Monument to the Genocide of Pontian Hellenism

The Monument to the Genocide of the Pontian Hellenism in Aghia Sophia Square in Thessaloniki is an important point of remembrance and tribute to the victims of the genocide suffered by the Pontian Greeks from the Ottomans, mainly during the period 1914-1923. This monument was erected on the initiative of the Pan-Monetary Federation of Greece and the Pontian associations of Thessaloniki, to honour the memory of the hundreds of thousands of Pontians who lost their lives or were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes.

The monument was unveiled on 24 February 2002 and is the work of the sculptor Georgios Kikotis. The central element of the monument is an imposing figure of a woman holding a dead child in her arms, representing the mother-patriot mourning her lost children. The dramatic pose of the woman and the expression of despair on her face reflect the pain and sorrow that accompanied the Pontians during that tragic period.

The monument is located in Aghia Sophia Square, a central and historic area of Thessaloniki, next to the Byzantine church of the same name. The names of the areas of Pontos affected by the genocide are inscribed at the base of the monument, and commemorative events and wreath-laying ceremonies are often held on the Pontian Genocide Memorial Day, which is commemorated on 19 May.