A special service was held at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building today (Tues) to remember those who perished during Holodomor in 1932 and ’33.
Holodomor in Ukrainian means “extermination by hunger”, and in those two years, the Soviet Union imposed a man-made famine by confiscating crops and imposing regulations preventing people from leaving their communities in search of food.
This led to the deaths of millions of people.
“The incomprehensible tragedy of the Holodomor, the Great Famine, took place 90 years ago, but it must not and will not be forgotten,” said Canora-Pelly MLA and Legislative Secretary responsible for Saskatchewan-Ukraine Relations Terry Dennis in a news release. “We remember and we join with our fellow citizens of Ukrainian heritage in Saskatchewan to ensure those who suffered and those who perished in those terrible years will be forever in our memory.”
The service was held in solidarity with Holodomor Memorial Week, and a memorial candle was lit and will remain lit throughout the week to represent unity with those around the world marking the Holodomor genocide.
As a permanent reminder of the tragedy, an exact copy of the statue entitled “Bitter Memories of Childhood” by sculptor Preto Drozdowsky, was officially dedicated on the park ground of Wascana Centre in 2015.
International Holodomor Day is recognized on the fourth Saturday of November and this year falls on November 26, 2022.
