Greek Genocide

A question on the recognition of the Genocide of the Christians of the East (Anatolia) was submitted to the European Commission by the MEP of the European People’s Party and the New Democracy, Mr. Fredi Beleris, on the occasion of today’s International Day of Remembrance and Dignity for the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime.

Greeks marked National Day of Remembrance of the Genocide of the Greeks of Asia Minor on Saturday with Defense Minister Nikos Dendias paying tribute to the victims in a post on X.

The Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece issued a statement at the weekend about a song sung by a Turkish-Cypriot singer Isin Karaca during an event organized in the central square of Komotini in northwestern Greece on August 4 as an "unacceptable provocation" and a "direct insult," as it references the destruction of Smyrna.

Based on these facts, the Greeks will be extinct around the middle of the following century…

One hundred and one years ago, Ataturk's army expelled my great-grandmother and her family from Yeronda, now known as Didim, their ancestral homeland in Anatolia. I actively campaign for the American and Canadian governments to recognize the Greek genocide. I constantly criticize Ankara's democratic back-sliding, mistreatment of minorities and aggressive foreign policy.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry has accused "certain politicians in Greece" of "distorting historical data" for making references to the Pontian Genocide.

In a statement, it said the claims of a genocide are based on "baseless claims … from some radical groups against Turkish history [that] fuel hostility towards Turkey."

Greece should advocate a new approach to genocide remembrance. Currently genocides are memorialized on a parochial basis.

The anniversary of the Pontian Greek Genocide "reminds the international community of the importance, for the peaceful coexistence of peoples, of recognising crimes against humanity in order to prevent their repetition in the future," President Katerina Sakellaropoulou has said.

The story of the Greeks in 401BC who found themselves stranded in the middle of Asia

He called on Greeks to do the same