Deputy Defence Minister Nikolaos Chardalias attends the commemorative evening “1922: Historical Memory and Lessons Learned” at Hellenic Air Force Academy representing the Greek[...]

Home >Deputy Minister Photo Gallery> Deputy Defence Minister Nikolaos Chardalias attends the commemorative evening "1922: Historical Memory and Lessons Learned" at Hellenic Air Force Academy representing the Greek Government

Deputy Defence Minister Nikolaos Chardalias attends the commemorative evening "1922: Historical Memory and Lessons Learned" at Hellenic Air Force Academy representing the Greek Government

June 16, 2022

On Wednesday, 8 June 2022, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, representing the Hellenic Government, attended the commemorative evening under the title "1922: Historical Memory and Lessons Learned", which took place at the Air Force Academy Amphitheatre, in Dekeleia Air Base.

The speakers of the event, which was organized by the Air Force Academy Graduates' Association "IKAROS", under the auspices of the Air Force General Staff, were the Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Mr. Angelos Syrigos, the ex-Minister of Education Mr. Petros Efthymiou, the Secretary General of the Hellenic Parliament Foundation Mr. Evanthis Chatzivasiliou, the Professor Emeritus of Panteion University Mr. Athanasios Diamantopoulos, the Air Force Academy Professor Mr. Konstantinos Lagos, the Chairman of the Municipal Council of Athens Municipality Mr. Eleftherios Skiadas and Major General (AF) (ret.) Vardis-Panagiotis Papadakis. The event was coordinated by the Reporter Mr. Ioannis Skalkos.

The Parliamentary Parties were represented by the Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum Ms. Sofia Voultepsi (ND), the MP of the B2 Athens Constituency (West) and 4^thDeputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Mr. Dimitrios Vitsas (SYRIZA), Lieutenant General (AF) (ret.) Thomas Chatziathanasiou (PASOK-KINAL), Colonel (AF) (ret.) Gregoris Symeonidis (KKE) and the Central Committee Member Mr. Ioannis Baraiktaris (MeRa 25).

The event was also attended by Lieutenant General (AF) Themistoklis Bourolias, representing the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, and by active and retired general and senior Armed Forces and Police Officers.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence delivered the following address:

"Representing the Hellenic Government and conveying the personal greetings of the Prime Minister, I am particularly honored to participate in today's event, organized by the Air Force Academy Graduates Association, on the topic of the historical memory and the lessons learned in 1922, a year which set a milestone for Greek people worldwide.

This year a century is completed since the greatest national tragedy in the history of the modern Greek State, the Asia Minor Disaster, a tragedy which resulted in the eradication of the long lasting Greek presence in Asia Minor and in Eastern Thrace, and yet in an undoubtedly dramatic, violent and tragic way.

The great tragedy is composed, among other things, of the collapse of the Asia Minor Front, the harsh marches of prisoners to the interior of Anatolia, the slaughters, plunders, atrocities against non-combatant Greek and Armenian Christians, the violent expulsion of the population from their ancestral homes and, of course, the burning of Smyrna.

Many things have been written about the events of that tragic year. But no matter how many stories may be written, they will never be enough to describe the unspeakable sufferings, the barbarity and the persecutions against the Greeks of Asia Minor, due to the Turks' abysmal fury.

The people who were violently expelled, then, from the land of Ionia, Pontus, Cappadocia, Thrace and other areas, arrived bloody to the impoverished Greece to continue their lives as refugees, having as only dowry the pain and misery.

Despite the integration difficulties and the suspicion they were sometimes treated with by local societies, hundreds of thousands of talented and creative people, with a high level of education and culture, and armed with industriousness, astuteness, entrepreneurship and an aptitude for commerce and science, started a new life, bringing to their new homeland the wisdom of a three-thousand years old culture.

What they achieved was to create an active bourgeoisie, fruitfully enriching the 20^th-century modern Greek culture with their traditions and civilisation, bringing new breath and momentum to the tottering Greek state.

Thus, the longed-for national homogeneity was achieved, rural areas were revitalized which invigourated the economy, literature, education and arts and new breath was given also to the demographic composition of the Greek population which increased in underpopulated and declining areas.

In this manner, the disaster of 1922 turned into a social and economic triumph, which is the greatest peaceful achievement of the Modern Greek state and undoubtedly proves the unconquerable will, the inexhaustible mental strength and the magnificence of the Greek soul.

Today's event is an excellent opportunity of a historical remembrance and national self-awareness, which will allow us to contemplate, once more, the unbroken unity that connects the past, the present and the future of Greek people, acquiring knowledge and receiving messages of optimism, hope, faith and power of endurance.

As Greeks, we ought to keep the contribution of Asia Minor Hellenes to the preservation of our national, spiritual and cultural conscience, alive in our collective memory.

Our goal can be no other than to keep following our rich historic path, to project our moral posture, to keep our traditional everlasting values and ideals unchanged, to regroup and to look to the future with a vision and hopefulness.

Besides, our nation's strength to face every sort of calamity with heroism and endurance across time makes the disaster in Asia Minor and the consequent refugees' issue a bright beacon and a springboard of national dignity and pride, which helps to draw models and examples, looking forward to the awakening of Hellenism's endless powers for future progress, prosperity and growth.

Dear friends,

Today, 100 years since the Asia Minor disaster and the Genocide of Asia Minor Greeks, our Country is called on to face, with reliability and decisiveness, a set of complex and multi-faceted challenges, risks and threats, in a way that absolutely ensures its sovereign rights.

Unfortunately, opposite to us is Turkey, which displays an all the more intensifying provocative behavior, with an offensive rhetoric, with threats of using military power, with unbelievable and unsubstantial theories about claiming land or sea areas, acts which constitute a blatant violation of the principles of the United Nations' Chart and which do not comply with the good friendly and neighbourly relations our country constantly strives for.

To this undoubtedly unproductive posture, Greece answers with prudence and composure, without been tempted by Ankara's extremist rhetoric and provocative acts, actively confirming and exercising its sovereign rights, in practice, under the rules of international justice.

Concluding my short address, I would like to assure you that Greece's Armed Forces, with their steady operational readiness and their high combat power, constitute the unquestionable basic Pillar of National Power, playing a particularly significant and challenging double role. On the one hand, they preserve Greece's national independence and territorial integrity and on the other hand, they steadily contribute to the Greek society, by being always actively present in every critical field concerning the maintenance of social coherence.

Thank you".