The events of September 1922 marked a catastrophic blow to Asia Minor Hellenism, with their culture maintained only through the efforts of the survivors, and it is that story that will be celebrated in an upcoming event.
The Greek-Australian Cultural League, in collaboration with Thessaloniki Association “The White Tower”, are organising a commemorative program in Melbourne to mark the tragic events of 1922 that brought an end to the Greek presence in the region after three millennia.
The event, titled “The Women of Asia Minor, Smyrna and Vourla”, will take place at the Greek Centre on 14 September at 3pm.
It will delve into the contribution of mainly widowed women, who served as the determined keepers in the preservation and cultural continuation of Asia Minor Hellenism in Greece, as well as the different parts of the world where families fled.
The event will also involve a book launch titled “Echoes of Smyrna…” which contains authentic family stories from the disastrous era.
The horrors from 1922 (from before, during and after the great fire) left a devastating impact on the communities in Asia Minor, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands, and forcing over a million refugees to flee to Greece to save themselves.
The coming event serves as a vehicle to pay respects to those who suffered in those incidents while ensuring the efforts by those who survived to maintain their roots and heritage are not forgotten.
