Historian Dr Themistocles Kritikakos will hold the Melbourne launch of his groundbreaking new book next week, bringing a vital conversation on genocide recognition, memory and identity to the heart of the city’s Greek community.
Dr Kritikakos will present Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Genocide Recognition in Twenty-First Century Australia: Memory, Identity, and Cooperation on Tuesday, March 10 at 7:00pm at the Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale Street, Mezzanine Level), Melbourne.
Published by Palgrave Macmillan in January 2026, the book offers the first comprehensive comparative analysis of the legacies of the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian genocides during the late Ottoman period (1914–1923) and the subsequent efforts towards recognition in Australia.
The evening will feature a presentation by Dr Kritikakos followed by a discussion with Professor Joy Damousi, inviting reflection on themes of historical justice, intergenerational memory and intercommunal cooperation.
The event forms part of the Greek History and Culture Seminar Series hosted by the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria and is open to the public.
In his latest work, Dr Kritikakos examines why, while the Armenian Genocide has achieved international recognition, the genocides of Greeks and Assyrians remain comparatively less known.
Drawing on oral interviews with descendants of survivors, alongside scholarship in memory and genocide studies, he explores intergenerational silence, trauma and commemoration, as well as the ways in which once-distinct community narratives have increasingly converged into shared calls for recognition.
The book also highlights the Australian dimension, noting that Australians witnessed, documented and responded to the atrocities — often through humanitarian aid — yet national narratives shaped by Gallipoli and reconciliation with Turkey have long existed in tension with genocide recognition efforts.
Dr Kritikakos holds a PhD in History from the University of Melbourne and has worked in both academic and professional roles, with research interests spanning modern Greek and diaspora history, memory studies and questions of historical justice.
The Melbourne launch is sponsored by Mary Tsaganas in memory of her mother Olympia and her ancestors from Asia Minor.
All are warmly welcome to attend.
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
- Time: 7:00pm
- Venue: Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale Street (Mezzanine Level), Melbourne
- Open to the public
