Three Pontian organisations in New South Wales will come together this month to commemorate the Greek Genocide and honour the memory of the victims.
The Hellenic Pontian Genocide Commemorative Committee announced that the Greek Pontian Society of Wollongong “Diogenes”, Panagia Soumela Sydney and Pontoxeniteas NSW will jointly host a series of memorial events in Sydney.
Commemorations will begin on Tuesday, May 19 at 6.30pm with a Memorial Service at St Catherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in Mascot, Sydney. The evening will also include a presentation and photo exhibition by Evangeleah Plakias focusing on the history and legacy of the genocide.
A second day of commemorations will take place on Sunday, May 24, beginning with a Divine Liturgy service at 9am at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia headquarters on Cleveland Street, Redfern.
Following the service, a wreath laying ceremony will be held from 11.30am at the Anzac War Memorial Hyde Park.
At 12pm, keynote speaker Themistocles Kritikakos will present his book launch and deliver a presentation on the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides.
Organisers said the commemorations aim to preserve the memory of those who perished and educate future generations about one of the darkest chapters in Hellenic history.
