From April 22 to May 8, Brazil was visited by Ukrainian Member of Parliament Sviatoslav Yurash, Head of the Ukraine–Brazil Interparliamentary Friendship Group. The main purpose of the visit was to connect with the Ukrainian community in Brazil, which this year celebrates 135 years of Ukrainian immigration to the country, as well as to strengthen political and cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Brazil.
During his stay in the Brazilian capital, Brasília, Sviatoslav Yurash held a series of official meetings with Brazilian politicians and members of parliament. In particular, he met with Senator Flávio Arns, who heads the Brazil–Ukraine parliamentary friendship group, as well as Senator Damares Alves, Chair of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal Senate of Brazil. He also held talks with federal deputy Paulo Bilynskyj, who has Ukrainian roots.
In São Paulo, the Ukrainian MP met with Honorary Consul of Ukraine Jorge Rybka, as well as federal deputy Luiz Philippe de Orléans e Bragança, Chair of the Foreign Relations and National Defense Commission of Brazil.
An important part of the visit included meetings with local politicians who actively support the Ukrainian community. At the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo, a meeting was held with deputy Andrea Werner regarding support for Bill No. 952/2025, which proposes the official establishment of Ukrainian Community Day in the State of São Paulo.
In the city of Sorocaba, Sviatoslav Yurash met with municipal deputy Ítalo Moreira, whom the Ukrainian community calls a great friend of Ukraine. It was he who introduced a bill on establishing sister-city relations between Sorocaba and Lviv.
The program in the state of Paraná, home to the largest Ukrainian community in Brazil, was especially extensive. There, Sviatoslav Yurash held meetings with representatives of the Ukrainian-Brazilian Central Representation, as well as officials from the City Hall of Curitiba. At the municipal administration, he was welcomed by Head of International Relations Rodolfo Zannin Feijó.
At the Legislative Assembly of the State of Paraná, a meeting took place with deputy Márcia Huçulak. The delegation was accompanied by Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Curitiba Dr. Mariano Czajkowski and Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress in Latin America Vitório Sorotiuk together with his family.
The Ukrainian parliamentarian was also received by Senator Sergio Moro, a member of the Brazil–Ukraine parliamentary friendship group, and his wife, deputy Rosângela Moro.
A special place in the visit was dedicated to meetings with the Ukrainian community and clergy. At the Archcathedral of St. John the Baptist, a religious event was held with the participation of Archbishop Volodymyr Kovbch, community leaders, and representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora.
The following week, Sviatoslav Yurash continued meetings with political, religious, and public figures in the city of Prudentópolis, one of the main centers of Ukrainian life in Brazil.
The visit of the Ukrainian MP became an important event for the Ukrainian community in Brazil and once again confirmed the strong historical ties between the two nations, as well as the importance of supporting Ukrainian culture, diplomacy, and international cooperation in Latin America.
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Author: Olena Zhukova
Photo: from the archive of Olena Zhukova