November 26, 2021. OTTAWA, ON. On Saturday, November 27, Ukraine and the world commemorate Holodomor Memorial Day. We commemorate the 88th anniversary of the Holodomor Famine-Genocide. We honour the memory of the millions of victims of the Holodomor.
In 1932-33, the Soviet Communist regime, seeking to destroy the Ukrainian nation, turned food into a weapon. All food and grain were confiscated and any resistance brutally crushed. The Ukrainian people starved. Millions of people were murdered for their desire to live free in their own land, to speak their language, and to celebrate their culture and tradition.
Despite the horror of the Holodomor and decades of Soviet Communist occupation of their homeland, the Ukrainian people persevered and won their freedom in 1991. Today, that freedom is again under threat from Russia’s aggression.
As we gather this year in remembrance, we pray for the souls of the victims of the Holodomor. We are grateful to the survivors who have courageously shared their stories to help educate and unite us in raising awareness of the Holodomor. We call upon descendants of victims and survivors to share familial stories and keep our memory of the millions of innocent victims of the Holodomor forever alive.
We call upon descendants to continue to share the story.
On Saturday, November 27, we encourage all Canadians to take a moment to remember the victims of the Holodomor:
- At 19:32 (7:32 p.m.) local time pause for a moment of silence wherever one may be to honour the memory of the victims.
- Light a candle of remembrance in one’s home.
- Post photos of your candles on social media with your thoughts of remembrance.
- Request local churches to toll their bells at 19:32 in honour of the victims.
Holodomor Commemorative Events in Canada
Many communities are holding commemorative events. The UCC has compiled a list of Commemorative Events, lectures and webinars. To view the list of events, please see here
Recently, as part of its video series about the UCC’s 80th anniversary, we described the role of the Ukrainian Canadian community in honouring the memory of the millions of innocent victims of the Holodomor, raising awareness about the Holodomor, and advocating for recognition of the Holodomor by the Government of Canada. The video can be viewed below:
May the Memory of the Victims Be Eternal. Вічная Пам’ять.
