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Commemorating the Artificial Famine in Ukraine
1932 - 1933
Officially announced in 1998, the fourth Saturday in November is the Ukrainian National Day of Sorrow. On this day, we remember the 7 million victims of the man-made Famine in Ukraine, in 1932-33, a famine instigated by the Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin's policy of forced collectivisation.
Since 2000, when this act was broadened to include the commemoration of other political repressions, the Bradford Branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain has ordered a Mass and Memorial Service in the Ukrainian Catholic Church on the fourth Saturday in November.
On 26th November of this year, following the Mass, CYM in Bradford chose to commemorate this tragic event in its own way. Deputy Leader of CYM, podruha Hania Szlahetko, opened the programme of remembrance with a reading. Two rows of sumivti then walked down the aisles holding candles and wreaths of wheat which they placed at the front of the church, infront of pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Podruha Maria Lee then recited a poem.
With this short programme, sumivti paid their respects to the 7 million innocent victims who died as a result of this genocide.
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