Ivonka Survilla

Ivonka Survilla or "Surviła" ( _be. Івонка Сурвіла, born in 1936, Stoŭpcy (Stołpce), eastern Poland, now in Minsk Voblasts of Belarus, as Iwonka Szymaniec) is the current President of the Belarusian National Republic (BNR) "in exile", a Chief of the Belarusian government in exile.

After a dramatic exodus through East Prussia, she lived in Denmark, France and Spain before moving to Canada in 1969.

Shortly after the Chernobyl disaster Ivonka Survilla and Zina Gimpelevich create the Canadian Relief Fund for Chernobyl Victims in Belarus (CRFCVB). [http://crfcvb.org/] This charitable organization provides medical aid in various forms, reciprocal medical staff visits between Canada and Belarus, food aid as well as providing health respites for children in various locations within Canada. In 1997 Ivonka was elected to the office of President of the Rada. This organization is considered to be the lawful government of Belarus in exile. Reluctantly Ivonka reliquished her top seated role in the CRFCVB to ensure that there were no political overtones to the charity which could affect the Belarusian children from seeking health respites abroad.

ee also

* Belarusian National Republic

External links

* [http://www.radabnr.org/en/index.html?starszyniah.html?survillasphoto.html?survilla.htm Official page] on Belarusian People's Republic Rada website
* [http://www.svaboda.org/forum/forum.aspx?ForumID=31&y=2006 Ivonka Survilla answers questions] be icon