Pontian Genocide: Melbourne’s Greeks remember 103 years since the slaughter and uprooting of its people

This Thursday 19 May is the official Pontic Greek Genocide Remembrance Day as ratified by the Greek parliament in 1994 as a permanent annual day to remember uprooting and massacre of the Greek Pontians.

The genocide of the Pontian Greeks refers to the violent mass slaughter and executions that took place from 1913-1922 during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

In memory of this national catastrophe Pontians in Australia have organised many events throughout the country to remember the massacres, forced deportations, death marches, expulsions, executions, and the attempt to destroy their Orthodox cultural, historical, and religious monuments. The events are also a symbol of strength that despite the tragedies that took place on the shores of Asia Minor that Pontians can never be enslaved or wiped from history.

On Sunday 15 May the Melbourne Coordinating Memorial Committee of the Pontian Genocide under the auspices of the Pontian Federation Associations of Australia, arranged a service at St. Euftathios in South Melbourne followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Greek-Australian Tomb of the Unknown soldier.

On Thursday 19 May, on the day of remembrance, Neos Kosmos will produce a special feature in in its print edition in memory of this dark and world changing event.

On the same day the Greek Centre in Lonsdale Street in the heart of Melbourne will be bathed in red light to honour the victims of the Genocide. The gesture was funded by anonymous donors.