Melbourne’s Greek community marked the 106th anniversary of the Pontian Greek Genocide with a series of memorial events honouring the 353,000 lives lost.
Organised by the Coordinating Committee for the Commemoration of the Pontian Greek Genocide, the events paid tribute to the victims of the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire between 1914 and 1923.
Speaking at the commemorations, organisers reaffirmed their commitment to historical recognition.
“We will continue to demand the right to memory. The 353,000 innocent victims remain unrecognised by much of the international community.”
Memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony
A memorial service was held on Sunday at the Axion Estin Monastery in Northcote, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the monastery’s Fallen Soldiers Monument. Attendees gathered to reflect on the suffering endured by Pontian Greeks and to remember the lives lost during the campaign of mass killings and forced deportations by the Young Turks movement.
Screening of ‘Murderous Nationalism’ – Sunday 18 May
The commemorative program also includes a public screening of the documentary Murderous Nationalism – The Genocide of the Greeks 1913–1923. The film will be shown on Sunday 18 May at 5:30pm at the Pontian Community Centre (540 Sydney Road, Brunswick). Admission is free, and a discussion and Q&A will follow.
For more details, attendees can contact: ausfedpontianassoc@gmail.com
Greek Community building to be illuminated – Monday 19 May
On Monday 19 May, the building of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria at 168 Lonsdale Street will be illuminated in red to honour the memory of the genocide victims. The initiative is funded by anonymous community members.
Cultural program and exhibition: A tribute to Anatolian Hellenism
As part of a broader ten-day cultural program, several educational and heritage-focused events are planned to celebrate the legacy of Hellenism in Anatolia:
Exhibition launch – A Sound Mind in a Sound Body
Monday 19 May, 7:00pm – Alphington Grammar
The official opening of the exhibition A Sound Mind in a Sound Body – The Sporting Heritage of Anatolian Hellenism will be held at Alphington Grammar’s Lyceum Hall (18 Old Heidelberg Rd, Alphington). Attendees are encouraged to wear their favourite team’s shirt.
For full event details, contact Yiota Stavridou at 0481 238 880.
Exhibition honouring the Greeks of Asia Minor – Monday 19 to Thursday 29 May
The Pedagogical Institute “Hellenism of Anatolia – from the Aegean to Pontus” will host a ten-day exhibition titled “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body – The Sporting Heritage of Anatolian Hellenism”, paying tribute to the athletic legacy of Asia Minor Greeks.
The exhibition highlights the courage and cultural resilience of Greek athletes and refugees from regions such as Smyrna, Constantinople, and Pontus. It explores how this sporting heritage influenced the re-establishment or founding of athletic clubs in Greece after 1922.
The exhibition will be held at the Lyceum Hall of Alphington Grammar (18 Old Heidelberg Rd, Alphington), and will be open to the public with free entry on:
Thursday 22 and Tuesday 27 May from 5:00pm to 7:30pm
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May from 11:00am to 4:30pm
Schools and community organisations can arrange educational tours by contacting Yiota Stavridou on 0481 238 880.
Lecture: Day of Judgment – Thursday 22 May
A public lecture titled Day of Judgment – Exploring the Trials of the Ottoman Perpetrators of Genocide will be delivered by author and lawyer Konstantinos Kalymnios on Thursday 22 May at 7:00pm, at the Mezzanine Level of the Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne).
The lecture is co-hosted by:
Pontian Association of Melbourne and Victoria
Merimna Pontion Kyrion Oceania
Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne
The talk will examine the lesser-known post-WWI trials of Ottoman officials charged in connection with the genocide and how these early proceedings influenced the Nuremberg Trials.
For more information, contact Litsa Athanasiadis on 0421 804 968.
