On 23 November we remembered one of the darkest pages in human history: the Holodomor, the deliberately engineered famine that struck Ukraine in 1932–1933 and caused the deaths of millions of people. This horrific event, often called “the genocide of the Ukrainian people”, was the result of the brutal repressive policy of Stalin’s Soviet regime.
We call on everyone to join, every year on the fourth Saturday of November, in commemorating the victims of the Holodomor of 1932–1933, which was not only a catastrophe for Ukraine but also part of a global tragedy of humankind.
“Ukrainians suffered a terrible punishment because they were accused of resisting the system of collective ownership. All agricultural resources were requisitioned and the population was left to starve. A quarter of the rural population – men, women and children – was wiped out by hunger. The bodies of the dead lay in the streets, and even their closest relatives, exhausted beyond endurance, had no strength to bury them. The famine destroyed not only the peasants but also Ukraine’s cultural, religious and intellectual elite – everyone regarded as ‘enemies of socialism’.” (Quoted from Cinnella’s book)
The Holodomor, which literally means “killing by starvation”, was not merely a catastrophe but a form of political repression aimed at destroying the Ukrainian national spirit and the aspiration to independence. The Soviet authorities forcibly confiscated harvests and food from the peasants, condemning the people to starvation and refusing any humanitarian aid.
In memory of this tragedy, today we honour the victims and reaffirm our commitment to recognising and preventing any form of denial or manipulation of history – a history that, sadly, some sources even try to silence. It is vital that new generations know the truth about the Holodomor, so that such tragedies never happen again.
This year’s commemoration focuses above all on the importance of memory and historical justice. Only by knowing the truth can we build a peaceful and just future founded on solidarity and respect for human rights.
We call on everyone to take part in the awareness-raising, reflection and remembrance events taking place across the country, to honour the victims of the Holodomor and to promote the values of freedom and respect for human rights.
Stanislav Shevchenko
Head of the Department of Strategic Communications
National Congress of Ukrainian Associations in Italy
