17:26 25.11.2017

Kyiv commemorates Holodomor victims by lighting candles

2 min read
Kyiv commemorates Holodomor victims by lighting candles

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on Saturday paid a tribute to the victims of an artificial famine, also known as the Holodomor (1932-1933).

Many people have come to the National Museum "Memorial to Holodomor Victims" in Kyiv, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has said. They have been standing along the alley leading to the memorial, as well as on the hills on which the memorial building is located. People came with wheat spikes and guelder rose branches to lay them to the memorial and light candles in memory of Holodomor victims.

Before the event began, stories about the Holodomor in Ukraine were heard from loudspeakers. "It was a planned genocide by Moscow against Ukraine," the announcer said.

To get to the area of the memorial, people had to walk through metal detectors. Many were carrying the national flag of Ukraine with black mourning ribbons.

A silence's minute across the country was announced after Poroshenko's speech on the Holodomor and the national action "Light a Candle" began. Candles were lit by Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. Their candles were lit by members of the Verkhovna Rada, the World Congress of Ukrainians, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, as well as by representatives of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol, the regions of Ukraine, heads and members of diplomatic missions accredited in Ukraine, and international organizations.

Candles with candle holders were distributed by volunteers near the memorial.

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