The Holodomor in Ukraine is a tragedy that cannot be forgotten

The Holodomor in Ukraine is a tragedy that cannot be forgotten
I think it is truly valuable and noble to find words that promote understanding and unity, especially in our time. My approach is diplomatic, and the article is not only interesting, but also socially significant.
Recently, one of the architectural masterpieces of Brooklyn, St. Brendan's Catholic Church, hosted a lecture by the famous Ukrainian historian Professor Volodymyr Sergiychuk, who came from Ukraine. The lecture was devoted to a tragic page in the history of Ukraine - the Holodomor, and after the Sunday service, parishioners who wanted to better understand and comprehend the historical lessons listened to the professor with interest. It is worth noting that among the Jews, I heard memories that grandmothers and mothers told about the events in Ukraine at the beginning of the last century. These terrible events were pogroms and the Holodomor. These are the issues I discussed with the professor, and I was interested in his professional opinion. I will publish the interview a little later on my YouTube Lagunova News.
Volodymyr Sergiychuk is a distinguished historian and researcher who has dedicated his work to understanding Ukrainian history. Before meeting him, I read about his research online. The Holodomor, a mass famine that claimed millions of lives, was an act of genocide deliberately orchestrated by the Soviet leadership led by Joseph Stalin to suppress Ukrainian national resistance and destroy the independent peasantry. The main cause of the Holodomor was the collectivization policy imposed by the Soviet Union in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Ukrainian peasants were forced to join collective farms, while their land, livestock, and farm tools were confiscated. Any resistance was brutally suppressed - active peasants were labeled "kulaks" and sent to camps.
In 1932, the central government introduced unbearable grain procurement quotas for Ukraine. Security brigades confiscated not only grain, but also other food supplies, depriving peasants of their livelihoods. Any attempt to hide food was declared a crime, and people were arrested and shot for collecting the remaining ears of grain in the fields.
According to various estimates, up to 10 million people died from hunger, based on the lectures of Professor Volodymyr Sergiychuk. Eight examinations were conducted.
This theme is a reminder of the value of human life.
Probably, it is necessary to talk about the events that took place in Ukraine, especially to Ukrainian youth who are growing up abroad. In the near future, I plan to publish an interview with the professor.
At the event, I met Veronika Tsiko, a young woman who was born in Lviv and has lived in New York for 10 years. Despite her young age, she has managed to achieve a lot: now she is a law school student, an activist studying women's rights, and a paralegal of the famous lawyer Eva Rakhamimova.
Veronica worked on the study with a gender policy expert and continues her research and work in the field of social justice. Her work and publications on social justice and gender rights have already earned her recognition among professionals in the field.
Veronica said that together with her American scientific supervisor she studies how to help women who have encountered difficulties, studies issues of discrimination, sexual violence and social adaptation. Her work is aimed at attracting the attention of the world community to these important issues. These studies are important for modern American society.
I would like to note that the event was given special warmth by the church's archpriest Roman Malarchuk, who had previously worked in Kazakhstan. He prayed for the soldiers and all those who remained in Ukraine. His heartfelt voice and sincere words touched the hearts of those gathered, including mine.
Prayer, as I wrote in one of my previous articles, can be a form of meditation. In today's stress-filled, tense times, such moments of spiritual communication are vital.
Meeting people like Professor Vladimir Sergiychuk and Veronica Tsiko is inspiring. They remind us how important it is to remember the past in order to build a better future.
The world is currently a taut string, and events like these give hope and unite people, reminding us that even in the most difficult times, beauty, prayer and sincere conversations can become a source of strength.
I would like to thank the President of the Association of People from Ukraine, Pavel Makovsky, for organizing the meeting.
Marina Lagunova