President Sakellaropoulou's message on Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day
President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou made the following statement on the Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day on Friday.
"Today, the day of remembrance of the genocide of the Pontic Greeks, the thoughts of all of us turn to the hundreds of thousands of innocents who, 104 years ago, were exterminated or forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes.
"At the same time, we reflect with gratitude on the important role played in the development of our homeland and in the richness of our cultural identity by those of the uprooted Pontians who managed to escape the persecution of the Ottoman Empire and find refuge in our country.
"Today's anniversary 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."