of Mova Nanova, Toronto branch; educator and promotor of Biełarusian culture and language in Biełarusian Canadian community;
Mr. Alex Korolkevitch (MSc) Engineer, enthusiast of Biełarusian language and culture; artistic photographer; video producer and editor
Dr. Jahor Fiadziušyn (PhD) Scientist, nuclear physicict and researcher with a number of peer-reviewed academic publications, member of Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association