June 8, 2018

Salem State University honors professor for efforts to promote genocide education

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Dan Eschet/Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Dr. Christopher Mauriello (left), director of the Salem State University Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, presents an award for promotion of genocide studies to Boston Holodomor Committee Chairman Paul Thomas Rabchenuk.

SALEM, Mass. – At ceremonies held on April 23, the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Salem State University and Massachusetts State Rep. Paul Tucker presented a ceremony honoring Paul Thomas Rabchenuk for his promotion of genocide education. 

Mr. Rabchenuk, a 17-year member of the university’s political science faculty and an attorney, has been chairman of the Greater Boston Committee to Commemorate the Ukrainian Famine Genocide of 1932-1933 for the past 10 years. He has made presentations before the Joint Committee on Education of the Massachusetts State Legislature, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and numerous forums throughout the northeast and Washington. 

The master of ceremonies was Dr. Christopher Mauriello, director of the Holocaust Center, who presented Mr. Rabchenuk with a plaque recognizing him for his accomplishments and efforts to promote genocide education and awareness.

Michael Sawkiw, chairman of the United States Holodomor/Genocide Committee, in his comments indicated that dedication and efforts such as Mr. Rabchenuk’s have led to an increased awareness of the Holodomor in the United States. He also provided the audience with a background of the Holodomor and its human toll.

University president John D. Keenan thanked Mr. Rabchenuk for his contributions, on and off campus, for genocide education. He said his work helps further the university’s mission of shedding light on truth. “Sometimes the truth is difficult to face,” he said, adding “that facing it is key to not repeating it.”

State Sen. Joan B. Lovely presented Mr. Rabchenuk with a House and Senate Joint Resolution recognizing him for his advocacy for inclusion of genocide study in the state curriculum and the need for genocide education at Salem State University.

Among the audience at Viking Hall were Father James Morris, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Salem, and Eric Cohen, director of the Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur.

In his presentation titled: “Murder by Government; the Need for Genocide Education,” Mr. Rabchenuk reviewed three genocides – the Armenian Genocide, the Holodomor and the Holocaust – and pointed out that the common element among them was the absence of public awareness. “We say never forget,” said Mr. Rabchenuk, “but the people who were murdered are quite literally being forgotten.” 

He concluded by saying, “If there is this lack of knowledge while there are still survivors alive to tell their stories, what will it be like in 20 or 50 years? There is no time to waste.”

The university has established the Paul Thomas Rabchenuk Scholarship Fund in his honor. The fund will provide financial assistance to students of Genocide Studies and Political Science. Contributions to the scholarship may be sent to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Salem State University, 331 Lafayette St., #239, Salem, MA, 01970; Atthn: Brian Schubmehl.

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