On 19 May, global Hellenism honours the memory of the victims of the Pontic Genocide – of our hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters who lost their lives and were violently expelled from their ancestral homes in a heinous crime against humanity.
The thriving Greek communities of the Black Sea and wider Asia Minor region, with a presence and tradition going back to antiquity, have a special place in Hellenism’s long course through history. Their violent uprooting left a deep wound in the collective consciousness of our Nation, cutting one of the most vibrant, creative and proud centers of global Hellenism off from its primal roots.
In spite of this unspeakable tragedy, the Pontic Greeks never gave up. True fighters, with patience and persistence, they established themselves in their new homelands, which they enriched with their knowledge, ideas, and linguistic and cultural wealth. Armed with their patriotism and principles, they succeeded in preserving the Pontic heritage throughout the world, exhibiting the inexhaustible strength of the Greek spirit.
The History of the Pontic Greeks is written in blood, pain and flight from persecution. The victims of this tragedy continue to seek justice. It is a moral, historical and national duty to safeguard historical memory. The eye-witness accounts of those who survived – like that of Sano Halo (Efthymia Varytimidou), the grandmother of the Pontus – are a precious legacy for future generations of Greek men and women. These accounts bring to life, in our eyes, the sacrifice and journey of suffering of the Pontic Greeks; a journey that, in the end, improves our self-knowledge and perception of the world around us. Because, as the wise saying goes, a people who do not know their history are doomed to relive it.
The struggle for international recognition of the Pontic Genocide continues. In this context, the Greek state asks Turkey, even at this late date, to assume its responsibility by admitting its past. The restoration of historical truth is the only certain path to combating every kind of nationalism and intolerance in a world that must be founded on the values of peace, liberty and justice. This is, for everyone, a collective right and duty.
May 19, 2020