November 22 – 28, 2010

Holodomor – one of the most heinous crimes in the history of mankind, was the result of a deliberate political strategy masterminded by Stalin and his totalitarian communist regime. By sheer magnitude, losses during the Holodomor surpassed those of the Ukrainian nation during the Second World War. Ukrainians worldwide continue to suffer the consequences of this merciless act.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has established a permanent standing committee of the Congress – Committee for National Holodomor Awareness – with the mandate of raising awareness of this crime against humanity and promoting recognition of the Holodomor as an act of genocide.

In 2008, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor, the Government of Canada officially recognized the crime as a genocide of the Ukrainian people and proclaimed the fourth Saturday of every November National Holodomor Memorial Day. The provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec followed with similar provincial legislation.

As we prepare to mark the 77th anniversary of the Holodomor, the Congress continues to launch new initiatives with a focus on broadening the scope of awareness and recognition. Some of the ongoing projects include:

 

• The promotion and development of National Holodomor Awareness Week, an annual event during the month of November leading up to International Holodomor Remembrance Day;
  
• Working with our provincial ministries of education and local school boards to ensure that our students in Canada learn about the Holodomor;
  
• Working with Canadian organizations to ensure that historical facts reach a wider audience;
  
• Working with the Ukrainian World Congress toward the goal of recognition of the Holodomor as an act of genocide by the Organization of United Nations;
  
• The establishment of a permanent Holodomor Education Fund which will fund initiatives designed to further Holodomor awareness and education.

 

We have a moral obligation to ensure that the personal stories of our survivors are documented and preserved for future generations. As a result, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre, has been documenting the testimonies of Holodomor survivors living in Canada. These invaluable stories as told by individuals who witnessed the horror of 1932-33 in Ukraine are the focus of a new web site (www.holodomorsurvivors.ca), which will enable visitors to learn about the Holodomor from personal experiences. This documentation will create a lasting contribution to the historical archives.

In June of this year an international action titled Svichka Molinnia was initiated by the Ukrainian World Congress. From June to November Svichka Molinnia (Remembrance Candle) will travel through all of Ukraine’s regions and countries around the world. It will also be taken to the European Parliament and United Nations before returning to Ukraine for International Holodomor Remembrance Day.

The Remembrance Candle will be introduced in Canada during the XXIII Congress of Ukrainian Canadians to be held in November in Edmonton and will be a symbolic continuation of the successful 2008 journey of the International Remembrance Flame with the slogan Keep the Flame Alive.

Let us remember together –

• On Saturday, November 27 honour the memory of the victims with a moment of silence at 19:32 (7:32 p.m.) local time, and light a candle of remembrance in your home.
  
• On Sunday, November 28 participate in memorial services which will take place in your local churches.
  
• Participate in events organized by your local community.
  
• Inform and raise awareness of the Holodomor among your family, friends, neighbours, educators and co-workers.
  
• Support the UCC Holodomor Awareness Fund.

 

This is the bare minimum which we, as Ukrainians should do not only for the millions of victims, but more importantly, for our descendants who must always remember the Holodomor and heighten the international community’s sensitivity to the reoccurrence of similar tragedies.

Let’s reveal the truth about the Holodomor to the world!

Ukraine remembers - the World Acknowledges

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(Source: Ukrainian Canadian Congress)