Parliamentary Secretary Virani Announces $1.4 Million in Funding for the Holodomor National Awareness Tour

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation will benefit from a federal investment of more than $1.4 Million for the Holodomor National Awareness Tour 2017–2020

TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2018 /CNW/ - Today, Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament (Parkdale–High Park), announced that the Government of Canada is providing more than $1.4 million to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation in support of the Holodomor National Awareness Tour 2017–2020. Mr. Virani made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism.

The ongoing Holodomor National Awareness Tour 2017–2020 has launched a Holodomor Mobile Classroom that tours the country both to raise awareness of the Holodomor and to promote tolerance and mutual understanding. This project is expected to reach 65,000 participants across the country.

The project is receiving $1,459,730 in total funding over three years through the Projects component of Inter-Action, the Government of Canada's multiculturalism grants and contributions program. Inter-Action funds community engagement and development projects that promote intercultural understanding and equal opportunities for people of all cultures.

Diversity and inclusion are central to who we are. Projects like this help create bonds between all Canadians by working to eliminate discrimination, racism and prejudice, while also providing opportunities for youth community engagement and uniting people through art, culture or sport.

Quotes

"Canada's diversity is a strength and a source of great pride. Our government is proud to support projects like the Holodomor National Awareness Tour, which helps educate the public about the horrors of one of the darkest chapters in human history: the Ukrainian Holodomor. I would like to thank the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian-Canadian community as a whole for their leadership in promoting intercultural dialogue and for helping build a more inclusive Canada."

—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"The Holodomor National Awareness Tour 2017–2020 is a wonderful opportunity to engage communities and schools across the country about the Holodomor. It is critical for Canadians of all backgrounds to learn about the state-imposed famine-genocide that resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians from 1932 to 1933. Our government is proud to invest in essential projects like this one that teach youth about the importance of diversity and combatting intolerance—work that will prevent tragedies like the Holodomor from happening again. The Holodomor Bus and National Awareness Tour are terrific examples of how Ukrainian Canadians are encouraging positive interactions between all cultural, religious and ethnic communities in Canada."

—Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament (Parkdale–High Park)

"We are grateful to the Government of Canada for its strong support for Holodomor education, which will teach Canadians of our shared responsibility to stand up to tyranny, oppression and crimes against humanity around the world. This year, we commemorate the 85^th anniversary of the Holodomor. We honour the millions of victims of the Holodomor and pay tribute to the survivors, whose courage in sharing their story ensured that the terrible genocide did not remain hidden from the world."

—Paul Grod, National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

"This project was originally conceived to build bridges among communities to promote intercultural understanding, tolerance, awareness and a deeper respect for the democratic values that we Canadians hold so dear. We are delighted that the Government of Canada has honoured the success of this project by agreeing to renew it for a further three years."

—Bob Onyschuk, past Chair of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation

Quick Facts

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation is a charitable not-for-profit organization that has operated in Canada and in Ukraine since 1995. Their vision is to assist in the development of a democratic nation with a civil society that maintains and develops culture, tradition and language in Ukraine by strengthening strategic partnerships in Canada and Ukraine. Their mission is to attain the vision by supporting, funding and managing humanitarian, economic development, governance and rule of law projects that focus on Ukraine.

The Inter-Action program has two components: Projects and Events. The Projects component follows a call-for-applications process and focuses on long-term, multi-year projects that are national in scope. The Events component accepts applications year-round and provides grants to support and promote community based events.

Since launching the first round of funding in March 2017, the Projects component of Inter-Action has received more than 250 project applications from organizations in communities across Canada.

Associated Links

Inter-Action: Multiculturalism Funding Program – Overview
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only), please contact: Simon Ross, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, 819-997-7788; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.pch.gc.ca