Rupa Huq Opens Ukrainian Exhibition in Parliament

Focus on the Holodomor the man-made famine which starved millions

Rupa Huq (centre) with participants in the panel discussion

April 28, 2025

Rupa Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, has opened a Ukrainian exhibition in Parliament and hosted a related discussion panel.

Three years since its illegal invasion by Putin and on the eve of potential ceasefire talks in London, the focus was on the long suffering and resistance of the Ukrainian peoples.

These were illuminated in Parliament with both an exhibition and panel discussion in an event held in conjunction with the Ukrainian Scouts in the UK and centred on the Holodomor, Stalin’s enforced famine of the Ukrainian people almost a century ago. The Holodomor killed approximately 4 million Ukrainians between 1932-1933 through a man-made famine orchestrated by the Soviet government.

Dr Huq hosted the unveiling of a number of displays depicting this tragedy followed by a lively discussion panel. Those contributing included Europe Minister Stephen Doughty MP, Alex Sobel MP Chair of the All Party-Parliamentary Group for Ukraine, Member of Senedd Mick Antoniw (of Ukrainian origin), and academics from Royal Holloway University of London, University of Chichester, and The Foundation for the History of Totalitarianism.

The panel discussed the historical importance of the Holodomor both for the Ukrainian nation and the international community and how the Russian weaponisation of food supply in the ongoing war in Ukraine provides a concerning parallel with the Holodomor.

The local MP gave a speech at the opening of the exhibition describing the importance of the Ukrainian diaspora in her constituency She said, “Now more than ever it is vital it is to raise awareness of lesser-known tragedy the Holodomor as there are eerie parallels in the Russification of then and Putin’s attempt now to destroy Ukrainian language, culture and distinctiveness”.

The exhibition seeks to remind us to consider the long-standing history of Ukrainian resistance against Russian attempts at dominating and destroying the Ukrainian nation. The discussion panel and Q&A sessions invited those attending the event to contribute their own experiences of loved ones who had survived Holodomor and the impact this event still has on the Ukrainian people and diaspora.

Stephen Doughty MP for Cardiff South and Penarth described his own experiences as a student in Ukraine and reaffirmed the UK’s support its current struggle against Russia alongside Welsh Senedd member Mick Antoniw who highlighted the link between Ukraine and Wales, particularly the journalist Gareth Jones who reported the true extent of the famine in Ukraine throughout the Holodomor. Ex BBC journalist John Sweeney also contributed urging greater sanctions on oligarchs while others called on the UK government to recognise Holodomor as a genocide.

Rupa Huq hosting the panel discussion on Ukraine in Parliament

The exhibition has been set up in the corridor of parliament by the committee rooms which MPs and other parliamentarians walk past every day, the aim is to raise awareness for this often forgotten about tragedy to remind many that conflict and suffering in Ukraine did not start with the full-scale Russian invitation in 2022 but has a much deeper and incredibly sad history.

Dr Huq said, “As the future of the war in Ukraine becomes increasingly uncertain under Trump building links between the UK and the international Ukrainian community is vital. The UK and Ukraine links are exemplified by our strong community locally including the Cathedral in Acton which was visited by Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner alongside myself at the start of a war that has gone on far too long so we hope and pray for a just peace soon.”