Futureproofing Teaching And Learning About The Holodomor
Toronto | Sep 4, 2026
Interview with Valentina Kuryliw
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has served to galvanize global reassessment of how the Holodomor-Famine Genocide of 1932–33 is taught, understood, and memorialized. The contemporary war, characterized by many historians as a modern iteration of genocidal intent, compels educators to confront the urgent question of “Quo vadis?”—whither goes the teaching of historical atrocities when the past appears to be repeating itself? Valentina Kuryliw, Director of Education for the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium (HREC Education), a project of CIUS at the University of Alberta, has spent over three decades actively answering this question. A retired history department head with the Toronto District School Board, Kuryliw’s career has been defined by a tireless effort to overcome political resistance and ensure the Holodomor is not merely a footnote in ethnic history but a cornerstone of universal human rights education.