Ukrainian Genocide Memorial groundbreaking ceremony in Washington D.C.

December 2, 2008 – Ukrainian Holodomor Memorial groundbreaking ceremony took place in Washington DC at the intersection of North Capitol street, Massachusetts avenue and F street NW which was selected as a site of a solemn memorial to the 10 million victims of the 1932-1933 Ukrainian Genocide. Members of Ukrainian community, Hierarchy of Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Members of US Congress and Administration, Ukrainian and foreign diplomats with participation of the First Lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko gathered for the ceremony in the heart of the US capital.

This august gathering started with the performance of Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of Taras Shevchenko in Detroit followed by a memorial service conducted by Ukrainian Clergy. Distinguished audience was addressed by H.E. Kateryna Yushchenko, H.E. Ambassador of Ukraine Oleh Shamshur, Rep. Sander Levin, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor David Kramer, members of the Ukrainian American community. In particular, the First Lady of Ukraine, whose father had been a Holodomor surviver and who had received the 2008 Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom Award just a couple of weeks ago, relayed her experience of breaking the wall of silence and suppression in the former Soviet Union, as well as about the recent Holodomor commemorative events in Kyiv.

The Holodomor is an extraordinarily sad chapter in Ukrainian and human history as it was man-made famine, committed by the criminal communist regime. Seventy-five years ago, the world witnessed a horrific episode of human suffering and deprivation in Ukraine. It is important to honor the memory of those who lost their lives not because of natural tragedy, but as a result of totalitarian oppression. Since those dark days in 1932 and 33, Ukraine has regained its status as an independent nation and today is marked by political freedom and economic opportunity.

On October 13, 2006, President Bush signed into law the authorization for a Holodomor memorial in Washington, DC.  Ever since then, the National Committee to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor and the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, DC, have worked diligently to choose a suitable site in the heart of US capital for this solemn memorial. A number of US federal commissions eventually designated the land parcel for the Ukrainian Genocide Memorial back in October, 2008. The site is prominently located not far from Washington’s Union Station, and is within walking distance of the U.S. Capitol building, the Supreme Court, and the National Mall.  The location is highly visible both to tourists and to everyday Washingtonians and offers ample space for erection of a memorial in a dignified setting.

The news of the selection of the Ukrainian Genocide Memorial site came just two months after the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved H.Res. 1314, a resolution recognizing the 75th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine (Holodomor).

 

 

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Oleh Shamshur at the Holodomor Memorial groundbreaking ceremony

2 December 2008, Washington DC

Your Excellencies,
Your Eminences, Reverend Fathers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Some of you may remember the day in June 1964 when the monument to Taras Shevchenko was inaugurated in Washington DC. That was a remarkable symbol of Ukraine’s resilience and spiritual independence from the Soviet regime.

Today’s event signifies yet another blow to the horrible communist past and a reminder that all crimes and all lies will be ultimately revealed.

On November 16, 2005, the House of Representatives approved the Bill H.R. 562 to authorize the government of Ukraine to establish a memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia to honor the victims of the man-made famine in Ukraine of 1932-33. On September 29, 2006, the Senate followed suit, both decisions adopted unanimously. On October 13, 2006, the Bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush. I would like to acknowledge the prominent role in this process of Congressman Sander Levin who is with us today.

I would also like to thank my friend Secretary David Kramer from the Department of State, who is amongst us too and who has been very supportive of Ukraine’s initiatives regarding the Holodomor commemoration. Most recently we opened together the exhibition “Executed by Hunger: The Unknown Genocide of Ukrainians” at the State Department.

It took 4 years from the decision on the Shevchenko monument to the actual erection of the statue.  We hope we can move faster. We are grateful to the NPS for their cooperation throughout the first phase of our joint work and look forward to completing the project in the nearest future following design competition to be held early next year in Ukraine. We want our monument to stay tall – not in a physical sense, but as a powerful and original artistic statement remembering victims of the famine - genocide – all 10 millions and every of them and sending a warning to humanity – never again.

We have been encouraged to pursue our educational campaign about the Holodomor by the leaders of this country. Both the current President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama sent their warm letters on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the famine-genocide and the International forum in Kyiv.

Even more importantly we feel a keen interest and desire of American public to learn more, to learn the truth about the Holodomor, we feel that our grief and sorrow resonates with our American friends.

It is her Charitable Foundation “Ukraine-3000” that produced that exhibition I have talked about and which you could see on several occasions at the Embassy of Ukraine. We are honored that Mrs. Yuschenko is with us today to mark this important ceremony, and it is with great pleasure that I give her the floor.