International campaign for Holodomor Remembrance Day: How to join

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) International Coordinating Committee for Holodomor, together with the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory and the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide, is launching an international communications campaign to mark Holodomor Remembrance Day, November 28.

The campaign will run from Oct. 16 to Dec. 1, 2026, under the slogan “Holodomor – Genocide. Remembering the Past. Defending the Future.”

Campaign goals

The campaign aims to remind the world that the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was a genocide of the Ukrainian people, honor the memory of the millions of Ukrainians who were starved to death, and show that impunity for imperial crimes leads to their repetition. The organizers seek to deepen international understanding of why remembering the Holodomor is directly connected to Ukraine’s current struggle for independence and a just peace.

According to the organizers, every informed adult around the world should know that the Holodomor was a genocide of the Ukrainian people. This tragedy must be studied and remembered, and people must also recognize that Ukrainians are fighting today to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.

“Our slogan reflects the purpose of commemorating the victims of the Holodomor. This year, as in previous years, we remember the millions of innocent victims and honor their memory through religious services, community gatherings, and various events,” said Olya Soroka, Chair of the UWC International Coordinating Committee and Head of the Global Holodomor Descendants Network.

Key messages

• The Holodomor was a deliberate crime committed by the Soviet regime against the Ukrainian people. The authorities confiscated food, blockaded villages, carried out repressions, and concealed the truth about the mass famine. 28 countries have already recognized the Holodomor as genocide. The UWC calls on all countries and international institutions that have not yet done so to officially recognize the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
• For decades, the truth about the Holodomor was suppressed or denied. Today, our task is to preserve its memory, pass it on to future generations, and counter attempts to distort history.
• Impunity leads to repeated crimes. Russia continues to use starvation, deportations, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and disinformation as tools of war. Crimes must therefore be named, documented, and punished, and those responsible must be held accountable.
• Honoring the victims of the Holodomor also means taking action: supporting Ukraine, protecting civilians, pursuing justice, and preventing genocide from happening again.
• Today’s heroic Armed Forces of Ukraine are not merely defending against today’s invasion by russia; they are defending the future of the Ukrainian nation as the enemy strives to eliminate Ukrainian identity.

Find more key messages at this link.

The campaign is aimed at Ukrainian communities abroad, Ukrainians in Ukraine, international partners and allies, politicians, diplomats, educators, journalists, young people and students, as well as the broader international community.

“Even a simple gesture, such as lighting a candle in your window, can make a difference. One of your neighbors might notice it and ask you about it,” Soroka says.

Throughout the month, campaign materials will include sample social media posts which can be customized to local needs, video messages from UWC leaders and partners, films and videos about the Holodomor in foreign languages, media resources, a call to participate in the commemoration campaign, and opportunities to take part in memorial events, exhibitions, lectures, and film screenings around the world.

Information will be shared through the UWC’s and its partners’ social media channels, the UWC’s weekly digests, and Ukrainian and diaspora media outlets.

How to join

The UWC calls on everyone to:

• Organize a march, group prayer, or Holodomor memorial event in your city, coming together in solidarity with those who cannot do so in occupied Ukrainian cities or under the threat of Russian air attacks.
• Light a candle of remembrance and place it in your window on Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. local time and observe a moment of silence in honor of the innocent victims of the Holodomor genocide.
• Share the truth about the Holodomor with friends, at work, or in media interviews, and support Ukraine.

The UWC calls on Ukrainians around the world to speak with one unified voice about the Holodomor during commemorative events. To support this effort, campaign materials have been prepared for local communities to adapt by adding information about their own events. Campaign materials are available at this link.

“We hope our campaign will contribute to global efforts to raise awareness until governments have the courage to provide Ukraine with both the military assistance it needs to win and the humanitarian support it needs to survive and develop on its path toward a peaceful future,” Soroka added.