October 20, 2016
Province Hosts Holodomor Mobile Classroom at Legislative Building
– – –Holodomor National Awareness Tour Offers Valuable Lessons About Democratic Values, Freedom: Wishart
Students, teachers and members of the public will gather together at the Legislative Building grounds today to learn about the Holodomor in a unique, interactive mobile learning space, Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart announced today.
“By remembering the tragedies of the past, we equip ourselves with the knowledge to prevent a repeat of the kind of cruelty and inhumanity the victims of the Holodomor experienced,” said Wishart. “That is why it’s so important to continue to educate Manitobans about this tragic genocide, and embrace this opportunity to nurture and appreciate the democratic values and traditions we hold dear in Manitoba and Canada.”
The Holodomor National Awareness Tour’s Holodomor Mobile Classroom (HMC) is a state-of-the-art redesigned recreational vehicle that provides an interactive learning environment to engage and educate people from all walks of life about the Holodomor, a genocide perpetrated by the Soviet Union in 1932 and 1933 under Joseph Stalin that resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians due to forced starvation.
The HMC is the centrepiece of the Holodomor National Awareness Tour, which aims to build bridges among communities to promote intercultural understanding, tolerance, awareness and a deeper respect for democratic values.
The wheelchair-accessible mobile classroom features 12 high-resolution screens spanning the length of the interior and seating for up to 33 people. With the help of a facilitator, students explore:
- how prejudice and hate can lead to violence and genocide,
- how the commitment of citizens to truth can contribute to a more just world, and
- how the study of the Holomodor can prepare people not only to prevent atrocities but to ensure a thriving democracy in their own country.
The Holodomor National Awareness Tour is a joint project between the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (project lead), the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre (UCRDC) and the Holodomor Research and Educational Consortium.
“The Holodomor is one of the greatest crimes against humanity and is recognized as a genocide by the Government of Canada,” said Prof. Jurij Darewych, chair, UCRDC. “Despite this fact, knowledge of this tragedy remains limited among Canadians. The Holodomor National Awareness Tour plays an important role in informing and reminding Canadians of this horrible example of man’s inhumanity to man, to ensure history does not repeat itself.”
The HMC will be open for public viewing at the Manitoba Legislative Building grounds location until 6 p.m. today. Valentina Kuryliw, director of the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium and writer of the first lesson based on the Historian’s Craft on the HMC, will explain the lesson and resources provided to teachers and students. Schools and post-secondary institutions throughout Manitoba have been invited to request a visit from the Holodomor National Awareness Tour.
“This year marks the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian immigration to Canada and Manitoba is home to many survivors of the Holodomor,” said Wishart. “For this reason, today’s event has extra significance, as many immigrants from Ukraine came to Canada to escape the hate, oppression and discrimination they experienced as victims of the Holodomor. We’re grateful they sought refuge in Manitoba and that they and their families have become strong Canadian citizens and defenders of democracy and freedom.”
More information about the Holodomor National Awareness Tour and mobile classroom is available at https://holodomortour.ca/.
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