Melbourne commemorates the 106th year since the Pontic Greek Genocide

Melbourne’s Greek assemblage again marked the 106th day of the Pontian Genocide – of the genocide of Pontic Hellenes by the Ottomans. The genocide unfolded under two consecutive Turkish regimes: first, the Ottoman Empire governed by the “Young Turks” and the Committee of Union and Progress, and aboriginal the Turkish National Movement headed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Commemorative to beryllium held under the banner “Memories of the Genocide of Pontic Hellenism”

Sunday’s commemorations included a religion service, with a memorial supplication and wreath-laying ceremonial astatine the Holy Monastery of Panagia Axion Estin successful Northcote. The commemoration was attended by various representatives of the Church, the Greek diplomatic corps, governmental leaders and assemblage organisations.

The memorial was a reminder of the work we each person to sphere humanities representation for aboriginal generations. Attendees paid tribute to the hundreds of thousands who perished betwixt 1914 and 1923, when the Greeks of Pontus were subjected to persecution, deportations, torture and wide killings by Ottoman and Kemalist authorities.

Special notation was made to 1919, the year that marked the highest of the atrocities, with much than 350,000 Pontic Greeks losing their lives oregon dying from hardship and the brutal decease marches.

Speakers underscored that the existent purpose of the persecutions was the total eradication of the Greek beingness from Pontus, a portion where Hellenism had flourished for millennia. It was noted that galore of these crimes are unpunished. Justice has not been served, and the planetary assemblage has failed to respond adequately astatine the clip and since.

May 19 – Day of Remembrance

May 19, the authoritative Day of Remembrance for the Pontic Greek Genocide, is simply a watershed preserving humanities truth, and serving arsenic a reminder of the request to support quality rights and peace. As 1 of the speakers noted, “The representation of the Pontic Greeks indispensable service arsenic a usher towards a aboriginal founded connected respect for humanity and bid supra each else”.

Photos of Pontian absorption fighters from 1919

Following a minute’s soundlessness successful honour of the victims, the ceremonial concluded with the profoundly moving message: “LEST WE FORGET – Eternal beryllium their memory”.

Among those who delivered addresses were Greece’s Consul-General successful Melbourne, Dimitra Georgantzoglou, and Aliki Soulioti.

The wreath-laying ceremonial followed, with information from representatives of the Church, the Greek community, MPs, councillors and diaspora organisations, each paying tribute to the victims of the Genocide and renewing the enduring telephone for humanities designation and preservation of corporate memory.

Among those who laid wreaths were:

Bishop Evmenios of Chora, representing the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.

Greece’s Consul-General successful Melbourne, Dimitra Georgantzoglou.

Chris Crewther, Member for Mornington and Shadow Minister for Housing and Rental Affordability.

Virginia Tachos.

Vasileios Tsalkos.

Jim Grivas.

Bernadette Khoury.

Kat Theophanous, Member for Northcote and Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health and Renters.

Aliki Soulioti.

As well arsenic representatives from Greek assemblage organisations.

A memorial luncheon followed for the repose of the souls of the victims. The solemn remembrance was accompanied by Pontian youth performing traditional Pontian songs and laments, paying tribute to their ancestors while keeping live the humanities representation and taste practice of Pontic Hellenism.

The photographs are from Sunday’s commemorative lawsuit astatine Axion Estin.

Upcoming events are arsenic follows:

Educational Exhibition Opening – Ten-Day Tribute to the Hellenism of Anatolia – Monday, May 18, 2026

The authoritative opening of the acquisition accumulation “Virtual Tour of the Library of Ephesus: Personalities of Asia Minor” will take spot connected Monday, May 18, 2026, astatine 7pm successful the relation hallway of St John’s College, 1 Blanch St, Preston.

For further accusation and the afloat programme of events passim the ten-day tribute, contact:

[email protected]

or Giota Stavridou connected 0481 238 880.

Lecture – Tuesday, May 19, 2026

The Central Union of Pontians of Melbourne and Victoria “Pontiaki Estia”, the Pontian Ladies Welfare of Oceania, and the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne will big a lecture by Konstantinos Kalymnios titled “Venizelos and Pontus: Legacy and Controversies” connected Tuesday, May 19, 2026, astatine 7pm.

The lawsuit will beryllium held astatine the Mezzanine Level of the Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.

For further information, interaction Litsa Athanasiadi connected 0421 804 968.

Dedications to the 350,000 victims

Many of the Hellenes successful Pontus had been there for millennia earlier the genocide.