THE 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATED IN PUBLIC NEW YORK EVENT: PONTIAN FLAG FLIES OVER MANHATTAN

For Immediate Release: May 29, 2008

Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935


NEW YORK--May 19th, the international day of remembrance for the Pontian Genocide, was marked with the first ever public commemoration in Bowling Green Park in downtown Manhattan. Pontian Hellenes, Thracian Hellenes, Hellenes from Hellas and Cyprus, and philhellenes travelled to Bowling Green Park at 12 noon to stand in commemoration of the raising of the Hellenic flag, and the historic single headed eagle flag of Pontos, seen waving for the first time at half mast, over the streets of Manhattan.

The 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIAN GENOCIDE event was organized by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater NY, and the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada. Speakers included Pan-Pontian Federation General Secretary Dimitris Molohides, who refered to the brutal acts inflicted on Pontian Hellenes by Turfkey, and explained the many reasons why the United States should recognize these crimes. Molohides also read from the proclamations made by various cities and local legislators, and quoted the statement by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) calling for decisive action.

Many Hellenic society presidents and members attended, including the two local Pontian associations "Komninoi" of New York in Astoria and "Pontos" of Norwalk Connecticut, as well as "Holy Institution Panagia Soumela."

A prayer was said aloud, followed by a speech by Reverend Father Ioannis Romas from the historic St. Nicholas church that was destroyed on 9/11, other speakers included Mr. Elias Tsekerides, Past President of Pan-Pontian Federation USA & Canada, and Ms. Donna Fotiadou, member of the coordinating committee of the Pontian Youth Association USA & Canada,

Mr. Ioannis Fidanakis, President of Panthracian Union of America "Orpheus”, spoke on behalf of the Thracians who also suffer under Turkish oppression, In his statement he remarked “Hellenism has so much to thank the Pontian people for, and their communities continued push for international recognition is a cause they have endured for far too long without the aid of the others. Today I stand before you and say that We Thracians stand beside you till the end of time for the recognition of the Genocide which occurred in Pontos, Anatolia, and in Anatoliki Thraki! “(Full speech can be read below)


Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA ER) Executive Director Karine Birazian took part in commemorating the 89th Anniversary of the Pontian Genocide, her speech and the ANCA press release on this event is available on the official ANCA website: http://anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1501

Pictures of the event have been posted all over the internet, and are also available for download, at the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater NY meet up site: http://greekculture.meetup.com/11/calendar/7923705/

Some videos have also been uploaded to the internet; here is a short clip of the Hellenic and the Pontian flag flying half mast in Bowling Green Park over Manhattan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWi25dJLP_o


The Pontos World website, has made available the official Pan-Pontian Federation English language press release for the 89th Commemoration at Bowling Green Park in Manhattan, and reproduced a copy of the article covering the event in large circulation Hellenic Newspaper ETHNIKOS KYRYX:
http://pontosworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=683&Itemid=1


The Hellenic language press release, in two parts, from the Pan-Pontian Federation USA and CANADA can be read and downloaded on this entry of the Enotitan Revolution blog:
http://enocism.blogspot.com/2008/05/pontian-genocide-flag-raising-ceremony.html


This was the first year, that Pontian Genocide commemorations were public in New York, public commemorations for the 89th Anniversary Of The Pontian Genocide were also held in Moscow, and in Thessaloniki, which included a march to the Turkish consulate, the Turkish Foreign Ministry responded with the statement this week, “We strongly condemn the event which targeted our country and the founder of our Republic, Atatürk” (Tuesday, May 27, 2008, ANKARA – Turkish Daily News)

Turkey continues to deny responsibility for the Armenian, Assyrian, and Pontian and Anatolian Greek Genocides as perpetrated by its founder Mustafa Kemal, the so-called “Ataturk” or “father of the Turks.”


The worldwide public events commemorating May 19th, the international day of remembrance for the Pontian Genocide this year, follow , the groundbreaking move by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS),which recently released a statement commenting:

"BE IT RESOLVED that it is the conviction of the International Association of Genocide Scholars that the Ottoman campaign against Christian minorities of the Empire between 1914 and 1923 constituted genocide against Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontian and Anatolian Greeks.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Association calls upon the government of Turkey to acknowledge the genocides against these populations, to issue a formal apology, and to take prompt and meaningful steps toward restitution."

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Comments by Ioannis Fidanakis , the President of Panthracian Union of America “Orpheus”.




Throughout time man has associated certain images with events, images that shock the human mind so much they are permanently engrained in our memories. The Holocaust, the mere mention of the word fills people with images of horrible persecution. Mountains of shoes and gas chambers are all quickly associated with the horrible events which took place in the Second World War. In the United States, whippings and lynchings are seen as trade marks of African-American Slavery in the South. Today’s society identifies these images with crimes against Humanity. We are taught to no longer tolerate such acts of hatred, and instead commemorate and study these important lessons of the past to honour the many innocent who lost their lives. Yet the most disturbing imagery, that of mountains upon mountains of human skulls and long marches of women, children and elderly in the desert, are lost on society. Our ‘civilized’ society turns a blind eye to such images and the events in which they are identified with, the forgotten Hellenic, Armenian, and Assyrian Genocides initiated during the First World War. How can the international community allow the suffering and persecution endured by the Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire and Republic of Turkey to just be left to fade away into history? Why are these millions of innocent men, women and children that perished not given the same respect of commemoration, study, and remembrance?

We have all gathered here today, Hellenes and philhellenes, to pay our respects to all the men, women, and children that loss their lives under the brutality of the Turk. We are here today, to show the Turkish state that the concentration camps, death marches, and massacres will not spell the end of Hellenism. We march forwards, for a bigger and brighter future, for where ever two Pontians meet, a new Pontos will be born!

In the same spirit that brought recognition and restitution for the victims of the Holocaust, so should Turkey  be held accountable for the crimes of its past. How else can it truly be seen as a partner for peace, ready for entrance inside the European community? Those seeking justice are not looking for War or dismantlement of the Turkish state, but rather for the wrongs of the past to be recognized and set straight. The Turkish people should not fear international recognition, but should welcome it, as a means to finally write an end to this ugly chapter of history so all people involved can look to the future instead of the past.

Hellenism has so much to thank the pontian people for, and their communities continued push for international recognition is a cause they have endured for far too long without the aid of the others. Today I stand before you and say that We Thracians stand beside you till the end of time for the recognition of the Genocide which occurred in Pontos, Anatolia, and in Anatoliki Thraki!


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