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Ukraine RemembersCanada Acknowledges

A COMPLIMENTARYinsert to:Ukrainian News,Homin Ukrainy,The New Pathway,Meest

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�секанадський тиждень відмічення �олодомору16 - 23 листопада 2008 року

У 75-ту річницю

Ґеноциду в Україні 1932-33 років

У 2008-ому році виповнюється 75 років з того часу, коли голодна смерть у мирний час, нанайродючішій землі у світі, обірвала мільйони людських доль.

�олодомор – одна з найстрашніших злочинів в історії людства. ! наслідок свідомої і чітко сплянованоїполітики тоталітарного комуністичного режиму знищено мільйони людських доль. $а своїмвражаючим масштабом �олодомор перевищив навіть втрати українського народу під час %ругоїсвітової війни. &и й досі переживаємо наслідки цього безжального терору.

'онґрес Українців 'анади проголошує перший !секанадський тиждень відмічення �олодомору,який цього року проходитиме від 16-го до 23-го листопада. )аш намір - щоби цей тиждень щорокуоб’єднував, не лише українську громаду, але й канадське суспільство, довкола просвітницької кампаніїі спільного вшанування жертв цієї трагедії.

*родовж цього року відмічення �олодомору в 'анаді, громада зазнала успіхів і це видання насвітлюєподії, які звернули увагу канадського суспільства на цей часто забутий ґеноцид.

*одаємо лише кілька прикладів: &іжнародна )езгасима +вічка весною відвідала з успіхом 17 громаду 'анаді. У травні канадський уряд, одна з перших західних країн, визнав �олодомор актом ґеноцидупроти українського народу. &іністерство освіти у провінції Альберта включило тематику �олодоморув середньо-освітню програму. У 4оронті шкільна канадська рада прийняла резолюцію якоюпроголошено четверту п’ятницю кожного листопада днем пам’яті жертв �олодомору.

!се ж таки, залишилося ще багато для осягнення i ми не сміємо зупинити свою діяльність з кінцемцього року. &усимо продовжувати працю з провінційними міністерствами освіти щоби запевнитивключення теми �олодомору в канадські шкільні програми навчання. &и маємо моральний обов’язокзапевнити, що свідчення очевидців �олодомору які проживають у 'анаді є належно документовані ізбережені для майбутніх поколінь. )а міжнародному рівні не зупинимо працю, доки Об’єднані )аціїне визнають �олодомор ґеноцидом.

$акликаємо всіх -

• У суботу 22-го листопада, разом з Україною, вшанувати пам’ять жертв однохвилинною мовчанкоюо годиній 9-ій рано і запалити свічку в кожному українському домі

• У неділю 23-го листопада взяти участь у богослуженнях і панахидах які будуть відправлені уваших церквах

• !зяти участь у поминальних імпрезах зорганізованих !ашою місцевою громадою

<е необхідний мінімум, який ми, сучасні українці, маємо зробити не тільки для мільйонів загиблих,а скоріше для наших нащадків, які повинні завжди пам’ятати про �олодомор і робити все, щоб подібнатрагедія ніколи не повторювалася. !ідкриймо світові правду про �олодомор!

Україна пам’ятає - �віт визнає

�секанадський комітет для відмічення �олодомору�онґрес Українців �анади

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National Holodomor Awareness WeekNovember 16 - 23, 2008

On the 75th anniversaryof the famine genocide in Ukraine 1932-33

Seventy five years have passed since famine raged through Ukraine eradicating the lives of millions ofchildren, women and men from one of the world’s most bountiful lands.

Holodomor – one of the most heinous crimes in the history of mankind, was the result of a deliberatepolitical 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 is launching the first National Holodomor Awareness Week onNovember 16-23. The goal is to annually unite the Ukrainian community and all Canadians in rememberingthe victims and raising awareness of this tragedy.

This publication highlights some of our successes as a community in Canada throughout the year andaims to draw the attention of Canadians to this often forgotten genocide.

We offer several examples: The International Remembrance Flame successfully toured 17 Canadiancities in the spring. In May, Canada was among the first western nations to recognize the Holodomor as anact of genocide. Alberta’s Ministry of Education included the Holodomor in its high school curriculum.The Toronto School Board will include the Holodomor in its 2009 curriculum and the fourth Friday ofevery November will be marked in the schools as Holodomor Memorial Day.

There is a great deal of work still to be done. We must continue working with our provincial ministries ofeducation and local school boards to ensure that our students in Canada learn about the Holodomor. Wehave a moral obligation to ensure that the personal stories of our survivors are documented and preservedfor future generations. Internationally, the United Nations must recognize the Holodomor as an act ofgenocide.

Let us remember together -

• On Saturday, November 22, in solidarity with Ukraine, honour the memory of the victims with a momentof silence at 9:00 a.m. and light a candle of remembrance in your home.

• On Sunday, November 23 participate in memorial services which will take place in your local churches

• Participate in events organized by your local community

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

Ukraine remembers – the World acknowledges

National Holodomor Commemoration CommitteeUkrainian Canadian Congress

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PHOTO — ROMAN PETRIWEdmonton Mayor StephenMandel lights the candlesof Holodomor survivorsat the Alberta Legislature.

PHOTO — YURIY POPADENETSMembers of the “Svitanok”dance group perform at the

Holodomor Monument replicaon Parliament Hill in Ottawa,

PHOTO — AL KACHKOWSKIHolodomor survivor StefanHorlatcsh lights a child’scandle in Saskatoon.

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Keep the Flame AliveOn the initiative of the International Coordinating Commit-

tee Ukrainian World Congress, in cooperation with Ukraine’sForeign Ministry and the secretariat of the president of Ukraine,an International Remembrance Flame is traveling the globe.Designed to raise awareness of the Holodomor on the occasionof the 75th anniversary, this Flame began its journey in Austra-lia on April 1, 2008 and will travel through 35 countries beforeending its journey in Ukraine in November of this year.

Canadian events titled “Keep the Flame Alive” rememberedthe victims of the Holodomor while ensuring that the story istransferred from generation to generation, from Holodomorsurvivors to the youth. Commemorative programs emphasizedthe importance of sharing facts about the Holodomor with Ca-nadians and continuing the awareness campaign going forwardthus helping to ensure that similar atrocities are never repeated.

The Flame was escorted throughout Canada by Holodomorsurvivor Mr. Stefan Horlatsch.

The International Remembrance Flame visited the followingCanadian centres:Manitoba – WinnipegSasktchewan – Yorkton, Regina, Saskatoon, North BattlefordAlberta – Vegreville, Red Deer, Calgary, EdmontonBritish Columbia – VernonOntario - St. Catharines, Hamilton, Toronto, London, Windsor,OttawaQuebec - Montreal

The International Remembrance Flame visited the followingcountries worldwide:

Australia, Canada, USA, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil,Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Great Britain, Sweden, Estonia,Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium, France,Spain, Portugal, Italy, Vatican, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Greece,Romania, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia, Armenia, Georgia,Ukraine.

Remembrance Flamestopped in Russiawith scare tactics

Ukrainians worldwide have condemned the blatant abuse ofhuman rights by Vladimir Putin’s Russian government whichhas successfully stopped events planned to commemorate the75th anniversary of the Holodomor – famine genocide in Ukraineof 1932-33.

Prior to the arrival of the International Remembrance Flamein Russia, the Ukrainian Embassy received notice on October6, 2008 from Russia’s Foreign Ministry that commemorativeevents must fall in line with the Russian position on the famineor be cancelled. Russia continues to claim that the Holodomorwas not a genocide and that Ukraine’s effort to secure suchrecognition is “a political matter that is aimed against Russianinterests.”

Ukrainian community activists in Orenburg, Tumen, Ufa, St.Petersburg and Krasnodar were subjected to undue pressureand scare tactics by government officials in the region result-ing in the cancellation of planned events.

!іжнародна

"езгасима �вічка$а ініціативою 'омітету по !ідміченню �олодомору

+вітового 'онґресу Українців у співпраці з &іністерством$акордонних +прав України і секретаріатом президентаУкраїни відбувається естафета &іжнародної )езгасимої+вічки з метою поширення правди про �олодомор з нагодийого 75-ої річниці. <ей смолоскип започаткував своюподорож в Австралії 1-го квітня 2008 року, подорожує 35країнами світу, а на завершення прибуде в Україну улистопаді цього року.

Українська держава, як організатор акції, урочистоперевозить )езгасиму +вічку в супроводі послів та консулівУкраїни, і кожна українська громада організує урочистізаходи в центрах де перебуватиме свічка.

�оловною метою канадських імпрез у зв’язку з прибуттямсвічки була належне вшанування пам’яті жертв �олодоморуі збереження цієї історичної пам’яті від поколінь до поколінь,від свідків �олодомору до нашої української молоді.

Офіційним носієм )езгасимої +вічки через 'анаду бувсвідок �олодомору, +тефан �орлач.

)езгасима +вічка прибула до наступних центрів 'анади:&анітоба - !інніпеґ+аскачеван – ?орктон, @іджайна, +аскатун, )ортAателфордАльберта – !еґревил, @ед %ір, 'алґари, BдмонтонAритійська 'олюмбія – !ернонОнтаріо - +т. 'атеринс, �амільтон, 4оронто, Cондон,!індзор, Оттава'вебек – &онтреал

)езгасиму +вічку приймали українські громади в країнахсвіту: Австралія, 'анада, +DА, 'олумбія, Bквадор, *еру,Aразилія, *арагвай, Арґентина, Eилі, !еликобританія,Dвеція, Bстонія, Cатвія, Cитва, Aілорусь, *ольща,)імеччина, Aельгія, Fранція, Іспанія, *ортугалія, Італія,!атикан, +ербія, Hорватія, Угорщина, �реція, @умунія,&олдова, 'азахстан, @осія, !ірменія, �рузія і Україна.

$осія заборонила акції@осійська Fередація заборонила українцям в @осії

проводити заплановані акції «)езгасимої +вічки» длявшанування пам’яті жертв �олодомору 1932-33 років, знагоди 75-ліття цього жахливого злочину проти людства.$аплановані українською громадою акції в @осії маливідбуватися протягом жовтня.

*осилаючись на позицію України щодо �олодомору 1932-33 років, @осія зажадала приведення планованих заходів увідповідність до позиції @F або відміни акції взагалі.

Dантажування та тиск на громади відкликати запланованіакції відбулися в таких містах @осії – Оренбург, 4юмень,Уфа, +анкт-*етербург та 'раснодар.

<ей крок @осійської Fедерації - не давати громадянамкраїни свобідно вшанувати пам’ять про мільйонні жертви�олодомору та засудити тих, які сповнили злочин протилюдства та проти українського народу - це ще один доказповернення @осії до часів диктатури та обмеження правлюдини.

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Ukraine Faminecommemoratedin WinnipegJen Skerritt,Winnipeg Free Press, April 20, 2008

Eighty-two-year-old Kanchir Euge-nia’s voice quivers when she thinks aboutthe hard times when she and her siblingshad to scrounge the streets for a morselof anything to eat.

“There wasn’t enough food to eat,”Eugenia said, noting she cooked cats,dogs, and even eggs in a birds’ nest as ayoung girl in Ukraine.

“We’d look through the streets and eatwhat we find.”

Eugenia was one of several survivorsof the Holodomor who took part in Keepthe Flame Alive, a special ceremony tocommemorate the 75th anniversary of theUkraine famine genocide at city hall Sun-day afternoon (April 19).

About 200 people gathered at the event,organized by the Ukrainian CanadianCongress, to remember the 10 millionpeople who died during the famine be-tween 1932 and 1933.

The famine was deliberately perpe-trated by Josef Stalin’s communists toFlame arrives in Canada

PHOTO —HARRY NESMASZNYJThe Holodomor Flame begins its journey at Toronto’s City Hall. From left to right:Taras Babyuk, National Holodomor Commemoration Committee; Ukraine’sAmbassador to Australia Valentyn Adomaytis; President of the Ukrainian CongressCommittee of America Mykhajlo Sawkiw; Holodomor survivor Stefan Horlatsch;Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oleh Shamshur; Ukraine’s Ambassadorto Canada Dr. Ihor Ostash; National President of the Ukrainian Canadian CongressPaul Grod; President of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations andChair of the International Coordinating Committee, Stefan Romaniw; LesiaLachmaniuk, National Holodomor Commemoration Committee.

(Ukrainian News/UCC National)—The International Holodomor Remem-brance Flame arrived on Canadian soilon April 18. The Flame was presentedduring a ceremony at Toronto’s City Hall,attended by 500 people, which also in-cluded the opening of the exhibitHolodomor: Genocide by Famine pro-duced by the League of Ukrainian Cana-dians, reported UCC National.

Presenting the Flame was ValentynAdomaytis, Ukraine’s Ambassador inAustralia and Stefan Romaniw, Chair ofthe International Coordinating Commit-tee of the Ukrainian World Congress andPresident of the Association of UkrainianOrganizations in in Australia. As theFlame made its debut on the NorthAmerican continent, it was accepted byUkraine’s Ambassador in Canada, Dr.Ihor Ostash and National President of theUkrainian Canadian Congress, PaulGrod, along with Ukraine’s Ambassadorto the United States, Oleh Shamshur andthe President of the Ukrainian CongressCommittee of America, MykhajloSawkiw.

The Flame was then accepted byHolodomor survivor, Stefan Horlatsch, 87,who symbolically lit a candle presented

by the community’s youth before depart-ing on his journey escorting the Remem-brance Flame to 15 Canadian cities.

Horlatsch was born in 1921 in theZaporizhia region of eastern Ukraine andgrew up in a family of farmers and smalllandowners.

During the Famine-Genocide inUkraine, his family had their land, live-stock, and grain forcibly seized by So-viet authorities and 11 members of themperished in the Holodomor.

Representing the federal governmentwas Jason Kenney, Minister of State forMulticulturalism and Canadian Identity.Also in attendance was Senator RaynellAndreychuk, Honorary Chair of theUkrainian Canadian Congress NationalHolodomor Commemoration Committee.

Canadian events organized by the UCCtitled “Keep the Flame Alive” will re-member the victims of the Holodomorwhile ensuring that their story is trans-ferred from generation to generation.During the events the UCC is launchinga campaign urging the Canadian govern-ment to recognize the Holodomor as anact of genocide and support Ukraine’smotion for such recognition by the UnitedNations.

PHOTO — NORBERT IWANJoy Smith, Member of Parliament forKildononan - St. Paul addresses thecrowd during the Winnipeg commemora-tion, April 19.

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Yorkton hosts Holdomor FlameBy Ann Harvey,Yorkton This Week, April 30, 2008

Holodomor survivor, Stefan Horlatsch,87, and two Yorkton youth representa-tives carried the torch to the podium atCity Centre Park Monday Night (April28).

This flame, the symbol of remem-brance of the 1932-1933 famine-geno-cide in which millions of people —mostly Ukrainian — died in Josef Stalin’seffort to crush the independence and na-tionalism of Ukraine, is in Canada as partof a 33-country trip.

Horlatsch is accompanying the torchas it tours his adoptive nation. In intro-ducing him, Sonja Pawliw, UkrainianCanadian Congress Yorkton Councilvice-president, said the survivor was bornin 1921 in Eastern Ukraine and grew upon the small farm his family owned.

During Holodomor their livestock andgrain was forcibly seized by the Soviets.Eleven members of his family perished.

In 1991 Horlatsch led a walk for free-dom across Ukraine, 4,500 kilometres.He is also a past president of CanadianFriends of Ukraine.

In a brief interview following the me-morial, Horlatsch spoke to Yorkton ThisWeek, with warmth, friendliness and aclear desire to prevent future genocides.He said, “My father was sent to Siberiaand he died there when I was very young.

“My mother with the five kids, and Iwas the oldest at 12 years, she struggled.She was, I say, a saint.”

People were dying, he said. “She savednot only myself but others in the family.

“She was, for about two or three yearsbefore Holodomor, drying bread, makingbread crumbs and hiding it in differentplaces.

“I would say that was really the voiceof God telling her to do it.”

Horlatsch said his message for Cana-dians, is to pray to God that such thingsdon't happen again.

Preventing future genocides anywherein the world was the theme for the entirememorial.

The 45-minute program began withsinging the Ukrainian national anthemfollowed by Merle Maximiuk, UkrainianCanadian Congress Yorkton Councilpresident, welcoming the about 100people to City Centre Park.

She explained that this commemora-tion of the 75th anniversary ofHolodomor began with a launch in No-vember 2007. Describing the results oftaking the harvest from Ukraine she said

a witnesses reported little children wereskeletons, their limbs dangling frombloated abdomens and only their eyesshowing lingering signs of childhood.

One child reported that her father laymotionless on a bench and her mother hadgone blind from hunger. She begged heruncle to take her to another community,saying she was still young and wantedso much to live.

“We hope that this program today willbring awareness for many of us as weknow there is famine in the world today.”

She introduced the other podiumhonoured guests: Father MethiodiusKushko of St. Mary’s Parish who gavethe closing prayer, Father PatrickPawlinsky of Hyas, Kamsack, SwanRiver Parish District who gave the open-ing prayer, Ed Lysyk, UCCSaskatchewan Provincial Council presi-dent, Horlastch, Pawliw, Yorkton MayorChris Wyatt and Yorkton Coun. RandyGoulden.

Except for Wyatt who spoke Englishand Horlatsch who spoke briefly inUkrainian the speakers spoke in both lan-guages.

The two youths — Natalie Ortynsky, aGrade 11 Yorkton Regional High Schoolstudent, and Isaac Pasloski, a Grade 5 St.Mary’s School student, held the torch formembers of the audience to light theircandles and them provide lights to others.

Wyatt said, “I think the most impor-tant part of this is to remember. This af-fects me.”

“The stories that came from the home-land to Beaverdale, Sask., will never beforgotten. I believe that the famine thatwas brought upon the people of theUkraine can potentially happen in othercountries.

“It’s up to the remembrance of todayceremonies to make sure they never hap-pen.”

Lysyk said, “We want our educationsystem to teach our youth that theseevents happened.”

Holodomor is touched on in Grade 5but the students aren't told enough, hesaid. “It needs to be better explained.”

He told the audience that the fourthSaturday in November is the official dayfor commemoration of Holodomor.Manitoba had legislated it and it is beingdiscussed in Ontario. “We're hoping theGovernment of Saskatchewan will showsome leadership in regard to this.”

Maximiuk asked people to keep theircandles and relight them on that day.

A moment of silence concluded theprogram.

PHOTO — NORBERT IWANStefan Horlatsch with Winnipeg youthrepresentative Lisa Lukashenko.

quash Ukraine’s aspiration for indepen-dence.

Stefan Horlatsch, an 87-year-oldHolodomor survivor from Toronto,brought the International HolodomorRemembrance Flame to Winnipeg, andyouth participants carried the torch dur-ing a march from the legislative buildingto city hall.

The Flame is slated to travel acrossCanada and the U.S. along with 32 othercountries.

“This should never be forgotten,”Coun. Harry Lazarenko said. “When Iwent to school I never heard (of) such athing.”

Lazarenko said it’s important fortoday’s Ukrainian youth to honour theevent to keep famine victim’s memoryalive. He said many schools never taughtchildren about the historical event sinceit was considered taboo.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress isalso circulating a petition to recognize thefourth Saturday in November as a re-membrance day for victims of theHolodomor.

Eugenia said it’s still difficult to lookback at the event that killed her fatherand grandfather and begins to tear up atthe emotional memory.

“Lots of people died,” she said.

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Remembrance Flame at Saskatchewan LegislatureCompiled by UkrainianNews with files fromOrest Warnyca andthe Regina Leader-Post

April 29 a commemo-rative Holodomor fam-ine-genocide programwas held by the Reginabranch of the UCC infront of the Saskatche-wan Legislative Build-ing.

Approximately 200members of the commu-nity attended the pro-gram, which was openedby Master of CeremoniesOrest Warnyca, Presidentof the Regina Branch ofthe UCC. The Premier ofSaskatchewan, BradWall, was there to greetflame bearer and Holodo-mor survivor, Horlatsch.In his greetings, PremierWall stated “we in Sas-katchewan, as much asanywhere on the planet,

PHOTO — CARLA WARNYCAStefan Horlatsch at the Regina Ceremony in front of the Saskatchewan Legislature: From left toright: Tricia Kaminski, Premier Brad Wall; Brian Shalley (flag-bearer), Stefan Horlatsch, VeraFeduschak (flag-bearer), Orest Warnyca, Ed Lysyk, Rev. Father Kuzyk, Msgr. Luzney. Missing fromthe photo: Saskatchewan flag-bearer Kayla Bilokury.

understand the amazing gift that the world was deprived ofbecause of this famine and genocide, for we have been suchsignificant benefactors of that gift — the gift of Ukrainian valueand tradition and contribution. Those values are poured intothe DNA of this province.”

Historical information on the Holodomor and a call to havesuch information included in the Saskatchewan school cur-riculum were provided by UCC Regina member TriciaKaminski and UCC Saskatchewan president Ed Lysyk.

Stefan Horlatsch, Ed Lysyk and Orest Warnyca were lateracknowledged in the session of the Saskatchewan Legislature.

During the session, members of the political parties madepresentations recognizing the Holodomor as a famine-geno-cide in Ukraine.

The Regina event received considerable coverage in theRegina Leader-Post.

The Leader-Post cited Horlatsch as saying it was importantto remember the tragedy to ensure something like it wouldnever happen again. As he spoke he held the remembrancetorch as the Canadian, Saskatchewan, and Ukrainian flags flewbehind him.

Horlatsch was 12 in 1932 and has vivid memories of thefamine. When the famine-genocide began, Horlatsch and hisfamily were living in Zaporizhia in the eastern region ofUkraine near the Black Sea. His family’s land, livestock andgrain were seized by Soviet authorities. His father was sent toSiberia like most of the men during this time, wrote Leader-Post reporter Kerry Benjoe. Amazingly his mother single-handedly saved all four of her children based solely on a pre-monition she had that something evil was about to happen.

“It was two or three years before Holodomor, she was bak-ing bread and making bread crumbs out of it and hiding it indifferent places like the stable, in the house, many, many

places,” recalled Horlatsch.“From time to time she was digging it out and we were us-

ing two or three spoons of bread crumbs with hot water andthat’s what actually saved us.”

He said because many men were taken from their families ithad a dire effect on the women and children.

“My cousins they were living about three or four houses awayfrom us. There were 11 of them in the family and all 11 of themdied in 1933,” said Horlatsch. “I remember once when I wentto visit them there were three already dead and the rest of themweren’t strong enough to bury them. It was winter time, and theground was frozen, it wasn’t easy to dig the grave.”

The memories are still very difficult for him to recall be-cause it was a very dark time for the Ukrainian people.

“I can say many, many things but it’s not easy. It’s not easyto remember. It’s not easy to say,” said Horlatsch. “I hope onething — that it will never happen anywhere in the world.”

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress estimates that one-thirdof Holodomor victims were children. In that short period oftime, one-quarter of the Ukrainian population died. The geno-cide policy introduced by then-Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in-cluded confiscation of all food both inside and outside thehomes. Ukrainian people were forced to stay within their com-munities, therefore making it impossible to search for food.

Lysyk said having the flame in Regina provided an opportu-nity not only to educate people but to call on the governmentto make changes to recognize this part of Ukrainian history.

He said there is currently some information on Holodomorin the Grade 5 and Grade 11 social studies programs.

“It’s not very specific. It just doesn’t provide a lot of factsand we would like them to consult with us and perhaps im-prove the materials they have and the information that theyhave so that really does inform youths correctly,” said Lysyk.

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200 greet Remembrance Flame in Saskatoon

PHOTO — IHOR KODAK

Saskatoon clergy conduct the Memorial Service.

By Al Kachkowski, Ukrainian News, May 15 - 28, 2008

The International Holodomor Remembrance Flame arrivedin Saskatoon on April 29, at a ceremony which began at 7:00pm at City Hall Square. More that 200 people attended.

The Flame was escorted by 87-year-old Stefan Horlatsch,of Toronto, a survivor of the Holodomor-Genocide.

The program started with an ecumenical Panakhyda (me-morial service) led by the clergy of Saskatoon’s UkrainianCatholic and Orthodox clergy.

Master of Ceremonies, George Hupka, introduced and wel-comed the dignitaries present, the Mayor of Saskatoon, DonAtchison, and the Constituency Assistant to Carol Skelton, CPCM.P. for Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, Dori Krahn. He thenthanked the City.

“At this time, the Ukrainian community wishes to acknowl-edge and thank the Saskatoon City Council for its recent proc-lamation designating April 28 to May 3 as Holodomor Aware-ness Week in Saskatoon.”

Demyan Prokopchuk represented the youth at the ceremony.His well-presented bilingual address was a highlight of theevening. He urged the Canadian government to recognize theHolodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people.

Prokopchuk encouraged the public to learn about all geno-cides. He stated: “The Ukrainian Famine is not the only geno-cide that has escaped the attention of the masses. By high-lighting the case of the Holodomor as genocide, we seek toincrease the international community’s awareness of the factthat engineered famines are still being used as a weapon to-day. Only through awareness can we help prevent such de-plorable acts elsewhere in the world”

In Ukrainian, Prokopchuk added: “The time has come forthe world to remember in its thoughts, hearts and in its books,

this portion of its history. We are compelled to publicize theUkrainian Holodomor as an important and shameful period,not only for Ukrainians, but also the world.”

He continued in English: “We, the youth, accept this flametoday with humility and pride. With it we honour the victimsof this horrific tragedy, we remember those who survived, andwe cherish those who are still with us today. To the survivorswe make a promise to always remember. We make a promiseto ensure that your stories are shared, to ensure that your sto-ries live on forever in the hearts and minds of future genera-tions.”

In his remarks, Mayor Don Atchison reflected on the factthat the 10 million who perished in the Holodomor were equiva-lent to 10 times the population of Saskatchewan.

The torch arrived at the ceremony carried by youth Mat-thew Petrow. Horlatsch received the torch and shared the flamewith 8 people each born in a different decade from the 1930’sto the 2000’s. These decade representatives (oldest to theyoungest) were: Robert Chayka, Helen Adamko, Diane Boyko,Chrystal Polanik, Serhiy Kostyuk, Matthew Paslawski, NinaGabruch and Matthew Hrycuik.

Horlatsch spoke to the assembly in Ukrainian and summa-rized his comments stating the a major purpose of this com-memoration is to help assure that such an atrocity is not im-posed on anyone in the future.

Slawko Kindrachuk, president of the Ukrainian CanadianCongress – Saskatoon Branch, organizers of the event, em-phasized the importance of commemorating the Holodomorand thanked everyone who participated and attended. The twocostumed kozaks present, Paul Bunka and Ivan Palij then led aprocession of all participants to the public library.

After the ceremony, everyone assembled in the theatre atthe library where they viewed the film “Harvest of Despair”.

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150 greet Flame in Vegreville despite pouring rain

PHOTO — ROMAN PETRIW

Left to Right: Const. Brent Irwin of the Vegreville RCMP Detachment, Stefan Horlatsch, Alberta Aboriginal Relations MinisterGene Zwozdesky, RCMP Const. Amanda Fitzpatrick and Vegreville Town Councillor and Flame Commemoration organizer,Natalia Toroshenko stand with the Flame in front of the Giant Pysanka. The tent was erected because of the rain.

(Ukrainian News)—Despite the pouring rain about 150people in Vegreville welcomed the Holdomor Flame to Alberta,as it arrived from North Battleford, April 30.

Holodomor survivor Stefan Horlatsch, who is accompany-ing the Flame across Canada, was brought to the Giant Pysankasite by fire truck with an RCMP escort.

There he passed the Flame to youth members who lit candlesthen passed them around.

“We’re very pleased with the turnout,” said Vegreville’sFlame Commemoration organizer, Councillor NataliaToroshenko.

Speaking for the Alberta government Aboriginal RelationsMinister Gene Zwozdesky said the International Flame ofRemembrance is a symbol of the Ukrainian spirit

“I like the title of Eternal Flame, because as has often beensaid many different nations over the course of Ukraine’s his-tory may have tried to extinguish the spirit of Ukraine, butthey have never succeeded in destroying the spirit of Ukraini-ans. And the International Flame stands as one of those spe-cial reminders of, in this case, a tragic time in Ukraine’s his-tory, but one that we must honour and recognize for the bravepeople who endured it and for the survivors who are here to

tell about it.”Greetings were also delivered by Vegreville Mayor Richard

N. ColemanThe following morning Horlatsch visited Vegreville Com-

posite High School where he spoke to over 100 students inGrade 9 and 11 who are studying the Holodomor as part of alarger Social Studies program and then to A. L. Horton El-ementary and chatted to students in the bilingual program

From there, he was driven to Sherwood Park to meet withstudents at Father Kenneth Kearns Catholic School and thenwent on to Edmonton where he met students at Balwin JuniorHigh School. This was followed by a media conference at theUkrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council anda studio interview with Global Television’s anchor LyndaSteele.

Horlatsch’s May 1 visit to Edmonton got considerable me-dia coverage, with reports on three television stations and bothdaily newspapers.

The May 3 Flame commemoration at the Legislature wascovered by both CTV and Global Television, but only receiveda photo and cutline in the Edmonton Sun and was completelyignored by the Edmonton Journal.

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Holodomor Flame burns in Red Deer

Darfur-Holodomor link-up(Ukrainian News)—Students from Grant MacEwan College(GMC) in Edmonton linked up with the Holodomor Flame inRed Deer, May 2 at the midway point of their eight-day walkfrom Calgary to Edmonton, journeying over 30 km a day toraise awareness of the human rights violations in Darfur.Oksana McIntyre, Ukrainian Canadian Congress representa-tive in Red Deer said the presence of the Darfur walkers wasmost significant precisely because the same kind of crimeagainst humanity that happened in Ukraine in 1932-33 is hap-pening today in Darfur. “People are being starved to death inDarfur just because of who they are, just as they were inUkraine. When we say ‘Never Again!’, we mean ‘NeverAgain!’, that’s why it is necessary to keep the memory of theHolodomor alive and bring attention to the plight of the peoplein Darfur,” she noted. Pictured on the right: GMC studentChristine Kuzyk, a Ukrainian Catholic Youth member from St.Nicholas Parish in Edmonton addresses the crowd.

By Ashley Joannou,Red Deer Advocate, May 2, 2008

Seventy-five years after a man-madefamine killed between seven and 10 mil-lion Ukrainians, a flame honouring theirmemory arrived in Red Deer on Fridaymorning (May 2).

The famine, known as the Holodomor,took place between 1932 and 1933.

Survivor Stefan Horlatsch has beentravelling with the torch on every Cana-dian leg of its worldwide journey, whichwill eventually cover 33 countries.

Horlatsch was 12 when Soviet dictatorJoseph Stalin closed Ukraine’s bordersand confiscated all food from the people.

“He didn’t want them to fight for in-dependence,” Horlatsch said.

Among the millions killed wereHorlatsch’s cousins. The family of 11 allstarved to death.

“With this flame we are passing thememory of what happened on to theyounger generation,” Horlatsch told acrowd of about 150 social studies stu-dents at Notre Dame High School on Fri-day. “To try to prevent something like thisfrom happening again.”

The Toronto man told students howofficials would prevent people from get-ting food.

“They would tear down the walls ofyour house or dig up your gardens look-ing for hidden food,” he said.

Horlatsch told the students about go-ing to visit his cousins one afternoon.

“I remember one day I was at thathouse and I saw three dead bodies,” hesaid. “No one could bring themselves tobury them in the harsh winter.”

Horlatsch credits his mother’s faith andthe bags of bread crumbs she hid, withkeeping him and his siblings alive.

“We would get two spoonfuls of breadcrumbs with water and it kept us alive,”he said.

By January 1933, Horlatsch was tooweak from hunger to go to school.

When he returned the next year, a thirdof his class had died.

Grade 12 student Robyn Holitski saidshe was not aware of the famine beforeFriday’s presentation.

“I’m surprised more people don’tknow, it sounds like something thatshould be part of our textbooks some-where.”

Her classmate Natalie Leclair was mostsurprised by the number of people whodied.

“To have 10 million people die in 17months is shocking,” she said.

Following the presentation, membersof the Ukrainian Canadian Congresspassed around a petition asking the Ca-nadian government to recognize theHolodomor as a genocide.

“So many people died, we want peopleto know about it and recognize it,”Horlatsch said.

Left to Right: Oksana McIntyre, Stefan Horlatsch, Olena Fedyna.

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Holodomor Flame glows in Calgary sunsetBy Halya Wilson,Past President, UCC Calgary

(Ukrainian News)—The InternationalHolodomor Flame arrived in Calgaryfrom Red Deer the evening of May 2.

Calgary’s monument erected to thememory of lost lives during theHolodomor, rests on the north side of theBow River on Memorial Drive andEdmonton Trail. The trees lining the sidesof Memorial Drive serve as a living tes-tament to the many soldiers who diedduring World War I.

It is at this important city infrastruc-ture that the monument to the millionswho were starved in Ukraine’sHolodomor stands and where the Re-membrance Flame was lit

The Ukrainian community gathered atSt. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Par-ish from where the procession with flagsto the Holodomor Monument began.Present were representatives and mem-bers of various Ukrainian organizationsof Calgary as well as the Ukrainians fromevery generation and time of arrival inCanada. At the Holodomor Monument,UCC president, Michael Ilnycky wel-comed everyone who was present andexplained the world action “Keep theFlame Alive”, as well as introducing theHolodomor survivor, Stefan Horlatschwho laid a wreath to the victims of theHolodomor 1932-33.

Father Taras Krochak from the St.Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Congre-gation and Rev. Serhiy Harahuc from theAssumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryUkrainian Catholic Parish conducted aprayer service.

Representatives of all three levels ofgovernment expressed the importance ofnever forgetting such a tragedy or lettingit happen again, from the Federal Gov-ernment, MP Deepak Obhrai, ProvincialMLA, Teresa Woo-Paw and Calgary CityAlderman, Ric McIver.

Representing the Ukrainian govern-ment the Consul General from TorontoOleksandr Danyleyko, greeted those at-tending with the following words, “Thisyear Ukraine and all Ukrainians aroundthe world commemorate the 75th anniver-sary of the Holodomor in Ukraine, thegreat famine, one of the worst humancatastrophes in the history of mankindwhich was planned and executed by thetotalitarian regime.

“Today in Calgary the remembranceflame is being lit to honour the memoryof millions of innocent victims of theHolodomor. This flame started in Aus-

tralia in April, will travel around the globeto remind the world of the terrible disas-ter which happened in Ukraine 75 yearsago, to make people and governments offoreign countries aware of the humancrime made by the soviet regime againstthe Ukrainian nation. To unite all Ukrai-nians in our sorrow for our brothers andsisters tortured to death by starvation. Inour efforts to make the Holodomor rec-ognized as genocide by the internationalsociety, Ukraine remembers, the worldacknowledges.

“It is not only an idea of the EternalFlame committee but also the Presidentof Ukraine, the government and the min-istry of foreign affairs and all Ukrainiansaround the world.

“Why Ukraine remembers? Becauseduring the years 1932, 1933 Ukraine lostmillions of its sons and daughters almostone quarter of the population, not on thebattlefields but on the fields of grain,devastated by the Stalin regime, becauseUkrainian villages their own land ofUkrainian farmers became the prisonsbuilt by the communists where Ukraini-ans came to their death. It was a deliber-ate action of the totalitarian regime toerase national memory, to eliminate theUkrainian nation.

“Why should the world acknowledge?Because the Holodomor was the mosthorrible crime not only against the Ukrai-nian nation it was a crime against human-ity which has to be condemned by theinternational society. Even now in the 21st

century there are real threats of genocideand we should prevent even the smallestpossibilities of such crimes to be repeated

in the future.UCC National President Paul Grod,

noted the active participation of theyouth, in this action. He stressed the im-portance of spreading the truth about thehorrible facts of the Holodomor.

On behalf of all the youth, AnyaZalucky accepted the torch fromHorlatsch pledging to always keep thememory of the innocent victims in theirhearts and to work tirelessly to make theworld remember about these tragic eventsand to declare them a genocide againstthe Ukrainian people.

A “Holodivka” was held by the senioryouth of CYM and PLAST, after the com-memoration. Calgary CYM havemounted a large banner of the poster onthe Youth Centre “Domivka” of theUkrainian Youth Association CYMwhich will remain on the building untilNovember 2008. Also a banner on Me-morial Drive just off the Langevin Bridgewith the words, “Ukrainians Remember— The World AcknowledgesHOLODOMOR Ukrainian Famine-Genocide 1932 - 1933” was displayed forall those passing by to see why the com-memoration was being held.

Standing within view of the CalgaryTower, one could not help but reminisceabout the evenings when the torch on thetower shone on the youth from all overthe world, who were attending CYMOlympic Tabir. Twenty years ago ouryouth was rallying for a free and demo-cratic Ukraine during the awards ceremo-nies on Olympic Plaza singing ”Shche NeVmerla Ukraina, “ while the Soviet An-them was being played.

PHOTO — STEPHAN STANConsul General of Ukraine Olexander Danyleiko of Ukraine addresses the crowd.

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750 attend Flame ceremony at Alberta Legislature(Ukrainian News)—About 750 people

attended a moving Holodomor Flameceremony at the Alberta Legislature inEdmonton, May 3.

To begin the ceremony, Stefan Horlat-sch, an 87-year-old survivor of the fam-ine passed the torch on to Premier EdStelmach and the two of them carried itdown the steps of the legislature wherethey passed it to members of Ukrainianyouth in a symbolic gesture meant to keepthe memory of this genocide alive forfuture generations.

“I am fortunate enough to carry thistorch through the cities of Canada andvery often people ask me why? Why mustwe remember that? And the answer canbe to pay tribute to the memory of mil-lions of innocent victims. To condemn thecrime of the Soviet Communist regime.To assure historical justice. To gain in-ternational recognition of the Ukrainiangenocide. And I hope that when this torchfinds its final resting place in Kyiv theworld, under the direction of the UnitedNations will proclaim the Holodomor inUkraine as genocide,” said Horlatsch.

“The Holodomor is a dark and painfulpart of our past. It’s an atrocity that’s be-yond reason and it’s also beyond under-standing,” said Stelmach, who also noteda Holdomor bill will be introduced thisfall.

“This unquenchable flame shows theworld that the spirit of the Ukrainianpeople will never be extinguished,” hesaid, speaking in Ukrainian.

“Most importantly we can do our part toensure that no other people are subject tothe same atrocity,” he added, switchingback to English.

Addressing the survivors of theHoldomor, who were seated in front ofthe Legislature, Edmonton MayorStephen Mandel said: “You bring to us aremembrance that we cannot forget.”

Looking out to the youth carrying thecandles, Mandel noted that: “They willbe the ones who will carry forward thatthese things cannot happen again”

“If we as a society allow these eventsto go unnoticed, they will continue tohappen and unfortunately it has happenedtoo far often in our society… If you for-get one horrific event, you will forgetthem all,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the federal gov-ernment, Edmonton Centre MP LaurieHawn noted that: “The deliberate plannedfamine was devised to destroy Ukrainiannations’ aspirations for a free and inde-pendent Ukraine.”

“To put it into perspective, the hor-

rible, barbaric events of 1932 and 1933were the equivalent of wiping out theentire population of Manitoba, Saskat-chewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

“Despite this almost incomprehensiblecrime against humanity, the Ukrainianpeople persevered with a level of cour-age and determination that inspired theworld,” he added.

Youth representative Cypriana Koziaknoted that: “Today, we receive the Inter-national Remembrance Flame and lightthis flame of truth that unites us as we paytribute to the millions of innocent victimsof the Holodomor. We join our brothers andsisters around the world in condemning thecrimes of the Soviet communist regime,demanding that historical justice be re-stored, and demanding international rec-ognition of the Ukrainian genocide.”

“The Ukrainian Famine is not the onlygenocide that has escaped the attentionof the masses. By highlighting the caseof the Holodomor as a genocide, we seekto increase the international community’sawareness of the fact that engineeredfamines are still being used as a weapontoday. Only through awareness can wehelp prevent such deplorable acts else-where in the world,” she added.

“We, the youth, accept this flame to-day with humility and pride. With it wehonour the victims of this horrific trag-edy, we remember those who survived,and we cherish those who are still withus today. To the survivors we make apromise to always remember. We makea promise to ensure that your stories areshared, to ensure that your stories live onforever in the hearts and minds of futuregenerations,” said Koziak.

Two other youth representatives OlesiaMarkevych and Mykhailo Tarasenko de-livered a bilingual (English and Ukrainian)presentation in which they combined eye-witness accounts with factual statements.

“The objective of the engineered fam-ine was to destroy the Ukrainian nationalidea by wiping out the national elites andtheir social support base, and then byturning the peasants who survived theHolodomor into obedient collective farmworkers — virtually slaves of the state,”said Markevych.

“For Stalin to have complete central-ized power in his hands, he found it nec-essary to physically destroy the second-largest Soviet republic, meaning the an-nihilation of the Ukrainian peasantry,Ukrainian intelligentsia, Ukrainian lan-guage and history as understood by thepeople; to do away with Ukraine andthings Ukrainian,” she added.

“I lived in the village of Yaressky inthe Poltava region. It was terrifying towalk through the village: moaning andswollen people, the dying and the dead.The bodies of the dead were buried to-gether, because there was no one to digthe graves. There were no dogs. Therewere no cats. People died at work; it wasof no concern whether your body wasswollen, whether you could work,whether you had eaten. You worked —otherwise you were the enemy of thepeople,” related Tarasenko, reading asurvivor’s account.

World FM Ukrainian Program Direc-tor Roman Brytan served as Master ofCeremonies for the event and closed witha moving poetry rendition.

PHOTO — MARCO LEVYTYSKY

Children light candles at the Alberta Legislature.

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Vernon community remembers HolodomorBy Cara Brady,Vernon Morning Star, May 11, 2008

The Holodomor was not the first time food was used as aweapon of war and it was not the last. Ukrainians around theworld are marking the 75th anniversary of the 1932/33 fam-ine/genocide against their people by the Soviet government asa way to remember the victims and create awareness of cur-rent famine/genocides.

The Holodomor Remembrance flame made a stop in Vernonon its way across the world to finish in the Ukrainian capitolof Kyiv in November. Stefan Horlatsch, a survivor of theHolodomor, which means hunger suffering, who is escortingthe flame in Canada, carried the torch from the Vernon courthouse to city hall. He was joined by representatives of the lo-cal Ukrainian community and clergy from Ukrainian churchesin Vernon, Kamloops and Kelowna.

Roman Chez, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress,Vernon Branch, was the master of ceremonies and MironBalych read the history of the Holodomor.

“In the early 1930s, in the very heart of Europe — in a re-gion considered to be Europe’s breadbasket — Stalin’s Com-munist regime committed a horrendous act of genocide againstup to 10 million Ukrainians.... The Holodomor was geographi-cally focused for political ends. it stopped precisely at theUkrainian-Russian ethnographic border. The borders werestrictly patrolled by the military to prevent starving Ukraini-ans from crossing into Russia in search of bread.... The Ukrai-nian population was reduced by as much as 25 per cent.... TheSoviet government refused to acknowledge to the internationalcommunity the starvation in Ukraine and turned down assis-tance offered by various countries and international relief or-ganizations....

“We hope that when this flame finds its last resting place inKyiv the world will proclaim the Holodomor of 1932/33 as agenocide.”

About 50 people, including an honour guard of young mem-bers of the Sadok Ukrainian Dancers, watched and listened asMichael Zozula and Katherine Zozula, children of the lateAntonina Zozula of Vernon, read from her memories of thefamine written when she was 90.

“It is very hard for me to talk about those two years, becauseI still clearly see the faces of the suffering people and theirdying words ring in my ears. Seventy years later, I rememberthis famine and I can’t sleep.... Death was everywhere. Nofamily escaped the horror,” she wrote in part.

Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert and Andrea Malysh, of theUkrainian Community Civil Liberties Association of Canadaand leader of the Sadok Ukrainian Dancers, accepted the flameon behalf of the community.

“The whole point of the flame is to bring this out into theopen as part of history to be acknowledged, as all genocidesshould be. We want to make people aware that food is still beingused as a weapon today and genocide is happening. We need tocare about it and help make sure it is stopped,” said Malysh.

Bobbie Catt brought her children, Madison, eight, Hayden,five, and Jorja, three, all members of the Sadok UkrainianDancers to the ceremony.

“It’s good for them to learn this, as much as they can under-stand. Andrea (Malysh) is excellent in teaching them the his-tory and culture as well as dance,” she said.

Horlatsch, a retired teacher now living in Toronto, was achild during the Holodomor, and lost many family members.He has dedicated his life to promoting the cause of freedom.

“Nowhere in the world should anyone ever go hungry again,”he said.

Youth representative speaks during the Vernon ceremony.

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Ukraine genocide remembered in LondonLondon Free Press, Sat, May 24, 2008

More than 150 representatives from the local Ukrainian com-munity gathered yesterday (May 23) inside city hall’s councilchambers to light a torch that paid tribute to those who died intheir native country 75 years ago.

The torch was passed to Canadian Ukrainian children fromsurvivors of Ukraine’s Holodomor genocide.

Holodomor means extermination or death by famine. Itwiped away about one-quarter of Ukraine’s population duringJosef Stalin’s communist regime.

“The people who died can’t speak for themselves, so wemust speak, those who are left,” said Mike Fediw, 81, whosurvived Holodomor and lives in London.

The torch will pass through 33 nations before it returns toKyiv next fall.

Niagara Ukrainian Canadiansremember 10 million lost to famineBy Monique Beech,St. Catharines Standard, May 23, 2008

Lidia Prokomenko remembers eating acorns and chewinggrass to survive, and watching her neighbours die, during theUkrainian famine of 1932-33.

Now 83 and living in St. Catharines, Prokomenko was justeight years old when she witnessed dead bodies strewn on thestreets of her childhood hometown of Kharkiv.

“It was worse than anything,” said Prokomenko. “It wasworse than the (Second World) war.”

Ukrainians call the event Holodomor, a genocide: a deliber-ate attempt to eliminate Ukrainians by starvation by SovietUnion communist leader Joseph Stalin.

It’s widely believed Stalin ruthlessly instigated a famine inthe Ukraine by imposing extremely high grain quotas and con-fiscating supplies down to the last seed.

On Thursday evening (May 22), about 100 local Ukrainian-Canadians gathered at St. Catharines city hall to mark the 75thanniversary of the famine by lighting candles and calling onOttawa to formally recognize the event as a genocide.

For many years there’s been a debate among politicians overwhether to call the tragic event — which took an estimated 10million lives — a genocide.

In 2003, the Senate of Canada voted to recognize the famineas a genocide and encourage historians, educators and parlia-mentarians to include the true facts of the famine in futureeducational material.

For years, the Soviet Union has attempted to hide or denythe historical truth of the genocide, said Olenka Choly, 20, ofSt. Catharines, who spoke at the rally.

“We urge the government to recognize the Holodomor as agenocide of the Ukrainian people,” Choly said.

There are 35 Holodomor survivors in Niagara.For years, many Ukrainians were too afraid to speak about

the forced starvation out of fear for relatives who remainedunder the power of the Soviet Union, said Alexandra Sawchuk,who is a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, St.Catharines branch.

That changed in 1991, when Ukraine gained independencefrom the Soviet Union, she said.

“It’s so painful, what happened to them,” Sawchuk said.“They must speak to it.”The Ukraine was widely considered the bread basket of the

world until the famine, said Walt Lastewka, former St.Catharines MP.

“Everything was taken away. It’s a genocide that we never

wish to see repeated on this planet.”St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley, St. Catharines Mayor Brian

McMullan and Welland MP John Maloney also attended.To draw raise awareness of the famine, an International

Holodomor Remembrance Flame was created to mark the 75thanniversary and encourage the global community to recognizethe tragedy.

The flame, will travel to 33 countries before landing inUkraine in November.

Survivor Stefan Horlatsch, 87, of Toronto brought the eter-nal flame to the Garden City and is escorting it across Canada.

PHOTO — IRKA MYCAKStefan Horlatsch passes the Flame to Leopold Klimm, the greatgrandson of a Holodomor survivor. On their left is anothersurvivor, Fedir Tkachenko.

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Holdomor survivors mark anniversary in WindsorBy Melissa Dunne,The Windsor Star, May 23, 2008

If not for finding some buried dead horses and empty cornhusks, Stefanie Korostil and most of her family may not havemade it through the Ukrainian genocide.

Korostil was only 12 when her family had to survive on horseand ground-up husks, mixed with tree leaves.

Many of her neighbors, near the Dnipro River about 321kilometres south of Kyiv in Ukraine, resorted to eating humancorpses, pets and grass to stay alive during the Ukrainian geno-cide in the mid-1930s.

Eventually, Korostil would lose six relatives, including oneof her two brothers, to the genocide, also known as theHolodomor.

“There was no bread, no nothing,” recalled Korostil after aceremony in Jackson Park Friday (May 23), aimed at raisingawareness of the Holodomor. “People were dying everywhere. . . the bodies were everywhere.”

This period in Soviet history was kept silent for decades.From 1932-1933 approximately seven million Ukrainians

were starved to death in what is called the breadbasket of Eu-rope.

It was an act of genocide designed to undermine the socialbasis of Ukrainian national resistance.

Mainly peasants and farmers, like Korostil’s family, werestripped of all of their food, animals, and most of their posses-sions.

At the height of the genocide, Ukrainian villagers were dy-ing at the rate of 17 per minute, 1,000 per hour, 25,000 perday.

Now, as the only known survivor of the genocide living inWindsor, Korostil does her part to pressure the local, national,

and international community to publicly acknowledge theHolodomor as an act of genocide, not a famine.

As part of this movement to raise awareness an internationalremembrance flame is currently travelling across 33 countriesleading up to the 75th anniversary of the genocide this No-vember.

When the flame came to Windsor Friday (May 22)about 50people, along with Brian Masse (NDP — Windsor West) andJoe Comartin (NDP — Windsor-Tecumseh), held a ceremonyat the Holodomor Monument in Jackson Park, which was erectedin 2005 to commemorate the 72nd genocide anniversary.

In Canada a national bill to recognize the Holomodor as agenocide and to designate an official annual day of remem-brance is set to be approved just before the 75th anniversarythis fall.

“Seventy-five years is far too long for recognition,” saidMasse, at the Jackson Park event. “It’s an issue that affectseverybody and it has to be acknowledged, not just by govern-ment, but by humanity.”

The Soviets denied the famine until 1989, when then-presi-dent Mikhail Gorbachev spoke publicly of the tragedy.

Despite everything Korostil has built a rich life for herselfin Windsor.

With Hitler’s invasion of Russia in 1942, Korostil wasshipped to Bavaria to a slave labour camp.\ After the war,Stefanie married, and emigrated first to the U.S., and later toCanada.

She went on to have three children with her husband, whopassed away last month, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

But the events of her early life still haunt her.“I remember everything,” said Korostil, now an octogenar-

ian. “People eating people — you don’t forget.”

Fathers Paul Berezniak of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Volodymyr and Eugene Halitski of the Ukrainian CatholicChurch of St. Volodymyr and Olha conduct the Prayer Service.

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Montreal commemorates the Famine-GenocideBy Fran Ponomarenko

The Famine-Genocide Re-membrance Torch — “Keepthe Flame Alive” — reachedMontreal May 24 at Place duCanada in the heart of city.About 200 people, mainlyUkrainians, as well as mem-bers of the Armenian commu-nity were in attendance.

The commemoration beganwith a hymn and an address byProfessor Yarema Kelebay,President of the Ukrainian Ca-nadian Congress in Montreal.This was followed by an in-formative and gripping speechby Eugene Czolij, First VicePresident of the UkrainianWorld Congress.

Four members of the cleri-cal community also spoke tothe gathering. Oleh Koretsky,of the Ukrainian Catholicchurch of The Assumption ofthe Blessed Virgin Mary readthe outstanding poem aboutthe Famine, “Zahupaly dveri”by Pavlo Tychyna. Evhen Rudytch of the St. George’s Ortho-dox Church in Lachine pointed out that the Canadian Councilof Churches — a committee representing all denominations ofChristians — met with David Anderson of the Federal Gov-ernment in Ottawa to urge Prime Minister Steven Harper todeclare the 1933 Famine in Ukraine genocide. Father Rudytchalso stressed that in the 26-year interval from 1921 until 1947,Ukraine lost some 14 million people in three state orchestratedfamines.

Especially touching was the presentation by Bishop BagratGalstanian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church ofCanada. Several times he said a few words in Ukrainian. Aftera prayer for the memory of the Holodomor victims, BishopGalstanian stated that he, and Tao Alepian, President of theCongress of Canadian Armenians, as well as the representa-tives of the Armenian community who were present, wanted“to commemorate and celebrate the memory of the Ukrainianvictims,” whom he called “martyrs.” Bishop Galstanian statedthat Ukrainians and Armenians “share the same destiny,” forboth nations have suffered under the same regime. “We havecome,” he said “to express solidarity and to share your griefand to exhort you that these victims have not perished—theyare witnesses to freedom… Life is not only in daily activitiesbut it goes beyond everything and it is not compressed in onetime slot, but lives for eternity.”

This was followed by a greeting from the Liberal Party ofCanada. Four students from the Ukrainian youth organizationsof SUM and Plast put on a short play about the Famine, inorder to make the experience of 1933 more immediate. At thispoint, Famine survivor Stepan Horlatsch, who has traveledacross Canada with the Remembrance Flame stepped forwardand asked: “Why should we remember what happened 75 yearsago?” He then replied: “We have to know what took place 75years ago to pay tribute to the memory of millions of innocent

victims, to condemn the Soviet regime, and to get recognitionof the Famine as an act of genocide.”

With this Stepan Horlatsch lit the candle that MykhajloHayduk, a Montreal survivor of the 1933 genocide, was hold-ing. The intense look in Hayduk’s eyes reminded the audiencethat here was indeed a man who had seen hell on earth. Hespoke of the desperation of hunger he witnessed, of villagerseating whatever leafy greens were first to come up in the springafter the long hungry winter of death. These greens did notprovide substantive calories to the humans who had survivedand many died. He talked of the many villages where all thedwellers had passed away from this engineered starvation, andhe pointed out that other people were too afraid often to ven-ture into these villages of the dead. Hayduk began lighting thecandles of those gathered and the community sang a hymn tothe Virgin Mary, and then the Ukrainian national anthem.

This commemorative ceremony was coordinated and orga-nized by Bohdanna Hawryliuk, UCC-Famine Genocide com-mittee of Montreal, Marika Putko, First Vice President, UCCMontreal, and Zorianna Hrycenko-Luhova, Press Coordina-tor, as well as Marika Farmus, Marie-Marte Markiza, PavloShowhaniuk, and Evhen Osidacz.

Two days later, on May 26 many of those present at thisMontreal ceremony made the trip to Ottawa to be present atPresident Victor Yushchenko’s historic address before a jointsession in Canadian Parliament, as well as to participate in thePresident’s National Holodomor Commemorative speech onParliament Hill. His wife, Kateryna Chumachenko, joined himfor the Famine-Genocide commemorations. Secretary of State,Jason Kennedy also spoke at this event. He announced that thegovernment of Canada had made a decision (Bill C-459) torecognize the Holodomor as genocide and to set aside the fourthSaturday in November as Ukrainian Famine and GenocideMemorial Day.

PHOTO — FRAN PONOMARENKO

Eugene Czolij, vice president of the Ukrainian World Congress, addresses the crowd.

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Yushchenko oversees Flame’s last stop in Canada

PHOTO — YURIY POPADENETS

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko and his wife Kateryna light their candles from the torch of Luda Monchak. Standingleft to right of Yushchenko are: Canada’s Secretary of State for Multiculturalism, Jason Kenny; National President of theUkrainian Canadian Congress, Paul Grod and Holodomor survivor Stefan Horlatsch.

(Ukrainian News/Press Office of President VictorYushchenko/UCC National)—While in Ottawa President Vic-tor Yushchenko took part in the National Holodomor Com-memoration International Torch ceremony on Parliament Hill,May 26.

This was the culmination of a month-long relay which sawthe torch visit cities throughout Canada, raising awareness ofthe Holodomor Genocide.

Present at the event was Holodomor survivor StepanHorlatsch who has been the carrier of the torch throughout itsCanadian sojourn.

Horlatsch lit the Flame and passed it to a youth representa-tive.

Yushchenko then lit a candle from the Flame as did his wifeKateryna.

Candles were placed at the base of a replica of Kyiv’s Me-morial to the Holodomor 1932-1933 victims and observing amoment of silence.

The torch will visit over 30 countries before ending its jour-ney in Kyiv in November 2009.

Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)Jason Kennedy spoke at the event and announced that theGovernment of Canada made a decision that afternoon to rec-ognize the Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainianpeople and that the private members bill now in front of the

House of Commons which recognizes that Holodomor as agenocide will be passed in the immediate future.

In his address, President Yushchenko stressed that the GreatFamine of 1932-1933 has been a well-planned genocide of theUkrainian nation, executed by the totalitarian regime.

“We believe that in 2008, when we are marking the 75thanniversary of the Ukrainian tragedy, the General Assemblyof the UN will say its important word of truth”, added VictorYushchenko expressing hope for the world’s recognition ofHolodomor as a genocide.

Also participating were Ukrainian Canadian Congress Na-tional President Paul Grod, several Canadian parliamentarians,diplomats, representatives of the Ukrainian community.

After the ceremony President Victor Yushchenko took partin a State Dinner hosted by Governor General Michaëlle Jeanand her husband Jean-Daniel Lafond, in his and his Kateryna’shonor.

In his toast Yushchenko stressed that Ukrainian-Canadianfriendship has a long tradition and therefore possesses poten-tial for further development.

“Similarity of approaches towards resolution of most of glo-bal problems determine active cooperation between Ukraineand Canada on the international scene, including in promotionof fundamental human rights, principles of liberty and democ-racy”, he added.

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Canada recognizes Holodomor as genocideBy Marco Levytsky

Throughout this year’s Holodomor commemorations sev-eral Canadian jurisdictions, including the federal government,joined the world-wide movement to enact legislation recog-nizing the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the peopleof Ukraine and set aside the fourth Saturday of every Novem-ber as a day of remembrance.

As of the time of this writing two provinces — Saskatchewanand Manitoba — and the federal parliament had all passed billsrecognizing the Holodomor as an act of genocide and two oth-ers — Alberta and Ontario — either had similar bills goingthrough their parliamentary process or about to be enacted.

In Alberta’s case, there is a government sponsored bill draftedby Deputy Government House Leader Gene Zwozdesky whichis expected to be introduced very soon. Zwozdesky will be ask-ing Opposition leaders to give this bill unanimous concurrence,which should allow for it to pass all three stages in one day. Bythe time this booklet reaches you, it may, in fact, be law.

In Ontario’s case, a Private Member’s Bill introduced by BrantLiberal MPP James Levac on April 17 passed Second Readingon May 8 and is now in the Committee stage. It is not knownwhen it will come for Third and Final Reading at this time.

The first Canadian jurisdiction to enact such legislation wasSaskatchewan and it coincided directly with the HolodomorFlame’s visit to the provincial legislature on April 29. TheUkrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial DayAct breezed through the legislature like a prairie wind. DeputyPremier and Education Minister Ken Krawetz (SP, Canora-Pelly) introduced the legislation May 6. It went through Sec-ond and Third Reading the following day and was approvedwith unanimous consent.

“With agreement in the legislative assembly many thingscan happen,” Krawetz later told Ukrainian News. “We had thesupport of the opposition to move the process through as fastas possible, both myself and a member of the opposition (AndyIwanchuk, NDP, Saskatoon Fairview) spoke and there was noother debate.”

Manitoba, which already had a resolution recognizing theHolodomor as an act of genocide was next to enshrine it inlegislation. Bill 217 (The Ukrainian Famine and GenocideMemorial Day Act), sponsored by Opposition member Len

Derkach (PC, Russell) and co-sponsored by Government mem-ber Doug Martindale (NDP, Burrows) passed through Thirdand Final Reading with unanimous concurrence from all mem-bers on the morning of May 27 — just in time to be presentedto Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko upon his arrival atthe legislature at 11 am.

Seven hours later the federal parliament passed ManitobaConservative MP James Bezan’s Private member’s Bill C-459with unanimous concurrence for Second and Third Readingsfrom all members. Though President Yushchenko’s visit theprevious day was a critical catalyst, rapid passage of that billwas not a foregone conclusion. Etobicoke Centre Liberal MP

Left to Right: Orest Gawdyda, Director at large, UCC-SPC,Ed Lysyk, President, UCC-SPC; Ken Krawetz, SaskatchewanDeputy Premier and Education Minister; Orest Warnyca,President, UCC - Regina Branch and Eugene Krenosky, Past-President, UCC-SPC, stand with a copy of the first Holodomorbill passed in Canada.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj’s earlier attempt toget unanimous concurrence failed atwhich point both he and Bezan started tovigorously lobby Secretary of State forMulticulturalism and Canadian Identity,Jason Kenney, to get unanimous concur-rence. The government was willing to letthe bill proceed to the committee stage,but the two argued that doing so couldmean it would die on the Order Paper ifan election was called before parliamentreconvened after the summer. The argu-ments won the day and proved to be pro-phetic because an election was indeedcalled before the parliament reconvened.The Holodomor bill was rushed throughthe Senate the following day afterSaskatchewan Senators Raynell Andrey-chuk and David Tkachuk moved and sec-onded all three readings in one sitting andit received Royal Assent on May 29.

PHOTO — OFFICE OF MP BORYS WRZESNEWSKYJUkrainian President Viktor Yushchenko embraces Etobicoke Centre MP BorysWrzesnewskyj on the day before the historic vote. Please note James Bezan in theConservative front bench between Stockwell Day and Maxime Bernier.t

20

Holodomor education spreading across CanadaBy Marco Levytsky

One of the principal objec-tives of the Ukrainian Cana-dian community in its com-memoration of the 75th anni-versary of the Holodomor wasto include that tragic histori-cal event as a compulsory sub-ject in school curricula acrossCanada so that future genera-tions would learn about it inorder to ensure that neveragain will such genocides beallowed to occur.

On that front significantgains have been achievedthroughout this year.

Alberta became the firstprovince to include educationabout the Holodomor as acompulsory part of its Grade11 Social Studies Program inthe school year which juststarted this September.

The campaign to do sostarted almost ten years earlierand was initiated by MarkHlady, who served as MLA forCalgary Mountain View from1993 to 2004. Hlady alsourged for inclusion of theWorld War I internment ofUkrainian Canadians

The Ukrainian CanadianCongress– Alberta ProvincialCouncil (UCC-APC) pickedup the campaign and assignedone of its directors — Dr.Harry Hohol, to consult withAlberta Education on develop-ing the new curriculum.

It was a long and arduousprocess, but in January 2008,Alberta Education confirmedthat both the Holodomor andthe internment of Ukrainianswill be a compulsory compo-nent of Alberta’s new Grade11 Social Studies curriculum.

In Ontario, meanwhile com-munity members came upagainst the brick wall of theToronto and District SchoolBoard (TDSB) which initiallyrefused to make the Holodo-mor a compulsory part of itsnew program on genocide, fo-cusing only on — the Arme-nian Genocide, the Holocaustand the Rwandan Genocide.

Board officials insisted thatstudents could still learn about

the Holodomor as part of anindependent study componentand would be encouraged todo so.

Community representativespointed out that “independentstudy” meant “optional” andunless a subject was madecompulsory, teachers wouldchoose not to teach it.

Throughout the spring andsummer community memberscontinued making submissionsto the board, apparently to noavail, then suddenly the windschanged and events proceededvery rapidly. On August 27 theboard unanimously approved amotion setting aside the fourthFriday of each November as aday of remembrance of theHolodomor. On September 9the Program and School Ser-vices Committee made a unani-mous recommendation that asecondary curriculum teachingguide and curriculum resourcematerials on the Holodomor bedeveloped for use in Septem-ber 2009, and that this guide bemade available to every sec-ondary school at that time. Thatrecommendation received theBoard’s unanimous approvalon September 24.

Meanwhile, in Alberta, asnag occurred when UkrainianNews and the UCC-APC dis-covered a preview text whichfocused solely on the collec-tivization aspect of theHolodomor while totally ig-noring the fact it was designedto exterminate Ukrainians asa people and/or russify them.UCC-APC asked EducationMinister Dave Hancock to in-tervene, which he did aftergetting the UCC-APC’s letterhand delivered to him by cabi-net colleague Gene Zwozdes-ky. This led to a last-minuterevision under which theHolodomor was placed in itsproper historic context.

In Saskatchewan EducationMinister Ken Krawetz, whoattended the HolodomorFlame commemoration inRegina on April 29, told re-porters that ministry officialsare already looking into pro-viding more information tosocial studies teachers so theyhave it on hand in their classes.“We’re going to see whetheror not the current process isbeing followed and thatschools are using it. If it is notwe’re going to make the ma-

terial available and we’ll de-termine with our partners as towhether or not there is agree-ment to ensure that this typeof information is in fact pre-sented to students,” he elabo-rated in a subsequent inter-view with Ukrainian News.

In Manitoba members of thecommunity are currently con-sulting with the EducationDepartment as to the inclusionof the Holodomor in thatprovince’s curriculum.

For more information on theHolodomor visit the followingweb sites:

www.holodomor33.org.ua (inUkrainian)

www.faminegenocide.com

www.holodomoreducation.org

www.lucorg.com

www.ukrainegenocide.org

www.artukraine.com

www.infoukes.com/history/famine

www.shevchenko.org/famine

People walk past the corpses of Holodomor victims in Kharkiv in 1933. This photo, taken byAustrian, Otto Wienerberger, was included in the revised version of the Alberta textbook“Pespectives On Nationalism”.

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Canadian Commemorative ProjectsHolodomor: Genocide by Famine

This exhibit was produced by the League of Ukrainian Ca-nadians in cooperation with the Kyiv Memorial Society inUkraine. It consists of 101 panels with supporting readableand searchable CD-ROM and printed collateral materials.

The exhibit includes panels ranging from opposition to col-lectivization, to why the genocide was organized, to how thegenocide was organized (including the blacklisting of villages,ban on travel, and export of grain abroad), to why theHolodomor was indeed a genocide. The exhibit also includes aglossary, a map of the Holodomor area, panels on starving chil-dren and appeals for assistance from within the Holodomor area,panels on the organizers and perpetrators of the genocide, pan-els on denial and cover-up, panels on protests and attempts atrelief, statements of survivors, government documents on thefamine, and eyewitness reports.

The exhibit has been produced in English, with a comple-mentary Ukrainian user brochure. For exhibition displays inUkraine, Ukrainians captions have been added under eachposter.

For more information visit <www.holodomoreducation.org>.

Holodomor – In Memory of Lives LostThe Ukrainian Association of Visual Artists of Canada has

created an art exhibit dedicated to the memory of the victims ofthe Holodomor. It is a moving portrayal of the suffering of theUkrainian nation during this horrific period in history whichenables the viewer to visually relate to that which is unfathom-able. For more information contact Oleh Lesiuk at 647.899.7963

The Association’s president, Oleh Lesiuk, is the designer ofthe commemorative pin being distributed in Canada in remem-brance during this commemorative year.

Association member Bohdan Holowacky created an icon inthe Byzantine-Ukrainian style rich in symbolism commemo-rating the 75th anniversary. TheMost Holy Most SorrowfulMother of God was unveiledin November 2007 during amemorial service at St. Mary’sUkrainian Catholic Church inMississauga, Ontario. Printsof the icon are available fromthe Ukrainian Catholic Wom-en’s League, Toronto Eparchy.(holodicon@gmail.com)

Sharing the StoryThe Ukrainian Canadian

Congress in cooperation withthe Ukrainian Canadian Re-search and DocumentationCentre is documenting the tes-timonies of Holodomor survi-vors living in Canada. Theirstories will be posted on a website enabling visitors fromaround the world to learn aboutthe Holodomor from personalexperiences. The material will

promote public awareness and serve as an educational tool whilecreating a lasting contribution to the historical archives.

This project has been made possible with funding awardedby the Department of Canadian Heritage through the CanadianCulture Online Strategy.

For more information or to contribute a story contact OrestZakydalsky at 416.966.1819 or via email: <office@ucrdc.org>.

Genocide RevealedA new Canadian documentary film about the Holodomor is

being made by award-winning Montreal filmmaker YurijLuhovy, member of the Canadian Film and Television Acad-emy. Tentatively titled “Genocide Revealed”, the documentaryis based on newly-released archive material revealing the geno-cidal intent of the Stalin’s man-made famine; interviews withvarious historians and specialists in famine research; and sur-vivors in Ukraine.

The documentary will capture the broad scope of Stalin’spolicies aimed at destroying Ukrainians as a nation.

This feature-documentary, scheduled to be released this No-vember, is endorsed by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Na-tional), the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Fed-eration, the Ukrainian Canadian Research and DocumentationCenter and the Prosvita Cultural Association, Lachine, Que-bec.

Well-acquainted with the material dealing with the famine-genocide, Yurij Luhovy stated: “A new documentary on thefamine-genocide has been long over-due. This film will serveas a much-needed educational resource for courses in genocidestudies, for the teaching of the famine-genocide in Canadianand American schools and universities, as well as to furtherpublic awareness world-wide”.

For further information please phone 514.481.5871 or e-mail:<mmlinc@hotmail.com>.

Camera operator Adriana Luhovy (right) with film director Yurij Luhovy (center), historianNina Lapchinska (back right), filming Famine-Genocide survivor Fedir Perederij in theDnipropetrovsk region.

22

National

November 19-2033-hour FamineCoordinated by the UkrainianCanadian Students’ Union (SUSK)on university and college campusesacross the country

Vancouver, British Columbia

November 23, 3:00 p.m.Holodomor CommemorationUkrainian Catholic Center

Sponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress,Vancouver Branch

Calgary, Alberta

November 20, 7:00 p.m.Be Well and Prosper, My BelovedUkraineA presentation of songs andwritings by Father Edward EvankoSt. Stephen’s Ukrainian CatholicChurch

November 22, 11 a.m.Commemorative ServiceSt. Vladimir’s Ukrainian CulturalCentre

Sponsored by Ukrainian CanadianCongress, Calgary Branch

November 17-24Exhibit: Calgary City Hall

November 21, 8:00 p.m.Candlelight vigil for youthHolodomor monument

Sponsored by Ukrainian YouthAssociation, Calgary Branch

November 22-23, 9:00 a.m.24-hour FamineAssumption of the Blessed VirginMary Ukrainian Catholic Parish

Sponsored by the Ukrainian YouthAssociation, Plast

Edmonton, Alberta

Holodomor LectureNovember 2, TBDUniversity of AlbertaSpeaker: Liudmyla Hrynevych,Institute of Ukrainian History, Kyiv

Holodomor Denial: A paneldiscussionNovember 20, 7:00 p.m.University of Alberta

November 22, 12:30 p.m.Holodomor Memorial ServiceEdmonton City HallGuest Speaker: Andriy SemotiukSponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress,Edmonton Branch

Regina, Saskatchewan

November 22Commemorative Program

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

November 22Commemorative Program

Winnipeg, Manitoba

November 8, 9:00 a.m.Symposium: Famine Genocide1932-33184 Alexander Avenue EastSponsored by Oseredok Culturaland Educational Centre andThe Centre for Ukrainian CanadianStudies, University of Manitoba

November 16, 2:00 p.m.Opening Ceremony at theLegislative Building

November 18, 7:00 p.m.Film Presentation - Harvest ofDespair

November 19, 7:00 p.m.Film Presentation – Holod 32-33

November 21-2218 hour Famine – University ofWinnipeg

November 22, 2:00 p.m.City Hall Ceremony

Sponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress,Manitoba Provincial Council

Hamilton, OntarioNovember 16, 4:00 p.m.Memorial Service and ProgramPremier of the winning compositionof the Holodomor ComposerCompetitionMausoleum, Holy SepulchreCemeteryPlains Road, BurlingtonSponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress,Hamilton Branch

November 30Official Opening of the HolodomorMuseum in the MetropolitanWasyly Learning CentrePresented by St. VolodymyrUkrainian Orthodox Cathedral

London, Ontario

November 23Commemorative Program

Commemorative Events in your Community

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Oshawa, Ontario

October 10-18Exhibit – Holodomor: Genocide byFamineOshawa McLaughlin Library

October 15, 7:00 p.m.Film Documentary NightOdesa Hall

October 18, 2:00 p.m.Memorial ServiceMemorial Park

Ottawa, Ontario

Week of November 23Memorial Service

Exhibit – Holodomor: Genocide byFamineEmbassy of Ukraine in Canada

Sponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress,Ottawa Branch

St. Catharines, Ontario

November 9, 2:30 p.m.Ecumenical Memorial Service andProgramUkrainian Black Sea Hall

Sponsored by Ukrainian CanadianCongressSt. Catharines Branch

Toronto, Ontario

October 5 – 19Holodomor – In Memory of LivesLostThe Ukrainian Association of VisualArtists of CanadaGroup ExhibitCanadian Ukrainian Art Foundation

October 18, 7:00 p.m.Holodomor Memorial ConcertVesnivka, Toronto Ukrainian MaleChamber Choir, Elmer IselerSingers, Musicus Bortnianskii, TheGryphon TrioRunnymede United Church

November 1, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.Ukrainian stamp show featuringHolodomor commemorativepostage stampUkrainian Canadian Social Services

November 6, 6:00 p.m.Annual Ukrainian Famine LectureProf. Alex Hinton: “Genocide byFamine? The Cambodian andUkrainian Cases Compared”Munk Centre for InternationalStudiesCo-sponsored by the UkrainianCanadian Congress, TorontoBranch, the Canadian Institute ofUkrainian Studies, and the PetroJacyk Program for the Study ofUkraine.

November 9-23Exhibit – Holodomor: Genocide byFamineNorth York Civic Centre

November 13, 7:00 p.m.Sharing the Story: Presentation ofsurvivor documentation projectCanadian Ukrainian Art FoundationPresented by the UkrainianCanadian Congress and UkrainianCanadian Research andDocumentation Centre

November 16-30Art Exhibit: Olexander Vlasenkoand Poster Exhibit: MorganWilliamsCanadian Ukrainian Art Foundation

Commemorative Events in your CommunityNovember 17-20Holodomor Awareness Weekprogram featuring the exhibitHolodomor: Genocide by Famine,films, lectures, art workUkrainian Cultural Centre83 Christie StreetDaily 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.Opening ceremonies – November 17Sponsored by the League ofUkrainian Canadians and Leagueof Ukrainian Canadian Women

November 21Youth program at Queen’s Parkwith the participation of studentsfrom area Ukrainian CatholicBilingual SchoolsSponsored by the UCC, TorontoBranch

November 22Commemorative ProgramConsulate of Ukraine in Torontoand Bloor West VillageSponsored by the UCC, TorontoBranch

Windsor, Ontario

November 23, 1:00 p.m.Memorial Service andCommemorative ProgramHolodomor monument

Montreal, Quebec

November 2, 3:00 p.m.Holodomor Famine GenocideConcert - Counterpoint ChoraleSt. James United Church

November (TBDLecture and exhibit

Information on listed events wasavailable at the time of printing.Please confirm details by visitingwww.ucc.ca or contact your localcommunity organizations.

24

On the Cover: Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and Holodomor Survivor Stefan Horlatsch carry the flame in front of theAlberta Legislature. (PHOTO — ROMAN PETRIW)

This Commemorative Booklet was published by the National Holodomor Commemoration Committee, Ukrainian Cana-dian Congress and prepared by Co-Editors Marco Levytsky and Iryna Mycak. Layout by Marco Levytsky and Irene Hladki.

Ukrainian Canadian Congress, 203 - 952 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB. R2W 3P4 website: www.ucc.ca

AcknowledgementsThe National Holodomor Commemoration Committee of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress acknowledges and

expresses gratitude to

* The Ukrainian Catholic Church of Canada and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, their hierarchs,clergy and parishes for spiritual leadership and support for community initiatives across the country;

* The Government of Canada for taking leadership in the international community and officially recognizing theHolodomor as an act of genocide;

* The provincial legislatures of Saskatchewan and Manitoba for recognizing the Holodomor as an act ofgenocide;

* The Honourable Senator Raynell Andreychuk, Honorary Chair of the National Holodomor CommemorationCommittee, for her dedication to the cause of Holodomor recognition and awareness;

* All elected officials and representatives of federal, provincial and municipal governments who have workedwith the Congress in ensuring recognition of the Holodomor;

* The Embassy of Ukraine and Consulate of Ukraine in Toronto for their cooperation in jointly commemoratingthis 75th anniversary;

* Mr. Stepan Horlatsch for escorting the International Remembrance Flame across Canada and his dedicationto raising awareness of the Holodomor;

* Holodomor survivors in our communities for sharing their stories with us and understanding their significantcontribution to the cause of Holodomor education;

* Mr. and Mrs. Erast and Yarmila Huculak for their generous contribution to the Holodomor Awareness Fund inthe amount of $50,000.

* The Department of Canadian Heritage for its financial support through the Canadian Culture Online Strategyof the project: Sharing the Story, the documentation of Holodomor survivors;

* The Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions in Canada and our credit unions throughout the country forassistance with the 10 for 10 Fundraising Campaign;

* All organizations and individuals who have assisted with the 10 for 10 Fundraising Campaign and all donorsfor their generous support;

* All UCC Provincial Councils, UCC Branches, and community organizations for organizing commemorativeevents throughout the year and uniting our community in remembrance;

* Every Canadian who has taken the time to learn about the Holodomor, participate in commemorativecommunity events and share the story with their friends.

Iryna MycakChair, National Holodomor Commemoration Committee

Ukrainian Canadian Congress

25

PHOTO — NORBERT IWANStefan Horlatsch and youth

representatives carry theFlame through Winnipeg.

PHOTO — ROMAN PETRIW

Maria Fedorouk and DeeyanaBaydala sing “MamynaSorochka” in Vegreville.

PHOTO —HARRY NESMASZNYJHolodomor survivor StefanHorlatsch with children atToronto’s City Hall.

26

Thank you – � подякою

The National Holodomor Commemoration Committee of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress expressesgratitude to all organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Holodomor Awareness Fund.

Your generosity will help ensure the truth about the Holodomor is revealed to the world.

$50,000Erast and Yarmila Huculak

$7,500BCU Foundation

$2,500Ukrainian Credit Union Ltd.

$2,000St. John’s Senior Citizen’s Club, Ottawa

$1000Caravan Logistics“Dopomoha Ukraini” FoundationNorthland PowerRodan EnergyShelton CanadaDr. Sev and Lydia FalcomerBohdan and Tanya Onyschuk

$101 - $500Brotherhood of Veterans of the 1st Division UNAUkrainian National Federation, West TorontoIryna Mycak and Harry NesmasznyjJean Serbyn, MontrealOlha Serbyn, MontrealIhor Ivanochko, TorontoCanadian Lemko Association, TorontoUkrainian Museum of Canada, Toronto

$25 - $100W. A. Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Prince AlbertSt. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Church, TorontoUkrainian Women’s Association of Canada, YorktonUkrainian Women’s Association of Canada, WindsorUkrainian Women’s Association of Canada, VegrevilleUkrainian Canadian Professional and Business Associationof TorontoMazeppa Ladies Association, CanoraNadia Andrijiw, EtobicokeIwan and Ahafia Andusyszyn, EtobicokeJoseph Antonishak, VernonJurij Aroniw, BarrieBob Atamaniuk, MississaugaJudy Baker, WinnipegNatalie Ball, BurlingtonAlexander Barnik, MississaugaBohdanna Bilyj, MississaugaOlha Bodnaruk, Toronto

Bohdan and Kay Bohach, KelownaJohn Boychuk, MississaugaPam Brittain, TorontoNikolaj Brodzinski, WinnipegBella Bugera, KamloopsBohdanna and Wasyl Bybyk, TorontoVery Rev. Michael Bzdel, WinnipegKaren Carlson, EtobicokeOrest Chachula, EtobicokeJ. Chachula, EtobicokeBohdan and Olga Chambul, ScarboroughAndrew Chez, ColdstreamRoman Chez, ColdstreamAlexandra and Anatoly Ciacka, VancouverJoe Colangelo, TorontoWilliam and Isabelle Darcovich, EdmontonAlexandra Dawydowych, MontrealPaulette Decka, West St. PaulDaria Derbish, TorontoS. Dmytrow, TorontoStefan and Nina Luhowy, WinnipegGisli H. Eastman, East St. PaulOrysia Ferbey, WestbankWasyl Filijowycz, St. LeonardOrest Fitzowich, CalmarLesya Foty, SaskatoonDr. and Mrs. J.P. Grod, TorontoAntoinette Guillou, AldergroveSylvia and Arthur Harach, HaffordRoman Haruk, MississaugaMichael Haruk, MississaugaOstap and Tatiana Hawaleshka, WinnipegBob Hontar, MississaugaBohdanka Hontar, MississaugaMary Hontar, MississaugaPetrusia Hontar, MississaugaWalter Hontar, TorontoCassandra Horyn, EtobicokeRoksolana Horyn, EtobicokeJohn Horyn, EtobicokeMyroslava Soltys-Hrycak, MontrealElaine Hrynenko, Prince AlbertNadya Hudyma, WinnipegOksana Hunko, MontrealVolodymyr Ivanitski, TorontoOrest and Marika Jacyla, MississaugaL. and O. Janschula, EtobicokeLeonid Jemetz, WarnersIwan and Natalka Jemetz, TorontoDarlene Jones, Vernon

27

Thank you – � подякою

The National Holodomor Commemoration Committee of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress expressesgratitude to all organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Holodomor Awareness Fund.

Your generosity will help ensure the truth about the Holodomor is revealed to the world.

Tim and Valerie Jones, VernonJohn Junko, MississaugaRichard and Natalia Kadlec, MississaugaNick and Shirley Kalyniuk, RossburnMargaret Kankis, TorontoC. Kardash, Richmond HillJulian Kinash, TorontoPauline Kindrachuk, VernonJarema Kelebay, MontrealIrene Kelebay, Cote St. LucOksana Kit, TorontoNadia Kmet, WinnipegSophia Kniaz, VernonRoman Kobelak, MississaugaMychaylo Kobylecky, MississaugaLubomira Kolesar, MississaugaRoman and Hala Kolisnyk, TorontoTheodore Kolos, TorontoMetro Korapatnisky, ArmstrongJ. Kornuta, EtobicokeStefania Kostecky, MississaugaLesia Kostruba, MississaugaHelena Roman-Kuczera, MontrealYourko Kulycky, DorvalTheodore Kurylo, TorontoRev. Ihor Kutash, MontrealMyroslav Kostyszyn, TorontoPaul and Olive Kowal, WinnipegGregory Kowryha, MontrealNatalia Lachmaniuk, MississaugaAnna Lencko, MontrealSlavko Lishchynsky, TorontoEugenia Lohaza, MississaugaIgor Luzskov, TorontoDonna Marchuk, MississaugaWalter Masyoluk, WinnipegRobert Matys, MississaugaMarta Mayer, MontrealLouise McGarvey, KamloopsEugene Migus, Halton HillsWolodymyr Mota, MontrealMark and Eileen Mountain, LangleyBogdan Mouzitchka, TorontoMark Nazar, MississaugaMichael Olijnyk, WindsorIrene A Osinchuk, WinnipegIrena and Orest Pawliw, MontrealMandy Penzick, WinnipegIhor Petelycky, TorontoMyron Petriw, CoquitlamJan Popiel, Toronto

Rev. Michael Posdyk, KamloopsAngela Preston, East St. PaulSonia Prokopetz, TorontoMaria Puchta, MississaugaMary Pudelsky, EtobicokeWalter Purawec, MississaugaLorna Rosnau, VernonWolodymyr Sawdyk, TorontoNadia Schulha, DeltaGeorge and Veronica Serhijczuk , TorontoOrest Sporniak, MississaugaMarian Stecko, MississaugaRev. and Mrs. E. Stefaniuk, OsoyoosSlavek Strzemieczny, TorontoIrene Strilchuk, YorktonMary Sulypka, MississaugaEwa Sydor, MontrealWalter Sydoryshyn, MississaugaMary Tanchak, TorontoIhor Tanchuk, WinnipegSemen Temchenko, MontrealLarysa Teply, EtobicokeJan Terek, MississaugaWolodymyr Tokar, Niagara FallsLorne and Judy Topolinski, West St. PaulMadeline Tressler, MississaugaMarshall and Victoria Triska, VegrevilleVictoria Strong Construction Corp., AjaxZofia and Michael Wanasz, St. LeonardBohdan Waskiw, PincourtJudy Williams, VernonLena Wilson, KelownaRoman Wodzicki, MontrealJohn and Iroida WynnyckyjDanusia Wysochanskyj, MississaugaRoman Yasinsky, MississaugaZennia and Peter Yuzik, CudworthDanuta Zajac, MississaugaMariyan Zaluskiy, TorontoJean Kanchir and Diana Zaporozan, WinnipegLarysa Zaricniak, HamiltonBogdanna Zaricniak, HamiltonVolodymyr Zhovtulya, St. LeonardMichael Zozula, Thunder BayMaria Zymowec, St. Leonard

This list of donors is based on the information available at thetime of printing. A complete list of donors will be publishedafter December 31, 2008 in community newspapers and onthe UCC web site <www.ucc.ca>.

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Donate Today!Contribute to a permanent Holodomor Awareness Fund which will supportongoing awareness and educational initiatives.

Donations are accepted in all Ukrainian credit unions throughout Canada where one canalso obtain a commemorative pin. All donations and cheques should be payable to theUCC Holodomor Awareness Fund. Donations can also be sent directly to the UkrainianCanadian Congress, 203-952 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2W 3P4.

Donations of $25 or more are eligible for a tax receipt. Donors who make a contribution of$250 or more can designate their donation for a specific project.

Your donation will support the UCC campaign for raising awareness of the Holodomor inCanada. You can learn more about these initiatives and download a donor form by visit-ing www.ucc.ca.

Let’s do our part to ensure similar atrocities are never repeated in the history of mankind.

Thank you for your support!

�ожертвуйте сьогодні!

�опоможіть створити постійний фонд, з якого будуть оплачуватися дослідження�олодомору і подальші інформаційно-просвітницькі кампанії.

�ожертви!принимаються!у кожній українській кредитовій спілці!в!#анаді!на рахунок!UCC HolodomorAwareness Fund. �е немає української кредитової спілки пожертви можна висилати безпосередньона адресу #онґресу Українців #анади: Ukrainian Canadian Congress,!203-952 Main Street, Winnipeg,Manitoba, R2W 3P4.!�росимо чеки виписувати на!UCC Charitable and Educational Trust - HolodomorAwareness Fund.

#ожен, хто!пожертвує суму $10 або більше одержить пропам’ятну шпильку.!!)а пожертви в сумі $25або більше можна буде отримати посвідку для звільнення з податку.!!�ожертви в сумі $250 або більшеможна призначити на конкретні проєкти.

*аша пожертва підтримає кампанію #У# з метою підвищення!рівня свідомости у #анаді про�олодомор.!/а додатковими інформаціями і анкетою для пожертв просимо відвідати веб сайт #онґресуwww.ucc.ca.

�опоможім!запевнити щоби подібні злочини не повторювалися в історії людства.

/ подякою за *ашу підтримку!

Commemorative Pindesigned byOleh Lesiuk