14-07-16 Education minister’s salutation to the Pontic Greek youth conference
Your Eminence,
Honourable President,
Honourable special secretary of the governing committee,
Dear friends,
It is with especial joy that I salute the 18th Conference of Pontic Youth, which commences today at Panagia Soumela (Virgin Mary of Soumela, Pontos). I am saddened that prior commitments prevented me from being with you, yet I hope we shall have the chance to meet in the near future. With that wish, allow me to express some thoughts epigrammatically.
The Holy Monastery “Panagia Soumela”, where you are gathered today, is the organic continuation of the great monastic tradition of Pontos. On the mountainsides of Vermion, in beautiful Kastania, continues a centuries’ old and emblematic path that began in 386 A.D., in a cave of the Mela Mountain of Trebizond. There, and after great trials, the sacred icon of the Panagia Athiniotissa (Virgin Mary of Athens), which as tradition has it was painted by the Apostle Luke and was transported to Pontos by the monks Barnabas and Sophronios, found refuge.
On the peaks of Vermion today are hosted the “great social events” of Pontic Hellenism, which until the [Pontic] genocide took place in the monasteries of Pontos. One such total social event is your 18th summer conference this year.
Youth of Pontic Greek descent from Greece, Russia, Georgia, Canada, Australia, the US and other countries will meet up, be informed, learn, exchange views and experiences, and naturally dance the Serra and Kotsari dances to the tones of the kemence [Pontic lyre]. Especially for the youth who live and progress abroad, this is an exceptional opportunity to become acquainted with and re-connect with Greece.
Diachronically, the Romaioi of Pontos have been the bearers of high cultural creations and authentic artistic expression in areas such as architecture, theatre, literature and music. The Pontic language with its characteristic chromatic sounds and many archaic linguistic elements constitutes an invaluable legacy.
To the youth, such as the young people gathered here today, falls the responsibility of preserving, developing and renewing this important tradition. Standing firmly on the foundations of the past and revisiting tradition, civilization needs to be renewed with an eye toward the future, so it can remain alive and vibrant.
With these thoughts, I wish you all manner of success in your proceedings, fertile presentations and discussions, and a successful and creative meeting.
Minister Nikos Filis’ salutation can be found in PDF format below.
