Ukraine Remembers Holodomor Famine Deaths on 90th Anniversary

In observance of the 90th anniversary of the Stalin-directed artificial famine of 1932-1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians, grassroots groups and various organizations have been holding events Ukraine-wide since last November to remember victims of the Holodomor.

The traditional Holodomor remembrance anniversary takes place on the last Saturday of November. This year, Ukrainian leaders will hold the official commemorative ceremony on Nov. 25 and observe the traditional minute of silence. In a collective remembrance “Light a Candle” event across the country, Ukrainians will place a lit candle on their windowsills at 4 p.m. as an expression of mourning for the innocent victims of the Holodomor and of their belief in victory.

Various commemorative events will take place at the regional level throughout the month, including an international scientific forum titled “Ukraine in the Holodomor Era: Authorities, Resistance, Identity” will take place in Kyiv on Nov. 23-25.

The Holodomor Museum website announced that the forum will focus on the comprehension of the Ukrainian resistance to Stalin’s genocidal policy. Participants will also share ideas raising general awareness about the Holodomor in public history and school curricula.

Additionally, the Holodomor Museum will be open seven days a week throughout November.

By various estimates, during 1932 and 1933 the artificial famine killed three million to seven million people in Ukraine, but some researchers claim even higher numbers.

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The Verkhovna Rada officially recognized Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people in 2006.

Seeking solidarity from other countries, Ukraine has been asking for worldwide recognition of the Holodomor as genocide.

This year, more legislatures, including the Parliament of Wales, have recognized the tragedy as genocide, bringing the total number of governments to 29.

At the international level, the Holodomor has been recognized as genocide by the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the Baltic Assembly.