Founding members (1967, Toronto)
Dr. Vincent Žuk-Hryškievič, PhD
BiNiM’s 1st President (1968-70)
Scholar; philosopher; educator; writer; radio journalist, and public figure.
Mr. Alieś Hrycuk (MA)
BINiM’s 1st Secretary-Treasurer
Scholar, administrator, and community worker.
Dr. Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič
Dentist; writer, educator, and public figure; community worker.
Prof and Dr. Barys Ragula (MD)
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);
Members who joined and / or continued to serve after 1967
Ms. Valancina Paškievič
Educator; writer and author of Biełarusian text-books; public figure: community worker.
Prof. Janka (John) Sadoŭski
Mrs. Ivonka (Joanna) Survilla
BINiM’s 4th president (1974-2002);
the President of the Biełarusian Government in Exile: Biełarusian Democratic Republic, RADA BNR.
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).
Professor Emeritus Zina Gimpelevich
BINiM’s 5th president (2002-2017)
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.
Members joined in 2002 (AGM at Waterloo, ON)
Mr. Jurka (George) Rapećki
Secretary (2020 - )
Theologian; pastor, educator; writer and radio-preacher
Dr. Piotra Murzionak (MD; DSc., PhD., Prof.)
BINiM’s 6th president (2017 - )
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. 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).
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Members Joined in 2016
List of BINiM’s Membership 1967-2025
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 | 2017- | 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 | Secretary | 2020- | 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 | ||||
| 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 | 2016-2020 | 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) | Treasurer | 2020- | Mathematician; computer scientist and analyst; public figure; singer, musician, actress, and an artist; community worker: | |
| 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) | Vice-President | 2020- | 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 |