The Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia and the Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre co-hosted a successful presentation of the pioneering book ‘From Genocide to Regeneration: The photographs of George Devine Treloar‘ on Friday, May 15, at the Oakleigh Grammar Conference Centre.
Coordinated by the Centre’s Principal, Kosta Pataridis, this was the first time the book had been presented in Melbourne, with co-author Dr Panayiotis Diamadis being the keynote speaker.
With an audience mostly of students of the Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre Oakleigh, the event also included a small display of photographs by Colonel Treloar from the 1920s and of the same places as they look today. This provided students and others with special insights to the book and to the Australian who took them.
On the initiative of Principal Pataridis, students had prepared a display of bilingual quotes related to the Remembrance Day of the Genocide of the Hellenes of Pontos – 19 May.
Sts Anagiri Greek Language Centre also crafted bouquets of amaranth flowers. Associated with the highlands of Pontos, it is renowned for not losing its colour and shape as it dries, the name amarath derives from the Hellenic phrase ‘unwithering’.
These bouquets were given to the special guests, so that the memory and stories of Pontos will live on and never wither.
Colonel George Devine Treloar was born in Ballarat, Victoria, and was appointed the Commissioner for Refugees of the League of Nations in northern Hellas in early-October 1922. From his base in Komotene and later Thessalonike, he rescued an estimated 108,000 men, women and children, survivors of the Genocides of the Armenians, Assyrians and Hellenes. His official term ended in April 1924, but Treloar remained in Thessalonike until the end of 1926, contributing where he was able.
Through his unique collection of photographs, Colonel George Devine Treloar documented the experiences of those men, women and children with respect.
His photographs were never meant for publication – Treloar did not want glory or fortune. He sought to help as circumstances permitted. ‘Treloar’s photographs, telegrams, reports and letters are living proof of the light one person is capable of bringing into the utter darkness of genocide’.
Amongst the special guests were the Vice-President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne Anthea Sidiropoulos, President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne Peter Stefanidis, the President of the Australian Greek Ex-Servicemens’ Association Nikos Makrides, the co-Presidents of the Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia Maria Anthony and Peter Papoulidis, the President of the Akrites tou Pontou Association Harry Tsairis, the staff of the Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre, scholar Dr Themistocles Kritikakos and many students.
The duties of MC were most ably shared by Myrto Makridis and Irene Katsoulis.
Dr Diamadis thanked the Sts Anagiri community President Christos Damatopoulos for his hospitality, donating one copy of the book for use by Kosta Tsakoumis and the Greek Language Centre’s staff and students.
He also donated the collection of photographs on display to the Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre for the ongoing education of their staff, students and parents.
“Through these photographs, we see how the past developed and how the future continues to be shaped by that past,” Dr Diamadis said.
From Genocide to Regeneration: The photographs of George Devine Treloar is published by Unity in Philia. To order your copy, visit https://unityinphilia.gr/genocide-to-regeneration/
