Holodomor mobile classroom (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

MOBILE HOLODOMOR CLASSROOM

Valleyview students get interactive lesson on the horror of the Holodomor

Oct 19, 2023 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The term Holodomor — or ‘death by hunger’ in Ukrainian — refers to the starvation of millions of Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933 as a result of Soviet policies.

A Grade 12 class at Valleyview Secondary got an interactive lesson into the atrocities of the Holodomor Thursday morning (Oct. 19) as a mobile classroom pulled into the grounds.

“It’s important to educate Canadians, most importantly students, of the values that we have in Canada of human rights, justice, tolerance, civility and use the lens of the Holodomor as that stepping stone in teaching that to students,” said Project Manager Roma Dzerowicz.

The lesson showcased some key figures from the 1930s and how disinformation and the iron fist of Soviet Russia helped hide the truth from the rest of the world.

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“In this lesson that you have just witnessed, ‘Breaking the sound barrier, raising voices out of silence’ was one that gives them a bit of history, shows them how discrimination, or disinformation, can be a very negative thing,” added Dzerowicz.

Students were able to produce a collage and learn the importance of speaking out against injustices around the globe.

“Censorship and suppressing actual information can be very harmful. And information can’t come out for decades on end and once we find out about it, it’s way too late,” said Grade 12 student Lincoln Wright-Turner.

“It is pretty much important to know the past in order to know the current world, because it is what shaped the current world,” stated International student Nick Lu.

With the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, plus the war in Israel, the knowledge from the Holodomor carries an important lesson for the current world climate.

“When the lessons were first created and the Holodomor classroom was put out on the road, the crystal ball didn’t show any of that. With what we are teaching students [about] an unknown genocide is very applicable in today’s situation and everything that is going on in the world today,” said Dzerowicz.

The mobile classroom will be stationed at the Sahali Mall parking lot on Friday (Oct. 19) from 11:00 a.m.