The President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine An. Tassoulas, received the President of the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece, Giorgo Varythymiadi and the President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Pontian Associations, Christina Sahinidou, to whom he presented a copy of Resolution 553/June 29, 2026, of the House of Representatives of the State of Pennsylvania regarding the designation of May 19th, as Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day
Mr. Tassoulas noted that a few days earlier, during his meeting with the Governing Board of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (WHIA), Mr. Steve Malagari, the elected Greek-American state representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, informed him of the resolution passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which designated May 19th, as Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day.
“I wanted, therefore, to present you with a copy of the resolution that Mr. Malagari brought me, which refers to the persecutions and the unimaginable hardships endured by the Pontian Greeks, as well as the Armenians, under the Ottoman Empire, primarily during the First World War. In fact, it cites the number of victims, 353,000 people, which is half the population of the Pontian Greeks at that time. This resolution follows similar resolutions passed by other state legislatures in the United States, such as those of New Jersey, Alabama, Massachusetts, New York, Florida and others. It is the result of the efforts made not only by your two major federations and the Greek State, but also by the Greek Diaspora, toward the international recognition of the Pontian Genocide.”
In turn, Mr. Giorgos Varythymiadis and Ms. Christina Sahinidou thanked the President of the Hellenic Republic, who has always stood by the side of the Pontian Greek community.
“This is the first time, after all these recognitions, that the state has become involved, and this gives us strength and great joy. We do not preach hatred, we seek justice for these people and, through you, we believe that justice is gradually drawing closer,” Mr. Varythymiadis emphasized.
“I believe that you personally, as well as the Presidency, have always stood by our side. After so many years, we continue to insist on the recognition of the Pontian Greek Genocide. Every such effort carries great political significance and that is deeply moving to us,” Ms. Sahinidou emphasized.
