At the monument to the Pontic Acrites successful Acharnes, Monday, May 18, 2026 (photo: Facebook / Spyros Vrettos)
IN Acharnes lit “Flame of Memory” successful grant of the victims genocide of the Pontic Greeks. The enactment brought together residents, youth and Pontic organizations.
IN Acharnes lit “Flame of Memory” — a symbolic lawsuit successful grant of the victims genocide of the Pontic Greeks. The lawsuit took spot successful the evening May 18, 2026on the eve of the authoritative Remembrance Day, and brought together metropolis residents, representatives of section organizations, youth and descendants of Pontic refugees.
At the monument to the Pontic Acrites successful Acharnes, Monday, May 18, 2026 (photo: Facebook / Spyros Vrettos)
According to Pontos Newspromotion successful Acharnes became portion of the commemorative events May 19 – a day that for Pontic Hellenism remains not lone a time of sorrow, but besides a request for humanities justice.
This year marks 107 years old from the opening of the astir brutal signifier of the demolition of the Greeks of Pontus. And the ceremonial successful Acharnes showed again that the representation of the tragedy continues to beryllium passed connected from procreation to procreation – not arsenic a depository formality, but arsenic a surviving portion of family, taste and κοινωνικά identity.
Commemorative procession successful Acharnes, Monday 18 May 2026 (photo: Facebook / Spyros Vrettos)
The lawsuit started astatine the bust Kapetana Euclidiswhere it was committed trisagion – memorial supplication for the dead. Mayor Acharnes took portion successful the ceremonial Spyros Vrettosstate representatives, deputies from Eastern Attica Stelios Petsas, Vasilis Ikonomou And Manolis Christodoulakisas well arsenic representatives of nationalist associations and metropolis residents.
After the ceremonial portion there was procession of memory To Memorial to the Acrites of Pontuswhere wreaths were laid successful representation of the victims of the genocide. It was a discreet procession, but almighty successful symbolism: when humanities justness remains an unfinished issue, adjacent soundlessness astatine such events sounds louder than galore authoritative speeches.
Serres dance, Monday, May 18, 2026 (photo: Facebook / Spyros Vrettos)
Young radical took a special spot successful the ceremony. Children and teenagers successful traditional Pontic costumes stood adjacent to older generations, showing that the representation of 353,000 dead is not confined to the past. It is transmitted done families, songs, stories, language, euphony and rituals.
“Flame of Remembrance” successful Acharnes, Monday, May 18, 2026 (photo: Facebook / Spyros Vrettos)
The item of the evening was the lighting “Flames of Memory” and execution Serra – Pontic Pyrrhic dance. In this context, the serra became not conscionable an constituent of tradition, but a motion of dignity, resilience and absorption to oblivion.
In his speech, Mayor Acharnes Spyros Vrettos emphasized that representation does not vanish when emotion for the homeland remains live and flares up similar a occurrence successful the corporate consciousness. He besides repeated the request for planetary designation genocide of the Pontic Greeks.
According to the mayor, the Pontians, contempt forced expulsion and persecution, managed to get backmost connected their feet, create, work and go examples of strength, dignity and publication to society.
The last meaning of the evening was expressed successful a abbreviated formula: “I don’t forget”. Sometimes it is precisely such words that turn retired to beryllium much close than agelong governmental declarations. Although declarations are besides needed – particularly if they are ever followed by actions, and not conscionable different yearly workout successful solemn rhetoric.
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