2010-05-31
Our association honored in Greece
Our work for the recognition of the Genocide honored. Our association's hard work in more than ten years for the recognition of the Genocide by the Swedish Parliament gave a positive result on March 11th this year. This work didn't go by unoticed and many Pontian and other Greek organisations throughout the world have congratulated us for it. Our president represented our association when we were honored by the association "Enosi Pontion Polichnis" and POE (Pontian Federation in Greece) on May 16th and 19th.

Our association was invited to Thessaloniki by the POE who honored our work in Sweden for the recognition of the Genocide where we were represented by our president Kostas Fraggidis.

On Sunday May 16th one of the world's biggest Pontian associations, Enosi Pontion Polichnis, arranged their annual manifestasion for the memory of the Genocide in the district of Polichni in Thessaloniki, a district that has strong Pontian roots and its association in cooperation with the Mayor dedicated this year's event to our association as a recognition for our work in Sweden.

The association's president Despina Organtzidou welcomed all members and friends who packed the open municipal amphitheater and in her opening speech emphasised how important it is to support association like Evxinos Pontos Stockholm and the important work we do. She praised the historic recognition that our association alone carried through without any help from the Greek state or other Pontian and Greek organisations.

Our president thank in his speech the honour that was made to our association and said that this work wouldn't be possible if not our past boards and members worked hard for the recognition all these years. He also gave an account of the general work the association is doing and how we worked for the recognition.

The local association gave us as a present a plaque as a memory for this evening with a beautiful inscription. It was really inspiring to see almost 2000 people that attented the event and honored our association.

Wednesday May 19th was the day where the federation held its big panhellenic memorial manifestation which all Pontian associations in Greece participated in. More than 12,000 people attented the event at the Hagia Sophia square in Thessaloniki and together with more than 400 association honored the Genocide victims. Our president, together with Mrs Ulla Hoffmann from the Swedish Left Party and Nikos Papadopoulos from the Swedish Socialdemocrat Party were the main speakers of the manifestation, a gesture to show the gratitude towards the Swedish state which recognised the Genocide.

Our president talked about the recognition of the Swedish Parliament wouldn't be a reality without the cooperation of Pontian Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians. This cooperation was and is the key for future recognitions in other countries and he encouraged all Greek associations in the world to do the same.

After the speeches by the federation president and the three main speakers, a proclamation was read which would be passed over to the Turkish Consulate in Thessaloniki. All present people started a peaceful demonstration that ended outside the Consulate. Afterwards, the federation held an exclusive dinner at the Aristotle square where the two speakers and our association were honored with memorabilia.