International Congress of Municipality of Kalamaria, October 6-9, 2022

The works of the 4-day International Conference, held by the Historical Archive of the Municipality of Kalamaria in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia – Thrace Sector), the “Christos Kalemkeris” Museum of Photography of the Municipality and the Department of Pontian Studies of the AUTh, in the context of the 100 years since the Asia Minor Catastrophe, were completed with great success. Eighty two papers were presented in the 15 thematic sections, while four keynote speeches and three round tables were held by foreign and Greek scientists. It was preceded by the presentation of three traditional songs with oud, bagpipe and lyre.

The conference illuminated unknown aspects of that tragedy. New testimonies and new evidence about the escape routes were presented, through the local and foreign press of the time. The settlement of refugees in different regions of the country, native-refugee relations, uniformed and captives, refugee women and children, political behavior and collective organization, refugees in art and literature, were some more thematic sections. “The other side of the Muslim exchangeables of Nigdi”, was the special topic of presentation of Turkish researchers. The exchange of populations according to international law, refugee movements and displacements in the 20th century and studies of the refugee issue from the point of view of social sciences were the special topics of discussion of the three round tables.

The Mayor of Kalamaria G. Dardamanelis greeted and announced the start of the conference. Greetings were also addressed by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, responsible for Macedonia – Thrace affairs S. Kalafatis, the President of the Regional Council of Central Macedonia Th. Mitrakas, the Consul of Cyprus K. Polykarpou and on behalf of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Nea Krini and Kalamaria the Most Reverend Archimandrite Dionysios. The President of HARH, A. Tsirambides, introduced the officials and briefly referred to the goals of the conference. “We must not let the passage of time erase these memories. This conference will be a memorial for our ancestors who were exterminated in any way. We do not forget them, we will honor and remember them forever,” he said.

In the context of conference, the photography exhibition “Memories of Mikrasia” was inaugurated in Remezzo, which was prepared by the Museum of Photography “Ch. Kalemkeris”. Its president P. Kalemkeris and its historian K. Valtopoulou gave a brief tour of the delegates. The exhibition will remain open until the end of October. Also, there was an informative tour by the historian of HARH E. Ioannidou in the area of ​​the Disinfection Station (today’s Aretsou beach).

The works of the conference were watched online by more than 4,000 people in Greece and abroad. HARH will publish the proceedings of the conference within the next year.

Ananias Tsirambides, Professor Emeritus of AUTh, President of HARH