President Pavlopoulos message on Pontic Greek Genocide Remembrance Day

The moral obligation of the immolators to at least offer a sincere, albeit retroactive apology, was underlined on Saturday by Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in his message for the May 19 Pontic Greek Genocide Remembrance Day.

"The Nation of Greeks, globally, in fulfillment of its elementary debt to our history, and showing its timeless respect to Law 2193/1994, this year honors the Sacred Memory of the tragic victims of the Pontic Greek Genocide," said Pavlopoulos, and pointed out that this year's Memorial Day acquires an even greater historical dimension, as it marks the 100 years "since this shameful crime, which, under the barbaric conditions that marked it indefinitely, bears all the elements of a crime against humanity."

Meanwhile Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met with Pontic societies in Thessaloniki on Saturday and announced the creation of a committee comprising both government officials and representative of Pontic societies, and asked individuals be nominated to that effect. This committee will help create two museums exhibiting Pontic Hellenism, one in the capital Athens and another in the city of Thessaloniki.

Tsipras added that the government is fully supporting the seat of Pontic Studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and said the building of the Greek parliament in Athens will be bathed in light as per the colors of Pontic Hellenism on Remembrance Day, Sunday May 19.

Furthermore, Tsipras said that a special monument will be built in Kalamaria (in Thessaloniki), to honor the 20,000 Pontics who perished there.

"It is a very important day for Hellenism at large, not just for Pontic Hellenism. It is a day of remembrance for the Genocide, one century ago, of the Greeks of the Pontus," said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.