Clarification: Ukrainian Identity and UAANT’s Independence

A clarification for our community

The Ukrainian-Australian Association of the Northern Territory (UAANT) is aware that Ukrainian clothing, national symbols, cultural traditions and individual Ukrainian participants may appear in promotional material or activities presented under a broader “Slavic” identity.

UAANT wishes to make its position clear.

UAANT is an independent Ukrainian community organisation. UAANT is not affiliated with, represented by, or responsible for the activities of the Slavic Cultural Community of the Northern Territory.

Unless UAANT has expressly announced its involvement through our official channels, the appearance of Ukrainian clothing, Ukrainian symbols, Ukrainian cultural elements or individual participants at an activity must not be understood as UAANT’s participation, endorsement or support.

Ukrainian identity is distinct

Ukrainians have our own national identity, language, history, culture and institutions. These must be represented accurately and with the consent of the Ukrainian organisations concerned.

In the context of Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine—and the long history of attempts by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union to subordinate Ukrainian identity—placing Ukrainian culture within a Russian-speaking, post-Soviet or vaguely “Slavic” framework is not culturally or politically neutral.

“Slavic” and “post-Soviet” are also not interchangeable descriptions. Several communities commonly included in Russian-speaking or former Soviet groupings, including Kazakh, Armenian and Georgian communities, are not Slavic. A broad regional label does not give any organisation authority to speak for the distinct national communities placed beneath it.

Participation is not endorsement

An individual may choose to attend or perform at an event in a personal capacity. That choice does not authorise organisers to imply that UAANT—or the Ukrainian community of the Northern Territory as a whole—supports, partners with or is represented by the event.

The same principle applies to photographs. The use of Ukrainian dress, the blue-and-yellow flag, the Tryzub or other recognisable Ukrainian cultural elements does not establish an association with UAANT.

Respectful multicultural cooperation

UAANT supports multiculturalism and constructive cooperation between communities. Genuine cooperation requires transparency, informed consent and respect for every participating nation’s distinct identity.

We welcome cultural exchange when Ukrainians are able to represent ourselves in our own name, on equal terms, and without Ukrainian identity being absorbed into a Russian-centred or post-Soviet narrative.

Only announcements published on the UAANT website, or through UAANT’s official social-media channels, should be treated as confirmation of UAANT’s participation in an event or initiative.

For questions about UAANT’s involvement in any public activity, please contact uaant.inc@gmail.com.