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THE OFFICIAL UNVEILING OF THE GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Assyria Times
http://www.assyriatimes.com/engine/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3466
May 24 2012
On Sunday, May 20, 2012 in the city of Adelaide in South Australia,
a special ceremony was organised to commemorate the unveiling of
a monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian, Assyrian and
Pontian Greeks genocide committed by Turkey's Ottoman government during
World War I, 1914-1923. The genocide perpetrated against the Christian
population of Anatolia, a shameful act by the Ottoman Empire in its
final years, claimed the lives of one and a half million Armenians,
half a million Pontian Greeks and 750,000 Assyrians.
Erecting the South Australian genocide monument was the result of
great efforts made by three brotherly organizations: the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, the Armenian Cultural Association of
South Australia, and the Assyrian Universal Alliance-Australia Chapter.
The commemoration began with a mass held at St. Dimitrios Greek
Orthodox Church of Salisbury in memory of the victims of the said
genocide. It was conducted by His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon
and Rev. Fathers Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, and
was attended by more than 20 representatives from local, state and
federal government.
After the mass, all the guests gathered at the mausoleum of the
Holy Family reception in a friendly atmosphere, where the Master
of Ceremonies, Ms. Anna Volis, started the program by welcoming the
guests and calling upon them to deliver their speeches. Among those
present were:
Dr. Joseph Masika, member of the South Australian Multicultural and
Ethnic Affairs Commission, representing Mr. Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant
Governor of SA, H.G. Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon and Rev. Fathers
Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, Her Worship Ms Gillian
Aldridge, the Mayor of the City of Salisbury, the Honourable Jack
Snelling MP, Treasurer of South Australia, the Honourable Jennifer
Rankine MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Honourable Tom
Koutsantonis MP, Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Ms.
Isobel Redmond MP, Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Michael
Atkinson MP, Member for Croydon, Ms. Leesa Vlahos MP, Member for
Taylor, Ms. Vickie Chapman MP, Member for Bragg, the Honourable
Jing Lee MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister
for Multicultural Affairs, Mr. Tony Zappia MP, Federal Member for
Makin, Mr. Nick Champion MP, Federal Member Wakefield, Mr. Christos
Maniakis-Grivas, Consul-General of Greece in South Australia, Cr.
Donna Proleta who is representing Cr. Chad Buchanan, Cr. Shiralee
Reardon JP, Aunty Josie Agius, Mr. John Kiosoglous, Chairman,
Ethnic Schools Board, Mr. Nick Chryssostomidis, President of Pontian
Federation of Australia, Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, Ms. Elena Harrison, President of the
Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia, Mr. David David,
President of Assyrian Australian National Federation, Mr. Paul Azzo,
Adviser to the Assyrian Universal Alliance of Australia, Mr. Ben
Jabro, Executive Board member of the Assyrian Universal Alliance
of Australia, Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the
Assyrian Universal Alliance, Mr. Hovig Melkonian, Representative of
Armenian National Committee of Australia, Peter Louca, Chairman of
the Justice of the Cyprus Coordinating Committee, Mr. Chris Ioannou,
President of Cyprian Association, Mr. Andrew Steiner, sculptor and
holocaust survivor, Mr. Louis Kalogiannidis, architect of the monument.
Upon completion of the speeches all guests moved to the vicinity
of the genocide monument to start the unveiling ceremony. After
a blessing prayer by the Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church the
formal proceedings began with the singing of the Australian, Greek,
Armenian and Assyrian National Anthems. Then, the monument was
unveiled with pride by representatives of the three organizations
that had participated in the creation of this memorial.
This great event has left a deep imprint in the memory and hearts of
all those present who blessed this high convergence between the three
nations in order to unify their call for justice and their efforts
to obtain international recognition of the genocide committed against
their people by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.
During his speech, Mr. Hermiz Shahen thanked members of the Monument
Project Committee, who worked diligently to bring this project
to reality, particularly Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia and Ms. Elena Harrison, President
of the Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia for their
leadership and commitment to bring this project to fruition.
Mr. Shahen Said, "Today's unveiling of this extraordinary monument,
which honours the victims of the Greeks, Assyrian and Armenian
genocide, is a significant event in the life of the three nations
and our communities in Australia and abroad; communities that have
been established as a direct result of the continuous assaults on
their nations."
For the Assyrians this memorial monument brings memories of one
of the worst policies of systematic annihilation of human beings
conducted against the Assyrian nation; a heartless campaign that
almost eliminated our presence in Southeast Turkey. By 1918, nearly
three quarters of a million Assyrians of different denominations had
fallen victim to this mass murder conducted by the Ottoman Turks.
Mr. Shahen urged the Australian Federal Government, as well as
other countries, to condemn these heinous acts committed against the
Christian citizens of Anatolia and to pressure Turkey to acknowledge
and apologise for the atrocities that its Ottoman leaders committed
against their Assyrian, Armenian and Pontic Greek citizens during
World War I. "Let us recognize and condemn these acts for what they
are: genocide" Mr. Shahen said.
Ms. Anna Volis, thanked all government departments, institutions and
volunteers who contributed to the success of this project. She blessed
the convergence that delivered this remarkable achievement, which
was the result of the ongoing work between the three communities of
the Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Assyrians. She strongly encouraged
our institutions worldwide follow the lead in unifying our voices
in demanding the recognition of the genocide that was perpetrated
against all Christian peoples in Anatolia by the Ottoman Turkey.
In her address, Ms. Elena Harrison made reference to the dramatic
story behind the construction of the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
Armenia, when Kremlin finally agreed to allow a genocide memorial to
be built. The former Soviet Union allowed only half the finance and
a short time to build such a large memorial. Armenians feared that
Moscow would cancel the project any minute. But a miracle happened.
Without invitation or demand, people came in busloads from different
regions and cities of Armenia in order to lend a hand. Most of them
were descendants of Armenians who had lived in different regions of
Turkish Western Armenia. Whatever work they did, they did it with
pleasure and when they had nothing to do they sang patriotic songs.
They used the same indomitable spirit that helped us survive through
the dark pages of our history. And, I can proudly say that this spirit
is still alive today not just in the Armenian community here in South
Australia, but with my Pontian Greek and Assyrian brothers and sisters.
Ms. Elena ended her words by saying, "my hope is that this monument
in Salisbury, South Australia, will become a shrine for our three
nations to remember our fallen ancestors."
PO Box 34, Fairfield NSW 1860 Australia E-mail:
[email protected]
Assyria Times
http://www.assyriatimes.com/engine/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3466
May 24 2012
On Sunday, May 20, 2012 in the city of Adelaide in South Australia,
a special ceremony was organised to commemorate the unveiling of
a monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian, Assyrian and
Pontian Greeks genocide committed by Turkey's Ottoman government during
World War I, 1914-1923. The genocide perpetrated against the Christian
population of Anatolia, a shameful act by the Ottoman Empire in its
final years, claimed the lives of one and a half million Armenians,
half a million Pontian Greeks and 750,000 Assyrians.
Erecting the South Australian genocide monument was the result of
great efforts made by three brotherly organizations: the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, the Armenian Cultural Association of
South Australia, and the Assyrian Universal Alliance-Australia Chapter.
The commemoration began with a mass held at St. Dimitrios Greek
Orthodox Church of Salisbury in memory of the victims of the said
genocide. It was conducted by His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon
and Rev. Fathers Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, and
was attended by more than 20 representatives from local, state and
federal government.
After the mass, all the guests gathered at the mausoleum of the
Holy Family reception in a friendly atmosphere, where the Master
of Ceremonies, Ms. Anna Volis, started the program by welcoming the
guests and calling upon them to deliver their speeches. Among those
present were:
Dr. Joseph Masika, member of the South Australian Multicultural and
Ethnic Affairs Commission, representing Mr. Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant
Governor of SA, H.G. Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon and Rev. Fathers
Christos Tsoraklidis and Silouan Fotineas, Her Worship Ms Gillian
Aldridge, the Mayor of the City of Salisbury, the Honourable Jack
Snelling MP, Treasurer of South Australia, the Honourable Jennifer
Rankine MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Honourable Tom
Koutsantonis MP, Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Ms.
Isobel Redmond MP, Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Michael
Atkinson MP, Member for Croydon, Ms. Leesa Vlahos MP, Member for
Taylor, Ms. Vickie Chapman MP, Member for Bragg, the Honourable
Jing Lee MLC, Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister
for Multicultural Affairs, Mr. Tony Zappia MP, Federal Member for
Makin, Mr. Nick Champion MP, Federal Member Wakefield, Mr. Christos
Maniakis-Grivas, Consul-General of Greece in South Australia, Cr.
Donna Proleta who is representing Cr. Chad Buchanan, Cr. Shiralee
Reardon JP, Aunty Josie Agius, Mr. John Kiosoglous, Chairman,
Ethnic Schools Board, Mr. Nick Chryssostomidis, President of Pontian
Federation of Australia, Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia, Ms. Elena Harrison, President of the
Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia, Mr. David David,
President of Assyrian Australian National Federation, Mr. Paul Azzo,
Adviser to the Assyrian Universal Alliance of Australia, Mr. Ben
Jabro, Executive Board member of the Assyrian Universal Alliance
of Australia, Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the
Assyrian Universal Alliance, Mr. Hovig Melkonian, Representative of
Armenian National Committee of Australia, Peter Louca, Chairman of
the Justice of the Cyprus Coordinating Committee, Mr. Chris Ioannou,
President of Cyprian Association, Mr. Andrew Steiner, sculptor and
holocaust survivor, Mr. Louis Kalogiannidis, architect of the monument.
Upon completion of the speeches all guests moved to the vicinity
of the genocide monument to start the unveiling ceremony. After
a blessing prayer by the Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church the
formal proceedings began with the singing of the Australian, Greek,
Armenian and Assyrian National Anthems. Then, the monument was
unveiled with pride by representatives of the three organizations
that had participated in the creation of this memorial.
This great event has left a deep imprint in the memory and hearts of
all those present who blessed this high convergence between the three
nations in order to unify their call for justice and their efforts
to obtain international recognition of the genocide committed against
their people by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.
During his speech, Mr. Hermiz Shahen thanked members of the Monument
Project Committee, who worked diligently to bring this project
to reality, particularly Ms. Anna Volis, President of the Pontian
Brotherhood of South Australia and Ms. Elena Harrison, President
of the Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia for their
leadership and commitment to bring this project to fruition.
Mr. Shahen Said, "Today's unveiling of this extraordinary monument,
which honours the victims of the Greeks, Assyrian and Armenian
genocide, is a significant event in the life of the three nations
and our communities in Australia and abroad; communities that have
been established as a direct result of the continuous assaults on
their nations."
For the Assyrians this memorial monument brings memories of one
of the worst policies of systematic annihilation of human beings
conducted against the Assyrian nation; a heartless campaign that
almost eliminated our presence in Southeast Turkey. By 1918, nearly
three quarters of a million Assyrians of different denominations had
fallen victim to this mass murder conducted by the Ottoman Turks.
Mr. Shahen urged the Australian Federal Government, as well as
other countries, to condemn these heinous acts committed against the
Christian citizens of Anatolia and to pressure Turkey to acknowledge
and apologise for the atrocities that its Ottoman leaders committed
against their Assyrian, Armenian and Pontic Greek citizens during
World War I. "Let us recognize and condemn these acts for what they
are: genocide" Mr. Shahen said.
Ms. Anna Volis, thanked all government departments, institutions and
volunteers who contributed to the success of this project. She blessed
the convergence that delivered this remarkable achievement, which
was the result of the ongoing work between the three communities of
the Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Assyrians. She strongly encouraged
our institutions worldwide follow the lead in unifying our voices
in demanding the recognition of the genocide that was perpetrated
against all Christian peoples in Anatolia by the Ottoman Turkey.
In her address, Ms. Elena Harrison made reference to the dramatic
story behind the construction of the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
Armenia, when Kremlin finally agreed to allow a genocide memorial to
be built. The former Soviet Union allowed only half the finance and
a short time to build such a large memorial. Armenians feared that
Moscow would cancel the project any minute. But a miracle happened.
Without invitation or demand, people came in busloads from different
regions and cities of Armenia in order to lend a hand. Most of them
were descendants of Armenians who had lived in different regions of
Turkish Western Armenia. Whatever work they did, they did it with
pleasure and when they had nothing to do they sang patriotic songs.
They used the same indomitable spirit that helped us survive through
the dark pages of our history. And, I can proudly say that this spirit
is still alive today not just in the Armenian community here in South
Australia, but with my Pontian Greek and Assyrian brothers and sisters.
Ms. Elena ended her words by saying, "my hope is that this monument
in Salisbury, South Australia, will become a shrine for our three
nations to remember our fallen ancestors."
PO Box 34, Fairfield NSW 1860 Australia E-mail:
[email protected]