I address you with regard to the 75th Anniversary of the most tragic incident in the history of the Ukrainian nation - the Holodomor of 1932-33.
It took decades for the truth about this genocide deliberately perpetrated by Stalin's regime on fertile Ukrainian land to make its way to the public.
I want to express my deepest appreciation to all who refused to be silent during these years when fear bound down Ukraine under Soviet regime, when the rest of the world preferred to remain complacently ignorant about one of the gravest crimes against humanity.
Only after cutting the fetters of the communist totalitarianism, independent Ukraine was able to claim out loud that in the far 1930s an attempt was made on the life of the entire nation.
Nowadays, the truth about the Holodomor has been made public. It is no longer possible to hush it up. The gloom of 1932-33 Stalin's night is fading away.
The Holodomor has been already recognized as crime and condemned by many countries and international organizations, regional governments and parliaments, municipal councils all over the world.
I extend my deep respect and gratitude for this manifestation of humanism and solidarity with millions of innocent victims of genocide.
International support sustains our belief that historical justice will be restored, and it strengthens our will to ensure its full assertion.
The global community ought to be aware that it will be impossible to prevent future crimes against humanity unless past crimes are condemned.
We do not talk about what could have been done 75 years ago if the world had known the entire truth. We raise our voice about what ought to be done today in order to honor those who perished and those who managed to survive in the hell of the Holodomor.
Millions of candles lighted by Ukrainians on November 22 in Kyiv in memory of fellow countrymen tortured with hunger will merge with the flame of the "Holodomor Torch" that traveled 33 countries and all Ukrainian regions absorbing the fire of many human hearts from different countries and peoples.
I call upon all who are not indifferent to the feelings of mercy, compassion and justice, who crave the victory of good over evil, to lighten up their own candles of remembrance and to join us in honoring the victims of the Holodomor.
Ukraine remembers ! The World acknowledges !
Victor YUSHCHENKO
