For Pontian Greeks, the lyre is far more than a musical instrument. It is the sound of memory, the voice of ancestors, and the stories of lost homelands that have never been forgotten. Through its strings live songs, laments, celebrations and the experiences of generations who preserved their identity far from the land of their ancestors.

This timeless symbol of Pontian Hellenism is now taking physical form in Lefkopetra, Xanthi, where a new monument dedicated to Pontians is nearing completion at the northern entrance of the village’s central square.

The project is a distinctive work of remembrance and tribute, initiated by the Cultural Association of Pontians of Lefkopetra Xanthi, “The Pontian Gyrfalcons”, and aims to become a landmark for future generations.

The association, which had remained inactive for several years, was revived when a group of young and active residents decided to bring it back to life and restore cultural activities in the village.

“A group of young people wanted to give the association new life again. Among the initiatives we decided to undertake was the construction of a monument dedicated to our ancestors and to the Genocide of the Pontian Greeks,” the association’s president, Konstantina Navrozidou, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).

She explains that Lefkopetra is a refugee village, founded by families who settled in the area after the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the population exchange. Today it has around 700 residents and is a mixed community where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully while preserving the historical and cultural identity of the region.

The idea for the monument was proposed by association member Vasiliki Kyriakidou and was quickly embraced by the board. To make the project possible, members raised funds, secured support from the Municipality of Avdira, and contributed many hours of voluntary work both for the construction of the monument and the landscaping of the surrounding area.

A work of strong symbolism and artistic vision

The overall artistic concept and supervision of the project belong to artist and writer Dimitris Avouris from Zakynthos. The bronze lyre was designed by sculptor Iordanis Poimenidis, while Avouris created the marble base using raw white sea marble, which he shaped entirely by hand to achieve its final form.

The monument has a circular design and is decorated around its perimeter with four Pontian lyres. At its center stands a large cast bronze lyre, approximately 1.30 meters high.

The design reflects the inseparable connection of Pontian Greeks with music, history and cultural heritage.

“The Pontian lyre is much more than a musical instrument. It represents tradition, memories, customs, traditions and images from the homelands our ancestors left behind,” Navrozidou told ANA-MPA, emphasizing that the instrument may symbolize something different for every Pontian, but its shared meaning is the preservation of historical memory.

Construction work is now in its final stage. According to the association’s president, the goal is for both the monument and the surrounding area to be completed by the end of the summer, with much of the landscaping also carried out through the personal efforts of board members.

Once completed, the monument will not only serve as a landmark for Lefkopetra. It will become a place of remembrance and reflection, a lasting tribute to the generations of refugees who carried memories, faith and traditions from Pontus to their new homeland.

At the same time, it will serve as a reminder to younger generations that historical memory remains alive when it becomes part of the everyday life of a local community.