Ukrainian Youth Association in Great Britain
Is a patriotic christian organisation
Founded in 1925 in Ukraine and Established in Great Britain 1948
Today CYM has 13 branches
What We Do
CYM is about fun, challenges and adventure. We do this with our diverse programme of activities and events.
A Brief History of CYM
The Ukrainian Youth Association, (also known by its Ukrainian
acronym CYM) was founded in 1925 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The founder and first head was Mykola Pavlushkov. In
Ukraine, CYM was a revolutionary underground organization
whose goal was to fight against Russian occupation and for
the attainment of an independent nation.
Sadly, the activity of
CYM in Ukraine was short-lived. In 1930, the leading members
were arrested and brought to trial along with the leaders of the
Ukrainian Liberation Union (in Ukrainian, CBY). In Kharkiv, 45
members of the CYM and CBY stood trial. Thirteen were sentenced
to death, among them the leader of CYM, Mykola
Pavlushkov, and the leader of the CBY, Serhiy Efremov. The
death sentences were later commuted to prison sentences. All
those sentenced died in prison, exile, or isolation.
Nevertheless, Russia was not able to extinguish the
Ukrainian people’s desire for freedom and independence.
Through the efforts of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
(OUN), the ideals of the founding members of CYM
were reborn in the free world in 1946 in displacement camps
in West Germany. Since then, CYM has evolved into a
prominent force of educational/political activity around the
world under the motto “God and Ukraine”. Currently it is active
in 10 countries-Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada,
Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, the United States
and Ukraine. In 1991, CYM was revived in Ukraine. Over the
course of more than ten decades of existence beyond the
borders of Ukraine, 19 World Congresses and 7 World Gatherings
(Zlets) have occurred, in Germany, Canada, USA,
Italy, Australia and Ukraine (twice).