THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING CEREMONY OF THE HOLODOMOR MEMORIAL IN TORONTO
By Nadia Prokopiw
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress -Toronto Branch is eagerly anticipating the official unveiling of the Holodomor Memorial which is to be held on October 21, 2018 at the Princes’ Gates – the main entrance to the Canadian Exhibition Place in Toronto.
The Holodomor Memorial Parkette which broke ground on April 11, 2017 will be a space of reflection and acknowledgement of the extreme inhumanity and tragic events that have occurred in Ukraine in 1932-33. It will be unite contemporary citizens of Toronto, of Ontario, and of all ethnic backgrounds in the spirit of mutual empathy for past sufferings, affirmation of the value of every individual human life, and aspirations for a just and humane society. Thanks to John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, the Toronto City Council as well as the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, the construction of the Holodomor Memorial Parkette, has progressed efficiently. Toronto will join the ranks of other world renowned cities that already feature such a monument, namely Kyiv, Washington and Edmonton.
The main features of this Memorial are the statue “Bitter Memory of Childhood” by Ukrainian sculptor Petro Drozdowsky and three millstone gardens: Remembrance, Resilience, and Renascence. Each of the millstone gardens are mounds with plantings, which are symbolic of the mass common graves of those who perished from starvation inflicted upon millions of Ukrainians. The monument placed on a low base is of a life-sized girl holding the forbidden 5 spriglets of grain. As the girl stands in an open space it definitely evokes the feeling of vulnerability. The true to life size scale of the monument has been chosen purposefully so that people could sense that she was real. The passersby will have the opportunity not only to learn about this tragic genocide in the physical space but also on the psychological and emotional plane. Furthermore, the Ontario students will have a visual reinforcement of what they are being taught in the current high school curriculum.
The UCC-Toronto has successfully completed a challenging fundraising campaign and brought to fruition a 25-year long aspiration to build a Holodomor Memorial in Toronto. It is thanks to the efforts of our community and the personal name engraving campaign we will witness the realization, unveiling and blessing of this momentous project. During the unveiling on October 21, a temporary donors plaque will be displayed. In the coming months, once the donor information has been verified, the temporary plaque with be replaced with a permanent bronze plaque.
Following the official unveiling, the guests are invited to attend a community reception at the Beanfield Centre. It will be an opportunity to view the Holodomor Exhibit: Genocide by Famine produced by the Ucrainica Research Institute, meet with the sculptor of the “Bitter Memory of Childhood” statue, and hear the insights and stories of inspiration surrounding the fulfillment of his vision.
Tickets are now available online at https://holomodormemorial.eventbrite.ca, Buduchnist Credit Union on 2280 Bloor St. W., Ukrainian Credit Union on 2397 Bloor St. W., and the Office of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Toronto Branch on 145 Evans Ave., Suite 208 (tel. 416-323-4772).
For further media enquiries, please contact Nadia Prokopiw at 416-884-2510 or
