Melbourne’s Greek Australian community will come together this month to commemorate the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus through a series of memorials, lectures, exhibitions and cultural events across the city.
The 2026 program, coordinated by Pontian organisations and community groups, aims to honour the memory of the hundreds of thousands of Pontian Greeks who were persecuted and killed during the final years of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century.
On Friday 15 May there will be a lecture and book presentation hosted by the Federation of Pontian Associations Australia. Author Panagiotis Diamandis will present his book Genocide to Regeneration at 7pm at Oakleigh Grammar.
Religious and ceremonial observances will take place on Sunday 17 May, beginning with a memorial church service and doxology at 9.30am at the Cathedral of Our Lady ‘Axion Estin’ in Northcote. Later that morning, community members, organisations and dignitaries will gather for a wreath-laying ceremony at 11.30am at the cathedral’s Monument of the Fallen.
For more information about the memorial service or to register to lay a wreath, attendees can contact Gigi Efthimiou via email at pontiancoorcommelb@gmail.com
One of the centrepieces of the program will be the launch of the exhibition A Journey Through the Library of Ephesus: Personalities of Asia Minor, opening on Monday 18 May at 7pm at St John’s College Preston. The exhibition forms part of a ten-day dedication to the Hellenism of Anatolia and will explore the cultural and historical legacy of Asia Minor Greeks.
Further information about the exhibition can be obtained by emailing hellenismofanatolia@gmail.com or contacting Yiota Stavridou on 0481 238 880.
On Tuesday 19 May, the Central Pontian Association of Melbourne “Pontiaki Estia”, Merimna Pontion Kyrion Oceania and the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne will host a lecture by Dean Kalimniou titled Venizelos and Pontus; Legacy and Controversy at 7pm at the Greek Centre.
For further details regarding the lecture, community members can contact Litsa Athanasiadis on 0421 804 968.
The broader exhibition dedicated to the Greeks of Asia Minor will continue through to 29 May, offering free public access on selected days and educational tours for schools and organisations. Bookings and program enquiries can be made via hellenismofanatolia@gmail.com or through Yiota Stavridou.
The annual commemorations serve as both a memorial to the victims of the Pontian Greek Genocide and a celebration of the enduring identity, culture and contributions of Pontian Hellenism within Australia’s multicultural community.
