Sudbury Schools Host Holodomor Awareness Tour for Students

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is currently hosting the Holodomor National Awareness Tour, an educational initiative aimed at raising awareness of a significant historical event. On March 12, 2024, a state-of-the-art mobile classroom was set up at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, providing students with an immersive experience centered around the Holodomor, the man-made famine that devastated Ukraine in the early 1930s.

This innovative educational program has garnered positive feedback from educators. History teacher James MacNeil emphasized the dynamic nature of the presentation, which combines dramatic portrayals of key historical figures and encourages students to engage critically with both past and present issues. “It really is captivating for them on a couple of different levels, ways that we can’t achieve in the classroom,” MacNeil stated.

Approximately 100 students participated in the interactive session focused on the Holodomor. For many, such as grade 10 student Felix Quinn, this was their first encounter with this often-censored chapter of history. “I’ve never heard about the Holodomor until now,” Quinn remarked. “I think it’s something that needs to be talked about more, because it definitely was censored a lot more than it should have been. But I think it really opened my eyes, and I think I am going to try to learn more about what is happening in this world.”

Quinn’s sentiments reflect a broader trend among students, who are increasingly eager to understand complex historical narratives. He noted that his classmates also found the presentation valuable.

Empowering Future Generations Through Historical Education

Developed by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation in 2014, the Holodomor National Awareness Tour has reached over 70,000 students nationwide. The project’s manager, Roma Dzerowicz, explained that the initiative aims to empower youth by fostering a sense of civic responsibility. “Students who are the seeds of future leaders and the ones who can make a difference moving forward can understand what happened, why it happened, but also understand the importance of civility, tolerance, equity, and how propaganda fits into the equation today,” Dzerowicz said.

The mobile classroom is set to continue its tour, with upcoming stops at St. Charles College and Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School. Additionally, the general public is invited to view the exhibit at the Ukrainian Senior Centre on Notre Dame Avenue on March 13, 2024, from 17:00 to 20:00.

Through programs like the Holodomor National Awareness Tour, educators hope to cultivate informed future leaders who can draw lessons from the past and apply them to contemporary societal issues. The initiative not only sheds light on a tragic historical event but also encourages young people to engage with their communities and the world around them.