WASHINGTON – More than 15 St. George Academy (SGA) students attended the unveiling of the long-awaited Holodomor Memorial on November 7 in Washington.
Dressed in Ukrainian embroidered blouses and shirts , SGA students, accompanied by their principal, Andrew Stasiw, their history teacher, Liza Donovan, and a few of the students’ parents, boarded one of four buses organized by the New York branch of the Ukainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and sponsored by Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union.
Upon arrival at Union Station in Washington, they were greeted by thousands of Ukrainian Americans and friends of Ukraine who had gathered to commemorate this historic occasion, including St. George Academy administrative assistant, Irene Saviano, who was photographing the event.
The students watched the huge screen and listened attentively as numerous speakers addressed the crowd, including First Lady of Ukraine Maryna Poroshenko, Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Former Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky and Holodomor survivor Oleksander Severyn among others.
Video messages were broadcast from President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Statements were also delivered from presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush.
Irene Saviano
Principal Andrew Stasiw with St. George Academy students from Ukraine and China at the dedication of the Holodomor Memorial.
From the numerous speakers, students learned about the atrocities of the Holodomor and the plight of the Ukrainian people during this tragic chapter in Ukraine’s history. Many of the senior students documented the event through pictures and videos in order to write about it later for their journalism class.
Then, together with their teachers, the students proceeded to the Holodomor Memorial, where they lit special commemorative candles created by Ms. Saviano in memory of the millions of victims of the Holodomor.
At 5 p.m. the students boarded the bus once again for the long ride back to New York.
St. George students who attended the event, many of whom are not Ukrainian, said the experience was one they will never forget.
Candles placed by the students at the Holodomor Memorial.
The story above was written by Grade 12 journalism students under the guidance of Andrew Stasiw.