Honoring the memory of the millions of victims of the Holodomor, orchestrated by the Stalinist regime in the early 1930s, is also a powerful reminder to the world that the genocide against Ukrainians continues to this day, said Olya Soroka, the chair of the Holodomor Descendants Network.
“As descendants of those who endured unimaginable suffering and cruelty, we come together on Holodomor Remembrance Day to honor their memory and commit to ensuring that the truth of their suffering will never again be hidden,” she said in her statement marking the 91st anniversary of the man-made famine..
She stressed that Ukrainians have a duty to spread the truth about the Holodomor, which Russia continues to deny.
“Our adversary waits in the shadows, hoping the world will accept its denials and that Ukrainians will have short memories,” she said. “But we will never forget.”
The Holodomor Descendants Network, which is affiliated with the Ukrainian World Congress, is dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of families who lived through the famine, passing this history on to future generations, Soroka said.
“On this Holodomor Remembrance Day, we will light candles to honor the millions of innocent victims of past and present genocides, pledging to carry their memory forward for future generations,” Soroka stated.
She urged every Ukrainian to take a moment on Nov. 23 to remember the victims of this genocide – by lighting a candle and placing it in the window as a visible tribute to their memory.
“As Ukrainians, wherever we live today, it is our duty to honor those who were murdered during the Holodomor for their resistance to subjugation, as well as those who are being brutally murdered in the ongoing genocide amidst russia’s war against Ukraine,” Soroka said.
As reported earlier, the Holodomor Descendants Network, in collaboration with a Canadian psychologist of Ukrainian descent, Brent Bezo, is inviting Ukrainian Americans aged 18 and older to participate in an online survey exploring the impact of the Holodomor on survivors and their descendants in the United States.
