Mr. President,Ladies and Gentlemen MPs,Distinguished Guests,Ninety-eight years have passed since 19 May 1919.Since the day, that is, when the plan for the extermination of the Pontic Greeks was set in motion, in an endless death march, a "flowing Auschwitz," as professor Polychronis Enepekidis calls it.By 1924, the land of the Pontus had become the scene of an atrocity: 815 villages were ploughed under, 1,134 churches were destroyed, 960 schools were demolished, 353,000 Pontic Greeks were exterminated, while more than 400,000 had fled to Greece, leaving behind them a 3,000-year-old culture, ancestral lands, churches, cemeteries and schools, taking with them only their memories and the pain in their hearts:«Επήεν να δεαβαίν' ο νους ιμ'. Εκλίστα κά' κι εφίλεσα τό χώμαν καί τα χορτάρεα. Εσ'κώθα έφυγα και οπίσ' άλλο 'κι ετέρεσα. Τά δάκρεα μ' ετσουρώθαν και η καρδία μ' πολλά αιματώθεν.» (I almost lost my mind. I bent to kiss the soil and grass. I stood and left, not looking back. My tears ran dry and my heart bled profusely.) (refugee from the Pontus)«Την πατρίδα μ’ έχασα, έκλαψα και πόνεσα. Λύουμαι κι αροθυμώ, ν’ ανασπάλω κι επορώ». (I lost my homeland, wept and ached. I sob and reminisce, I can't forget.)The Pontic Greek's arrival in the New Homelands was the beginning of a difficult but creative course for Pontic Hellenism. They settled mainly in the prefectures of Drama, Kilkis, Kavala, Xanthi, Kozani, Preveza and in the urban centres of Athens, Piraeus and Thessaloniki, where they began a struggle for survival while at the same time trying to preserve their Pontian culture, music, language, customs and traditions.Their first years in the new homeland were certainly not the happiest of times. The mass arrival of thousands of refugees caused a shock, resulting in their being met initially with distrust. Their very 'Greekness' was disputed, and the Pontic Greeks said, bitterly:«Πατρίδα μ αραεύω σε αμόν καταραμένος. Σα ξένα είμαι Έλληνας και σην Ελλάδαν ξένος». (Homeland, I search for you as one cursed. In foreign lands I am a Greek, and in Greece I am a foreigner.)Despite the great difficulties, the Pontians, through hard work, will and strength of heart, in time managed to integrate themselves into Greek society and to contribute significantly to Greece's growth and progress on an economic, cultural and social level.At the end of 1922, the the country's economy had virtually crumbled and production had fallen to very low levels. With the introduction of new crops and the implementation of new techniques, the situation was turned around completely: Ten years later, arable land had increased by 55% and agricultural income had doubled. The refugees' contribution in the light and heavy industry sectors was equally beneficial. New branches of industry were developed (e.g. silk, ceramics, coppersmithing, silversmithing and tanning), and many new industries were established between 1923 and 1930. During the same time, the country's foreign trade transactions almost doubled. The refugees also made a huge intellectual contribution. Scientists and intellectuals from the Pontus shone in Greek letters.Dear Colleagues,Genocide means systematic extermination, whole or partial, of a national, ethnic or religious group. It is a distinct crime that is not a function of war. The perpetrator of genocide exterminates a group not for something they have done, but for who they are. In the case of the Pontic Greeks, because they were Greeks and Christians.And while the genocide of the Jews at the hands of the Nazi regime was recognized immediately not only by the international community, but also by chancellor Willy Brandt, who fell to his knees at the monument to the Warsaw Ghetto victims, acknowledgement of the Pontic genocide came in what were vacillating steps, and only in recent years has significant progress been made in creating global awareness of the genocide of the Anatolian Greeks.In a unanimous resolution, which entered into law (Law 2193/1994), the Hellenic Parliament established 19 May as a Day of Remembrance of the Genocide of the Greeks in Asia Minor Pontus.This recognition, despite the seventy-year delay, morally vindicated Pontic Hellenism and connected modern Hellenism with its historical memory. Cyprus also recognized the Pontian genocide in a House of Representatives resolution of 19 May 1994; Sweden's Parliament did so on 11 March 2010; Armenia in March 2015, together with recognition of the Assyrian genocide; Denmark – also recognizing the genocides of the Assyrians and Armenians – on 9 April 2015. The U.S. and Australia have also recognized the Pontian genocide.But a very special moment for the global academic, scientific and research community was the resolution of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) recognising the genocides of the Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontian and Anatolian Greeks. The resolution was passed on 16 December 2007, by a majority of 83%.But images of extermination and violence are not gone from contemporary reality. The Orthodox Christian population – along with other populations, of course – in conflict zones needs our help and attention. Our country can be proud of the compassion and altruism that it continues to show and that is evidence of modern Greeks' connection with their historical memory.Our history, the history of Hellenism, is first and foremost a history of survival and distinction, contribution and responsibility, but also courage and national unity in the face of threats and challenges.Dear Colleagues,19 May, particularly for the Pontians among us, brings back memories and is an opportunity to reflect on our duty to the victims of the genocide, our relatives and today's Pontians: It is our duty to know and honour our history, to continue, united, to struggle for the survival of historical memory, but free of prejudice against or intolerance for those responsible for the genocide.Last year, from this podium, I asked: Can other steps be taken?Steps were taken.One step is the creation of a Museum dedicated to Pontian and Anatolian Hellenism, in a space provided at the Municipality of Pavlos Melas, in Thessaloniki, together with the Museum of the National Resistance, as announced by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.At this point – and since there is a comprehensive perception of all of the genocides perpetrated in the 20th century – I would propose the Education Ministry's looking seriously at creating a file of all the genocides of the 20th century, including that of the Anatolian Greeks. Beyond the genocide-related activities and speeches that take place at schools, there could be a supporting archive on all of these things, and our children could, in a more organized manner, be taught this material in their history lessons.Ladies and Gentlemen,To promote the demands of the Pontian movement even more effectively, there needs to be unity.I was dismayed to see that, today and over the past few days, the Pontian Federations did not manage to hold joint, centralised events. I hope – and we must all work for this – that on the hundredth anniversary of the genocide of the Pontians, two years from now, that is, all of us Pontians will hold joint events.And the statements made here in Parliament do not help in that direction of course. Statements that very rightly refer to the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece (POE) and to the World Council of Pontian Hellenism. But you cannot forget the Panhellenic Federation of Pontian Associations (POPS) or the Panhellenic Federation of Association of Greek-Pontian Repatriates (POSEP).Steps of unity need to be taken. We all need to contribute to the Pontian movement's steps of unity. This is our strength, after all. That we Pontians be united.Ladies and Gentlemen,The difficult task of bringing about the acceptance of the historical truth by our neighbouring country – acceptance that must necessarily be accompanied by forgiveness – should be undertaken by our societies themselves, in direct, fruitful and constructive dialogue, so that a sincere consideration of the issue rules out the possibility of similar heinous acts being perpetrated anywhere in the world.This dialogue, in combination with acknowledgement and eradication of the taboo on the Pontian genocide, will contribute to the dawning of a new era and, as Kostis Palamas wrote 100 years ago: "Our Earth is broad, and vaunted by all. Glory to he who first lifted his hand not menacingly, but to take his adversary's hand!"Ladies and Gentlemen,You will allow me, in closing, to borrow an extract from G. Kalpouzos' book "Serra - The Soul of the Pontus":* .... , I choose people irrespective of race,"*"If one puts this mindset above all else, ... doesn't one leave off dwelling on the wounds of the past and look ahead?"*"You look ahead when you don't forget where you come from. I agree with the new terminology, ... in those years, genocide was perpetrated on the Greeks of the Pontus and, before that, on the Armenians and, in other places, the Assyrians. These are crimes against humanity and they must be recorded as historical truth.If you use these truths to fuel hatred, it is better that your voice not be heard. That you should gag yourself.But you must not be silent if you are striving to unmask evil so that it is not repeated. ..."Thank you.
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