The Holodomor National Awareness Tour is a project to raise awareness of the Holodomor, the genocidal famine carried out in 1932-33 by the Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin, which resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.
The centerpiece is the Holodomor Mobile Classroom (HMC), a 40-foot RV customized to educate and engage students and the public about the Holodomor. In this state-of-the-art learning space, visitors will:
• Learn about the Holodomor through digital media;
• Appreciate how history shapes our world today;
• Become inspired by personal stories of Holodomor survivors;
• Leave empowered to protect Canadian values of freedom and democracy.
Students participate in a 60-minute, facilitator-led educational experience featuring audio-visual presentations on a 28-foot video wall and complementary learning activities on tablets. Lessons underscore the importance of multiculturalism, human rights, and the rule of law, as well as the concept of genocide.
The HMC will travel to small towns and large cities, visiting schools and community centres, and participate in special events across the country.
Features of the Holodomor Mobile Classroom
• The HMC accommodates up to 34 visitors at a time.
• The HMC features interactive lessons that build students’ critical thinking skills and encourage social responsibility.
• The Province of Ontario has committed $750,000 to bring the Holodomor learning experience to publicly funded schools throughout the province.
• The Government of Canada has pledged a three-year grant valued at $1.5 million to ensure access for students and all Canadians across the country.
• The HMC is modeled on The Governor General of Canada’s traveling exhibit “It’s an Honour” focused on our national honours and the Canadians who receive them.
• The HMC debuted in the Toronto Ukrainian Festival parade in September and traveled to the Holodomor Memorial dedication in Washington, D.C. in November.
The Holodomor National Awareness Tour is a project of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (project lead), the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre, and the Holodomor Research and Educational Consortium of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta.
