Toronto - The International Holodomor Remembrance Flame arrived on Canadian soil on Friday, April 18. The Flame was presented during a ceremony at Toronto's City Hall which also included the opening of the exhibit Holodomor: Genocide by Famine produced by the League of Ukrainian Canadians.

Presenting the Flame was His Excellency Valentyn Adomaytis, Ukraine's Ambassador in Australia and Stefan Romaniw, Chair of the International Coordinating Committee Ukrainian World Congress and President of the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Australia. As the Flame made its debut on the North American continent, it was accepted by Ukraine's Ambassador in Canada, His Excellency Dr. Ihor Ostash and National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Mr. Paul Grod, along with Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Oleh Shamshur and President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Mykhajlo Sawkiw.

The Flame was then accepted by Holodomor survivor, Stefan Horlatsch, who symbolically lit a candle presented by the community's youth before departing on his journey escorting the Remembrance Flame to 15 Canadian cities.

Canadian events organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress titled "Keep the Flame Alive" will remember the victims of the Holodomor while ensuring that their story is transferred from generation to generation. Events will also launch a campaign urging the Canadian government to recognize the Holodomor as an act of genocide and support Ukraine's motion for such recognition by the United Nations. For more information on Canadian events visit www.ucc.ca.

The International Holodomor Remembrance Flame, which will visit 33 countries, is the initiative of the International coordinating Committee in cooperation with the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine and Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.