Windsor UCC Unveils Holodomor Monument

WINDSOR, ONT.­–On Sunday November 13, 2005, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Windsor Branch) unveiled the Holodomor Monument. The memorial commemorates the over seven million men, women and children who starved to death in the Famine/Genocide in Ukraine in 1932-33.

The fourth Saturday in November has been recognized by the Parliament of Canada as a day of remembrance of this tragedy. The new monument in Windsor is the only one commemorating the Holodomor in Ontario, and the third in Canada. It is located in the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens in Windsor, known as Jackson Park.

The dedication and blessing of the monument was attended by over 200 individuals from the Windsor Ukrainian community and dignitaries from across Ontario.

Windsor’s mayor, Eddie Francis, and Members of Parliament Joe Comartin and Brian Masse and members of Windsor City Council Carolyn Postma and David Cassivi attended the dedication ceremony. It was presided over by the Very Reverend Pawlo Berezniak of the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral and the Right Reverend Eugene Halitsky of the St. Vladimir and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Church, whose choir (under the direction of Father Peter Hrytsyk) sang the memorial prayers.

At the end of the service, all who attended laid bouquets of wheat at the base of the monument in memory of the millions who died.

The monument, carved from black granite, was designed by artists Halyna Mordowanec-Regenbogen and Tom Regenbogen to reflect both the solemnity and starkness of the subject matter. One side of the monument depicts crosses, the other a carved map of Ukraine indicating which parts of the country were affected by the famine. Dr. Dior Stebelsky, a professor at the University of Windsor, was the map consultant.

The guest speaker at the memorial dinner, which took place after the commemoration, was Askold Lozynsky, President of the Ukrainian World Congress. Other speakers included Dr. Ihor Lossovskyj, Consul General of Ukraine (Toronto), Bohdan Fedorak, Honourary Consul of Ukraine (Warren, Michigan, U.S.A.), and Dr. Evhen Roslyckyj, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (London Branch).

Stefania Korostil, a survivor of the famine, gave an emotional speech at the memorial dinner about her recollections of that terrible time in Ukraine’s history.

Members of the Holodomor Monument Committee are Petro Mycak, President, Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Windsor Branch; Leisha Nazarewich; Irene Momotiuk; Tom Regenbogen; Halyna Mordowanec-Regenbogen; Dr. Dior Stebelsky; Andrew Stebelsky and Vera Tkachuk.