One of the most touching moments was the presentation of the book 'Letters from Kharkov', a historical document that collects direct testimonies of Italian officials living in Ukraine at the time. Some of these letters were read aloud by the students, giving voice to the dramatic stories of the victims.
Event
LICEO EUROPEO
Holodomor: un incontro di riflessione sulla storia Ucraina
On Wednesday 19 March, students from Liceo Europeo Vittoria participated in a conference of great historical and cultural impact, organised in collaboration with the Free Ukraine Cultural Association. The meeting addressed the theme of the Holodomor, the terrible famine that hit Ukraine in the 1930s, now recognised as genocide caused by Stalin regime.
After an introduction by Prof. Massimo Rostagno, moderator of the event, the vice-president of the association, Mauro Chiarion, elaborated on the concept of genocide. The students then followed a historical summary by Prof. Simone Attilio Bellezza of the University of Eastern Piedmont, who contextualised the events within 20th century European history.
Afterwards, the screening of the animated film 'Hungry Spirit' made the tragedy experienced by the Ukrainian people even more tangible.
The event was enriched by the presence of actress and theatre director Olga Kalenichenko, who recited poems by Ukrainian authors, and the president of the association, Svitlana Bubenchykova.
At the end of the event, we received a gift of ears of wheat wrapped in a ribbon in the colours of Ukraine, as a reminder of a chapter of history that is often little known, but of fundamental importance for understanding the past and present.