On the fourth Saturday of November, Red Deer joins the world in remembering the victims of the Holodomor, the name given to the mass starvation and genocide inflicted on millions of people in Ukraine from 1932-1933 by the Soviet Union.

As we work towards building a welcoming and inclusive community in Red Deer, a place that is safe for everyone to live and thrive, it is important to reaffirm our commitment towards countering hate and intolerance, reflect on the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic and indifferent to the oppression of others, and work towards a goal of strengthening the resilience of young people against ideologies of hatred.