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Hellenic Pontian Genocide Wreath-Laying Ceremony

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-113933

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)


Hellenic Pontian Genocide Wreath-Laying Ceremony

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley)

—On the 26th of May last year, I was invited to the Hellenic Pontian Genocide Commemoration wreath laying ceremony. The Commemorative Committee is the joint society of Australian Greek groups in Sydney and Wollongong whose ancestors originate from the Black Sea area known as Pontos. The committee's main aim is to raise awareness of the genocide in Pontos and the neighbouring regions of Thrace and Asia Minor. In 1994, the Greek parliament voted unanimously in favour of recognising the Pontian Genocide and instituted May 19 as Remembrance Day. Our NSW Parliament formally recognised the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides in 1997. According to the 2016 Census, NSW has 132,831 people claiming Greek ancestry, 29,497 people born in Greece and 81,685 people who speak Greek at home, while 128,353 people follow the Greek Orthodox religion. I am proud to represent an area that is home to many Greek families, and it was my pleasure to attend the wreath laying ceremony. I would like to thank the Committee for their warm hospitality on the day.