Key takeaways:
- On Saturday, the Holodomor, which means “death by starvation” in Ukrainian, was honored by Ukrainian Calgarians.
On Saturday, Ukrainian Calgarians celebrated the Holodomor, which means “death by starvation” in Ukrainian. They paid tribute to victims and raised awareness about the famine genocide.
People wearing masks gathered inside St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor in Calgary to pay their respects, including Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
During the years 1932-3, millions of people died due to policy decisions made by Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. According to the New York Times, historians estimate that between 3.3 and 3.9 million Ukrainians died.
Also read: The Bear Clan of Winnipeg is searching for a missing 22-year-old woman
Because of “Soviet repression of media at the time,” according to Alexander Iwasyk, The Head of Ukrainian Students Society at the University of Calgary, there is no specific death toll.
According to Iwasyk, Stalin’s collectivist strategy included exporting food further into the Soviet Union.
He said that the program resulted in hunger because “these agricultural areas had no farmers.” They either died or were sent to the Soviet Union to continue working.”
“People went hungry because there was no food.” This was part of Stalin’s five-year plan to industrialize the Soviet Union, according to Iwasyk.
“I believe this is a planned move on the part of the Soviet Union, Stalin and his minions, to stamp away Ukrainian identity in eastern Ukraine.”
The Holodomor is “ingrained” in Iwasyk’s cultural identity, he claimed.
“We have direct relatives who were directly affected by the genocide, and it’s a huge part of our community,” he said.
“It’s something that pulls us closer together.” It has a significant positive impact on our communities. It is much more than a yearly remembrance. It’s a part of who we are. “Millions of people have been affected.”
The fourth Saturday in November is designated as Holodomor Memorial Day across the nation.
Source: Global News
Get Canada and Manitoba’s top News, Market news, and other worldwide news only on Manitoba Daily.
