Educational Presentation and Lesson: Holodomor Memorial Day

Food as a Weapon is a presentation given by HREC Director of Education Valentina Kuryliw at the request of the Ukrainian American Holodomor Genocide Committee of Michigan for their annual Commemoration of the Ukrainian Genocidal Famine – the Holodomor,
17 November 2021 at 10:00 am EST.

A virtual lesson, Food as a Weapon, was presented by HREC Director of Education Valentina Kuryliw to students in Michigan from grades 5 through 8 sitting in various classrooms at an assembly of the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Schools in Warren, MI. The lesson was given as one of the Ukrainian American Holodomor Genocide Committee of Michigan’s commemorative events for Holodomor Memorial Day during Holodomor Education Week in November. Kuryliw’s talk discussed the basic facts of the Holodomor genocide, including some of her own family history experiences as the daughter of two Holodomor survivors. She used a human rights and social justice approach to the topic that aids in educating responsible citizens in a democracy. Students showed interest when asking a variety of questions related to the presentation during the question-and-answer period following the talk. This well-organized event enabled many students from multiple classrooms to join in on and participate in it during their regular classroom periods during the ongoing Covid pandemic restrictions.

Valentina Kuryliw speaking to students in various Michigan classrooms during her online presentation for Holodomor Memorial Day.

Valentina Kuryliw delivering her online presentation to Michigan school students.

A teacher in one Michigan class asking questions from the students during the Q&A period.

Students listening to the presentation in their Michigan school classroom.

A teacher in one Michigan class asking questions from the students during the Q&A period.