Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future: Razom and the Holodomor90 Campaign

Published: November 13, 2023

This year, as the global Ukrainian community marks the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, Razom for Ukraine, has joined with Holodomor90, “an anti-genocide campaign dedicated to raising awareness and commemorating” the man-made famine that killed an untold number of Ukrainians from 1932-1933.

Holodomor is the Ukrainian word for “death by hunger”. Millions of Ukrainians are estimated to have perished this way as a result of Soviet forced, agricultural collectivization policies endorsed and executed by the dictator Josef Stalin, intended to slowly and systematically starve people and eradicate a nation.

Alongside a host of other mission-aligned partners based in North America, we are working on the stated objectives of raising awareness about this historical trauma so as to never forget, paying tribute to the victims and calling for official designation of the Holodomor as a genocide.

The Holodomor90 campaign culminates on Holodomor Memorial Day (the annual day of remembrance, every fourth Friday in November). This year, on November 25th, activists and allies alike are urged to light candles – an action known as запали свічку – in memory of the victims.

Here is how you, dear Razom supporter, can participate:

Sign the Petition for U.S. Genocide Designation

A petition on Change.org has been launched urging U.S. President Biden to issue a proclamation declaring the Holodomor a genocide. The goal is to obtain at least 25,000 signatures by Holodomor Memorial Day 2023. It would be a historic first for a U.S. president to bestow such a designation.

Mykola Murskyj, Razom’s Director of Advocacy said, “As Ukraine faces aggression from the Kremlin once again, it is paramount that the United States officially acknowledges that the Holodomor was a genocide. This historical recognition is an essential step in preventing such atrocities from happening in the future.”

Write a Blog

The Holodomor90 campaign invites writers of various disciplines and perspectives to contribute to the Holodomor literary space by submitting blog posts. Areas of expertise include: Survivor Stories, Historical Analysis, Research Insights, Artistic Expression, Holodomor Educational Resources, Reflections and Commentary.

#ShineALight

The #ShineALight campaign encourages individuals and groups to post “selfie” images or videos to their social media during the month of November. In these videos, participants can share their thoughts on why it is important to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide and express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Purchase a Holodomor Sunflower Candle

The Sunflower Holodomor candle, created by Razom’s generous corporate partner Door County Candle Co., is now available on its website www.doorcountycandle.com.The candle comes in a 16 oz. jar and features a sunflower yellow wax with a vanilla scent. It stands as a symbol of remembrance and solidarity with those who suffered and 100% of the profits from the candle will be donated to Razom for Ukraine

Hold or Join a Candlelight Vigil

On Saturday, November 25, 2023, candlelight vigils will be held worldwide to honor the victims of the Holodomor. Joining a vigil near you is a meaningful way to pay tribute to those who perished and to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian community.

Inspire the Future!

By participating in the #ShineALight movement, attending candlelight vigils, and supporting other Holodomor awareness initiatives, we can collectively honor the memory of those lost during the Holodomor and ensure that their stories are not forgotten. Together, we can illuminate this dark chapter in history and inspire a brighter future for Ukraine.

Razom and Partners Welcome Delegation from the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations

Published: November 8, 2023

Header image: Delegation with Senator Chuck Grassley

Razom, in cooperation with Nova Ukraine, HTX4UKRAINE and MedGlobal, recently hosted a delegation of distinguished religious leaders from the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) for advocacy programming in Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas.

The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) was established in 1996 as an interdenominational institution, aiming to unite the efforts of various denominations to focus on the spiritual revival of Ukraine, coordination of interconfessional dialogue in Ukraine and abroad, participation in a legislative process on church-state issues, and the implementation of comprehensive charitable actions. It is one of the largest nonprofits in Ukraine and represents over 95% of religious communities in Ukraine, including Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities.

During their visit, the delegation engaged in a series of meetings with U.S. government officials, church counterparts, local communities, and media outlets, while also attending a range of public events.

The delegation shared information and perspectives on the state of religious freedoms in Ukraine and highlighted Russia’s disinformation efforts. They also exchanged insights with their U.S. counterparts, shedding light on how Ukrainian religious communities have responded to Russia’s invasion and the profound impact of Russia’s aggression on religious life within Ukraine.

Highlights included:

An interfaith panel with the Atlantic Council at the US Institute for Peace, moderated by Marie Yovanovitch, former Ambassador to Ukraine, followed by a USIP private roundtable.
A meeting at the State Department with Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain
A panel discussion at Hudson Institute moderated by Nina Shea
Meeting with USAID, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Senator Chuck Grassley, the Heritage Foundation, ADAMS Center, the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry and more
A meeting with Commissioner Eric Ueland and Ex. Dir. Erin Singshinsuk at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
A trip to the White House for a meeting with Kelly Razzouk, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy
A conversation with the American Jewish Committee, hosted by the Consulate General of Ukraine in Houston
A special Ukraine Gratitude Dinner in Houston hosted by Ecclesia Houston Christian Community, featuring Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

The visit highlighted the unity and diversity of Ukrainian religious communities in the face of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and gave the leaders a chance to spread their message to a wider audience through interviews with the press.

Press coverage highlights include:

On a US tour, Ukrainian faith leaders plead for continued support against the Russian invasion – by Peter Smith, Associated Press
Catholic Church in Ukraine facing extermination, bishops say – by Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Service
Russia is attacking religious freedom in Ukraine. Does Mike Johnson care? – by Karen Tumulty, The Washington Post
Ukrainian Church Leaders Sound Alarm on Russia’s Use of Religious ‘Jihadist’ Language to Prop Up War Effort – by David Zimmerman, National Review
Ukrainian faith leaders say if Russia prevails, religious freedoms would be curtailed – Kate Scanlon, Catholic Standard

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our partners and friends for engaging with the UCCRO delegation last week and helping us organize this trip!

Razom’s Ukraine on Campus Project Supports Student Activism Across the Country

Published: November 3, 2023

(Uliana Storoshchuk / Ukraine Action Summit)

Pictured, right to left: Svitlana Kukharuk, Ukraine on Campus stipend awardee, Vitalii Svichinskyi, Razom in Ukraine, Oleksa Martiniouk, Ukraine on Campus

Hailing from universities across California, Florida, Iowa, New York, and Wyoming, the first cohort of Ukraine on Campus stipend awardees brought their unique stories and impactful advocacy to the halls of Congress recently. Razom for Ukraine, through the Ukraine on Campus project, was able to support five students in offsetting the cost of attending the third Ukraine Action Summit, which took place October 22-24, 2023.

The Summit, organized by the American Coalition of Ukraine, of which Razom is a founding member , consisted of panel discussions, collaborative advocacy training, and Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill. The three day event offered students, and constituents at-large, an opportunity to engage with their Congressional Representatives and Senators and develop sustainable relationships with their offices in advancing continued and unwavering support and aid for Ukraine. Student awardees brought their unique perspectives, academic expertise, and personal connections to Ukraine as they sat down with members of Congress and their staff to present legislative remedies to the greatest challenges facing Ukraine and her allies today.

This semester’s cohort of UAS stipend awardees included students from across the country, each displaying highly unique, yet very impactful leadership in championing Ukraine on their campuses and in their local communities. Solomiya Kovalenko, a student at Iowa State University, co-hosts a podcast about Ukraine on the local radio station in Ames, Iowa, in addition to her work with the Ukrainian club there. Svitlana Kukharuk, studying human rights at Bard College, launched the Ukrainian Solidarity Club focused on social, cultural, and activist outreach,after serving as an on-campus ambassador with the Lubetzky Foundation’s Global Democracy Ambassador Scholarship program. Pournima Narayanan, engages students at Stanford and beyond through her work with the Ukraine Support Alliance at Stanford and SUSTA, and makes an impact in the community through TeleHelp Ukraine and Brave Generation‘s MentorUkraine program. Oleksandra Nelson, president of the Ukrainian Student Association at the University of Florida, leads efforts to fundraise, educate, and advocate both on campus and in the Gainesville city community. Anastasiia Pereverten, working on an advocacy-related capstone project for the Honors College at the University of Wyoming after an internship with the New Lines Institute, has championed Ukraine in her small college town with everything from rallies and fundraisers to movie screenings and stickers.

Ukraine on Campus, already a database of 50+ Ukrainian student groups across American university campuses, is a developing project focused on connecting students interested in championing Ukraine and mobilizing the resources they need to activate their campuses in support of a Ukrainian victory. Its goal is to engage student activism both on campus and beyond through conferences, event tours, and more.

Like with the Ukraine Action Summit, Ukraine on Campus will offer a number of travel stipends for students to attend the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Convention this November-December. This year’s theme is decolonization, which is vital to the study of Ukraine.