“We owe a lot to the refugee Hellenism and it is a sign of honor to highlight the sad 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe,” said Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, answering a relevant topical question from ND MP Maximos Harakopoulos.
Ms. Mendoni stated that the Ministry of Culture has planned and prepared since last year, actions and events for this historic anniversary, in cooperation with the secondary organizations of the refugee associations and the competent scientific bodies. The three axes of the program are: The events of the bodies that will be financed by the Ministry of Culture – Actions that will be implemented by the services themselves and the supervised bodies of the ministry – Synergies for the establishment of new museum spaces dedicated to refugee Hellenism, as well as projects highlighting monuments directly or indirectly linked to the refugee element.
In particular, in the context of the first axis, the Minister of Culture stated that after an invitation 57 proposals have been submitted by associations and also two new invitations are already posted on the Portal of Cultural Institutions of the ministry. On December 20, 2021 interest in subsidizing programs and activities that highlight the memory and identity of refugee identities. The invitation is addressed to secondary associations and federations and includes the following topics: Promotion and promotion of the intangible heritage of refugee Hellenism. Recording and documentation of the history of the refugee communities that settled in Greece and their evolution. Composition and digitization of photographic junk, documentation and museum collections. Printed and digital editions. educational activities. Organization of conferences, workshops and events. Organization of actions to highlight the contribution of Hellenism in Asia Minor and Northern and Eastern Thrace. The development of sports and sports education.
Regarding the second axis, the program “Greece – A Culture” for 2022 is dedicated to the 100 years of Memory with the theme “Anniversary of Memory – 100 Years since the Asia Minor Catastrophe”. The electronic portal for submitting proposals has been open since January 17 and will be open until February 17. The program finances 70 new original artistic productions with a total budget of 1,800.0000 euros. The program includes more than 140 performances throughout Greece, in archeological sites and monuments.
The third axis includes the creation of the Museum of Refugee Hellenism in the metropolitan park of the former “Pavlos Melas” camp in Thessaloniki. In addition, the planning of the ministry has included the maintenance and restoration of the mural decoration by Kontoglou’s hand in the Holy Temple of Agios Charalambos in Pedio tou Areos, as well as the portable icons of the temple, which are relics of the refugees of Asia Minor.
At the same time, the museums, the antiquities tax office, the services of newer monuments of the ministry, as well as the supervised bodies, proceed to their own planning of a high level of events.
The ND MP, Maximos Harakopoulos, stressed that it is imperative to organize events of reflection and national reflection. He suggested that actions be taken in three areas: The highlighting of the historical events that led to the Asia Minor Campaign and the Disaster, in the context of National Divide so that we can learn from mistakes and omissions, especially at a time when we are again facing Turkish revisionism. The emergence of three millennia of culture and the History of Hellenism in Asia Minor. The epic of the restoration of the approximately one and a half million refugees, from a settled Greek state but also the great wealth that these people brought to Greece.
The MP stressed “that collectively as a State we should highlight this anniversary year” and called for synergies with the Church of Greece – which has announced a series of events and initiatives over a period of three years – but also with the Greek Parliament, the Academy. the Ministry of Education. He also suggested that there be an organizing committee, similar to the one that existed for the 200 years of Greece, that will coordinate and unite all the Asia Minor associations and organizations in the country.
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