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PRESS RELEASE
Date: May 22, 2008
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Floor 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918
ANCA-ER MARKS 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIAN GENOCIDE
AT NEW YORK CITY EVENT
New York, NY- On May 19, 2008, Armenian National Committee of
America Eastern Region (ANCA ER) Executive Director took part in
commemorating the 89th Anniversary of the Pontian Genocide. Strong
winds and brisk temperatures did not keep community activists from
gathering at Bowling Green Park for the first New York City
commemoration.
Organizing the event was the Federation of Hellenic Societies of
Greater New York and the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada.
Dimitris Molohides, Secretary of the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA
and Canada, addressed the crowd in attendance and urged for
decisive action for recognition of the Pontian Genocide.
Molohides, who spoke at the Armenian Genocide commemorative event
at City Hall in New York City during the ANC of NY's April 24th
event stated "today, May 19th the Pontian community with Hellenes
and Philhellenes here in New York City and around the world will
commemorate the 89th anniversary of the Pontian... it is the first
time that we gather here in the Bowling Green Park in the heart of
the economic center of New York City to raise together the Greek
flag and the single-headed eagle symbol of Pontus. Today's event
is an emotional but also a historical moment for all of us that are
present here."
Speaking on behalf of the ANCA, Birazian addressed the crowd. In
her statement she remarked: "the tragic sufferings of Armenians,
Assyrians, and Greeks will never be forgotten. The Turkish
Government tries to silence us, but we will not be silenced, and
together we will in fact end Turkey's "Gag Rule" and seek
recognition of this great crime. Nine decades ago they tried to
silence the innocent victims that fell under the Turkish sword, and
today we are still here. Nine decades from now we will still be
here for we will never forget and work to seek justice" (Full
comments can be read below).
Also present at the event include the Cypriot Action Network of
America (CANA), the presidents and members of the two local
associations "Komninoi" of New York and "Pontos" of Norwalk
Connecticut and from the "Holy Institution Panagia Soumela."
Speakers included Reverend Father Ioannis Romas from the St.
Nicholas church that was destroyed on 9/11, Mr. Dimitris Dimitriou,
General Secretary - Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New
York, Mr. Elias Tsekerides, Past President of Pan-Pontian
Federation USA & Canada, Ms. Donna Fotiadou, member and
coordinating committee of the Pontian Youth Association USA &
Canada, and Mr. Ioannis Fidanakis, President of Panthracian Union
of America "Orpheus."
The Ottoman Empire, under the cover of World War I, undertook a
systematic and deliberate effort to eliminate its minority
Christian populations. This genocidal campaign resulted in the
death and deportation of well over 2,000,000 Armenians, Assyrians,
and Greeks.
The Pontian Genocide has been formally acknowledged by Greece and
Cyprus and, within the United States, by the states of New York,
New Jersey, Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
and Illinois, among others. Most recently, the International
Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) 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 a 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."
#####
Photo Caption: Dimitris Molohides, Secretary of the Pan-Pontian
Federation of USA and Canada reading a proclamation in recognition
of the Pontian Genocide
Comments by ANCA ER Director
"On behalf of the Armenian National Committee of America, I would
like to thank the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New
York and the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada for inviting
us here to speak in commemoration of the 89th Anniversary of the
Pontian Greek Genocide.
My personal relationship with the Pontian Greek community is very
recent, where after the passage of a mandate to teach genocide in
the Illinois school system, I met George Mavropoulos and others
from the Pontian Society of Chicago Xeniteas Chapter and from there
a dedicated team of individuals worked to organize and host
successful workshops on the teaching of genocide to teachers
throughout the Chicagoland area. We shared a common ground, not
only because of the closeness of our culture and heritage, but we
both suffered a genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire and relive
it each day with its ongoing denial today.
The tragic sufferings of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks will
never be forgotten. The Turkish Government tries to silence us,
but we will not be silenced, and together we will in fact end
Turkey's "Gag Rule" and seek recognition of this great crime. Nine
decades ago they tried to silence the innocent victims that fell
under the Turkish sword, and today we are still here. Nine decades
from now we will still be here for we will never forget and work to
seek justice.
Though this is a somber occasion, the devotion our organizations
have in making sure this great crime against humanity is never
forgotten shows the strength of our survival. I am proud that the
Armenian National Committee of America is working to build a
relationship with the Federation of Hellenic Society, and the Pan-
Pontian Federation of USA and Canada, and as victims of genocide, I
urge everyone not only to continue working for recognition of this
crime, but also work in stopping the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
We must be the voice for those who cannot speak and fight for those
who cannot do so. I urge you all to take action, and come and
rally with Africa Action and other organizations this Thursday, May
22, at 12pm to urge the United Nations to take action and make sure
that the deployment of well equipped peacekeepers to Darfur happen.
We need your presence there to make a difference. The rally will
take place at Lexington and 45th St."
Date: May 22, 2008
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Floor 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918
ANCA-ER MARKS 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF PONTIAN GENOCIDE
AT NEW YORK CITY EVENT
New York, NY- On May 19, 2008, Armenian National Committee of
America Eastern Region (ANCA ER) Executive Director took part in
commemorating the 89th Anniversary of the Pontian Genocide. Strong
winds and brisk temperatures did not keep community activists from
gathering at Bowling Green Park for the first New York City
commemoration.
Organizing the event was the Federation of Hellenic Societies of
Greater New York and the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada.
Dimitris Molohides, Secretary of the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA
and Canada, addressed the crowd in attendance and urged for
decisive action for recognition of the Pontian Genocide.
Molohides, who spoke at the Armenian Genocide commemorative event
at City Hall in New York City during the ANC of NY's April 24th
event stated "today, May 19th the Pontian community with Hellenes
and Philhellenes here in New York City and around the world will
commemorate the 89th anniversary of the Pontian... it is the first
time that we gather here in the Bowling Green Park in the heart of
the economic center of New York City to raise together the Greek
flag and the single-headed eagle symbol of Pontus. Today's event
is an emotional but also a historical moment for all of us that are
present here."
Speaking on behalf of the ANCA, Birazian addressed the crowd. In
her statement she remarked: "the tragic sufferings of Armenians,
Assyrians, and Greeks will never be forgotten. The Turkish
Government tries to silence us, but we will not be silenced, and
together we will in fact end Turkey's "Gag Rule" and seek
recognition of this great crime. Nine decades ago they tried to
silence the innocent victims that fell under the Turkish sword, and
today we are still here. Nine decades from now we will still be
here for we will never forget and work to seek justice" (Full
comments can be read below).
Also present at the event include the Cypriot Action Network of
America (CANA), the presidents and members of the two local
associations "Komninoi" of New York and "Pontos" of Norwalk
Connecticut and from the "Holy Institution Panagia Soumela."
Speakers included Reverend Father Ioannis Romas from the St.
Nicholas church that was destroyed on 9/11, Mr. Dimitris Dimitriou,
General Secretary - Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New
York, Mr. Elias Tsekerides, Past President of Pan-Pontian
Federation USA & Canada, Ms. Donna Fotiadou, member and
coordinating committee of the Pontian Youth Association USA &
Canada, and Mr. Ioannis Fidanakis, President of Panthracian Union
of America "Orpheus."
The Ottoman Empire, under the cover of World War I, undertook a
systematic and deliberate effort to eliminate its minority
Christian populations. This genocidal campaign resulted in the
death and deportation of well over 2,000,000 Armenians, Assyrians,
and Greeks.
The Pontian Genocide has been formally acknowledged by Greece and
Cyprus and, within the United States, by the states of New York,
New Jersey, Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
and Illinois, among others. Most recently, the International
Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) 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 a 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."
#####
Photo Caption: Dimitris Molohides, Secretary of the Pan-Pontian
Federation of USA and Canada reading a proclamation in recognition
of the Pontian Genocide
Comments by ANCA ER Director
"On behalf of the Armenian National Committee of America, I would
like to thank the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New
York and the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada for inviting
us here to speak in commemoration of the 89th Anniversary of the
Pontian Greek Genocide.
My personal relationship with the Pontian Greek community is very
recent, where after the passage of a mandate to teach genocide in
the Illinois school system, I met George Mavropoulos and others
from the Pontian Society of Chicago Xeniteas Chapter and from there
a dedicated team of individuals worked to organize and host
successful workshops on the teaching of genocide to teachers
throughout the Chicagoland area. We shared a common ground, not
only because of the closeness of our culture and heritage, but we
both suffered a genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire and relive
it each day with its ongoing denial today.
The tragic sufferings of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks will
never be forgotten. The Turkish Government tries to silence us,
but we will not be silenced, and together we will in fact end
Turkey's "Gag Rule" and seek recognition of this great crime. Nine
decades ago they tried to silence the innocent victims that fell
under the Turkish sword, and today we are still here. Nine decades
from now we will still be here for we will never forget and work to
seek justice.
Though this is a somber occasion, the devotion our organizations
have in making sure this great crime against humanity is never
forgotten shows the strength of our survival. I am proud that the
Armenian National Committee of America is working to build a
relationship with the Federation of Hellenic Society, and the Pan-
Pontian Federation of USA and Canada, and as victims of genocide, I
urge everyone not only to continue working for recognition of this
crime, but also work in stopping the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
We must be the voice for those who cannot speak and fight for those
who cannot do so. I urge you all to take action, and come and
rally with Africa Action and other organizations this Thursday, May
22, at 12pm to urge the United Nations to take action and make sure
that the deployment of well equipped peacekeepers to Darfur happen.
We need your presence there to make a difference. The rally will
take place at Lexington and 45th St."