Ukraine Remembers the Victims of Holodomor

Throughout Ukraine today events are taking place in memory of the victims of Holodomor and political repression

At 9 o’clock in the morning a Memorial Service [Panakhyda] was held for all those who died of the Famine.  In St Sophia Cathedral the heads of all Christian Churches took part in prayers, attended by President Yushchenko.

Later in the morning a ceremony was held to lay the first foundation stone of a Memorial Complex in honour of the Victims of Holodomor 1932-1933. In his address, Viktor Yushchenko stated that the perpetrators of Holodomor 1932-1933 were the communist, totalitarian Stalinist regime.

“Today we mark a terrible and tragic, and at once significant day. Today we remember the millions of innocent victims”

The ceremonial planting of a second row in the Snowball Tree Grove in the Pechersky Landscape Park was planned for later in the morning.

In the afternoon, from 15.00 to 16.00 a Memorial Procession will take place from St Sophia Square to the Memorial Plaque to the Victims of Holodomor 1932-1933 on St Michael’s Square [Mykhailivska ploshcha].

At 16.00 a Minute’s Silence will be observed throughout Ukraine.

This will be followed by a nationwide action “Light a candle!”

From 18.00 to 20.30 there will be a memorial action “My People live!” during which testimony will be given about Holodomor 1932 – 1933.

This evening the Taras Shevchenko National Opera will be performing Verdi’s Requiem.