Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for the official recognition of the Genocide of Pontic Greeks by the international community, in commemoration of the Pontic Genocide Remembrance Day.
“On May 19th, as we do every year, we bow our heads in memory of the thousands of Pontic Greeks who were exterminated, tortured, and uprooted from their ancestral homes. At the same time, we honor the contribution of this unyielding part of our nation to the economic and social recovery of our homeland. Their rich cultural heritage was, is, and will remain an integral part of Greek identity, everywhere in the world,” emphasized Mr. Mitsotakis in a post on Facebook.
He made a special mention of the shared duty to keep historical memory alive until official recognition by the international community.
“Some wounds may never heal. However, the shared duty to keep historical memory alive remains constant. Vigilance must continually oppose artificial oblivion. Our voices of protest must be loud, piercing through time as they seek justice. Until the international community officially recognizes the Genocide of Pontic Greeks,” he emphasized.
“Therefore, this year’s ‘Remembrance Day’ becomes a resounding call to responsibility. People must stop being prisoners of the past. They should build their present with a compass of peace and justice, turning the lessons of history into momentum for a better future. That is why we do not rest. We continue to fight! We neither forget nor give up on our claims!” concluded the Prime Minister.
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“Every nation has a duty to protect historical memory”
“Today, on the Remembrance Day of the Genocide of Pontic Greeks, we honor the hundreds of thousands of innocent victims who were exterminated or violently displaced from their ancestral homes 105 years ago during the Ottoman Empire,” emphasized the President of the Republic in reference to today’s remembrance of the Pontic Genocide.
Katerina Sakellaropoulou stated, “The international community must recognize and condemn heinous crimes against humanity to prevent similar barbaric acts in the future.”
