writes about war from a young person's view #bannedbyrussia
Visiting with St. Sofia Byzantine Catholic students feels like coming home. No I was never a student at St. Sofia, but I’ve visited so often, virtually and in person, and their students and staff are so welcoming. This year, with the heartbreaking war in Ukraine, there are many more students. And speaking about Winterkill and the Holodomor with kids who have fled war as they sit among the kind and welcoming people of St. Sofia is a poignant experience.
Here are some pics.
Quoting Mrs. Van Wyk from her Instagram page: Our students had the privilege again today of meeting with the amazing Marsha Skrypuch to talk about her newest book, Winterkill. There are always so many take-aways from these meets; including perseverance, critical thinking, and the need to tell the stories of those who have been intentionally silenced. 4 million Ukrainians were forever silenced during the Holodomor. 4 million. The past informs the present. Think critically. Thank you Marsha.
Here is the complete video of the webinar on Winterkill and the historical background of the Holodomor. Thank you, Dr Mateusz Świetlicki for the perceptive questions and Valentina Kuryliw for the curriculum connections. And of course, thank you HREC ED for all your amazing work and resources.
Thank you, Valentina Kuryliw and HREC ED for hosting this wonderful opportunity to discuss Winterkill with Dr. Mateusz Swietlicki, author of many academic works, including the upcoming Next-Generation Memory and Ukrainian Canadian Children’s Historical Fiction. Thank you to all who tuned in. The webinar will soon be available online as an educator resource.
Wed Sep 28, 2022 – 2:00pm – Wed Sep 28, 2022 – 3:00pm
Ages: Kids (Grades 1-3)
Celebrate Ukrainian Heritage Month with award-winning children’s book writer, Marsha Skrypuch. Learn how art can be used to discuss the refugee experience and discover the power of storytelling.
Educators in Richmond Hill can register their classes by calling 905-884-9288 ext. 5029. For more information, go here.
This program will be done through Zoom, a free video conferencing software for tablets, smartphones and computers. Access instructions will be sent to those who register.
A reader sent me a Facebook message because she thought I’d be interested in a new Port Dover restaurant called Lviv Castle at 201 Main Street that just opened up. The restaurant is run by Ukrainian refugees. The menu is mostly roadhouse but they recently added a nice selection of Ukrainian dishes. I went there yesterday with my husband and sister and we liked it so much that we went back again tonight with friends. Never have I ever gone to the same restaurant two nights in a row! If you love Ukrainian food and you’d like to support new hardworking arrivals from Ukraine, do drop in to Lviv Castle. I told Tatiana about how we found out about the restaurant and how what I write about in my books is now being enacted again by Putin. I happened to have ARCs (advance reader copies) of two of my books in the car, so I signed them and gave them to Tatiana. Not only did we have a wonderful visit with our friends, we had great food and good conversation with Tatiana. And my husband got to use his Ukrainian, which he spoke before he ever spoke English.
To register, go here: Session Registration