MONTREAL, CANADA – On April 30, the Canadian Hellenic Congress called upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government to issue a Proclamation to recognize the Genocide of the Hellenes of Pontus, thus honoring the memory of the men, women and children who died.
The Pontic Greek Genocide, together with those of the Armenians and Assyrians, were the first genocides of the 20th century.

Canadian Hellenic Congress President Dr. Theodore Halatsis said, “The Pontic Greek Genocide is one of the darkest moments in mankind’s history and one of the heinous crimes against humanity. This heinous crime was the precursor to the Holocaust committed by the Nazis against Jews, Roma and other peoples during the Second World War.

“We seek the same recognition as the Senate and the House of Commons have afforded to other genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, the Jewish Holocaust, the Rwandan and other genocides.”

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the systematic extermination of the Greeks of
Pontus, some 353,000 souls perished at the hands of the Ottoman and Kemalist forces.

“We call upon our Prime Minister to use his authority to issue a Proclamation to recognize the Pontic Greek Genocide and to declare May 19th as a national Remembrance Day,” Dr. Halatsis concluded.The Canadian Hellenic Congress is a national democratic communal institution that represents, advances, advocates and promotes the interests and concerns of Canadians of Hellenic descent and Hellenism in general. The Congress is the national voice of Hellenes and their communities and/or organizations across Canada.