Boston, MA - This past Friday, August 24th, a flag raising celebration next to Boston City Hall marked the 21st anniversary of Ukrainian independence. In commemoration of the event, several candidates for U.S. Congress, Matt Temperley (R-MA8), Sean Beilat (R-MA4) and Jeff Semon (R-MA5)  were invited to speak to the crowd. Invitations were extended to the Democratic congressional delegation, but all declined to attend.

In addition to celebrating Ukrainian independence, the Ukrainian community of Boston wishes to bring attention to the Holodmor . The Holodomor - murder by starvation - was the systematic genocide committed by Josef Stalin and his communist regime in 1932. Ukrainian -Americans are proposing that the history of this tragic event be taught in schools both here in Massachusetts and across the country.

Jeff Semon addressed those gathered in the video posted above.