| The Ukrainian Newspaper in Australia | |
|---|---|
Banner of The Free Thought |
|
| Type | weekly newspaper |
| Format | A2 |
| Founder | Wolodymyr Shumsky |
| Editor | Mark Shumsky |
| Editor-in-chief | Wolodymyr Shumsky |
| Founded | 10 July 1949 |
| Language | Ukrainan and English |
| Headquarters | Lidcombe, NSW, Australia |
| Circulation | 1,500 |
| OCLC number | 17664565 |
The Free Thought, also known as Vil'na dumka, Vilna Dumka and in Ukrainian: Вільна думка; is a weekly Ukrainian newspaper published in Australia since 1949.[1][2] In addition to serving post-WW2 immigrants and the second and third generations of those immigrants, the newspaper also caters to newer immigrants from post-Soviet Ukraine. It has sections in both Ukrainan and English.
Contents |
A large group of Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Australia in 1948, 1949, and 1950 with the assistance of two-year work contracts offered by the Australian government. This was the impetus for the creation of two Ukrainian-language newspapers in Australia, one of which was The Free Thought.[3] Upon receiving the Federal Government's permission, the first edition was published on 10 July 1949.[1] Since then, the newspaper has had a role in reporting on the establishment and development of Ukrainian Australian cultural and social life.[2]
In the 1980s, The Free Thought helped establish the Ukrainian Studies Foundations in Australia Ltd. to support Ukrainian studies at the university level. In 1994, The Free Thought joined with the Ukrainian Studies Foundation to publish a history called the Almanac of Ukrainian Life in Australia.[4] Another book was published in 2001, this time with the Ukrainian Heritage Society in Australia, containing over 2000 biographies of Ukrainian Australians, titled Ukrainians in Australia: an Encyclopedic Guide.[5]
The founder, owner, and editor is Wolodymyr Shumsky (Szumskyj), who has edited more than 3000 editions of the newspaper since 1949[1] and for many years has been active in the Ukrainian Australian community. In 2009 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to the Ukrainian community through cultural, educational and literary contributions".[6][7][8]
Over the years, contributors to Vilna Dumka have included Dmytro Nytczenko, Bohdan Podolianko[9] and Wasyl Onufrienko.[10]