Koutoujian Commemorates Pontian Greek Genocide in Athens

Peter J. Koutoujian (second from left) and other dignitaries at the Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day event in Athens

On Sun., May 19, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian was a featured speaker at the Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day gathering in Athens, Greece. He was invited to speak in Athens’ Syntagma Square by the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece.

Koutoujian spoke about the shared history of the Pontian Greeks and the Armenians, both of whom suffered during the Ottoman Empire’s rule in the early 20th century. He spoke about how those events brought the two ethnic groups together and bound them in history, while also underscoring the importance of coming together to remember and honor those who perished and survived.

“Because my grandfather did not give up hope when he fled Turkey—didn’t give up on humanity, or the capacity of the human spirit—I am able to speak to you today as the descendant of a survivor,” Koutoujian said.

“And I am not the only one; there are millions of us. That is why today is so important. We are maintaining a legacy for those who perished, but also for those who survived.”

Sheriff Koutoujian, whose paternal grandparents fled Marash to escape the genocide, has been a vocal leader in bringing recognition to the Armenian Genocide.