"Taking responsibility for past heinous acts and showing sincere remorse are examples of bravery and responsibility in leaders who look to a future of peaceful coexistence and prosperity of the peoples" emphasizes the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou in her message for the Day of Remembrance of the Genocide of the Pontic Greeks.
"Today we honor the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Pontic Greeks, who perished a century ago" notes Ms. Sakellaropoulou and reminds that "Greece, as well as other countries, have recognized this genocide, thus paying the minimum tribute and memory to the sacrifice of Pontic Hellenism". At the same time, he underlines that "we must reflect on the enormous contribution and active participation of the rescued Pontic Greeks in the recovery of the Greek state under extremely difficult conditions, in the economic rise, as well as in the flourishing of Greek education and culture during the 20th century".
Concluding, the President of the Republic points out that "the international community has a duty to bring to light and condemn acts of heinous brutality , such as the systematic extermination of innocent citizens, in order not only to preserve the memory of the victims but also to prevent similar crimes against humanity in the future".