Monument to the Genocide of Asia Minor Hellenism in Diavata

The Genocide Memorial of Asia Minor Hellenism in Diavata is a moving tribute to the refugees of 1922, who were uprooted from their homelands in Asia Minor and created a new life in Greece. The monument represents a family (father, mother, son and daughter) looking anxiously into the future, while gazing at their lost homeland. The mobility in the figures is suggested by their tilt to the left, with the wind blowing their hair, giving the sculpture a dynamic feel.

In the background of the monument, the regions from which the refugees came are handwritten in the background, capturing the pain and memory of loss. The monument stands in front of an iron gate, reminiscent of a guillotine, a powerful reminder of the violence and tragedy suffered by Asia Minor Hellenism.

The monument was placed on the initiative of the Association of Asia Minor and Other Refugees, with the support of the local church and authorities. The unveiling took place in October 2010, in the heart of Diavata, at the junction of 28th October, Agios Georgios and Alexandros Papagos streets, near the Diavata High School. The monument stands as an eternal memory of the genocide and uprooting of the Asia Minor people.