Sevasteia - Pontic Greek Society of London

💥 What an incredible day at the European Cultural Heritage Festival in Peterborough, England! ✨

We were proud to represent the Pontic Greek community, sharing traditional dances from Pontus, the historic homeland of the Pontic Greeks on the Black Sea coast, alongside cultural communities from Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Italy.

The energy, the emotion, and the feeling of all of us dancing together on the grass made it a truly unforgettable experience!

The festival brought together communities from across Eastern, Southeastern, and Central Europe, showcasing traditions that have been passed down through generations. It was a pleasure to watch the folk dances of so many nations, each with its own unique rhythms, music, and stories, brought to life through beautiful and colourful traditional costumes.

💛 A huge thank you to our amazing dancers and to our dance instructor Ioanna, Ioanna Danai Styliari, for their passion and dedication! Congratulations to all of you for representing our community with such energy and pride. We look forward to creating many more beautiful memories together!

We would like to thank Choropatimata Cambridge Greek Dancing for spending time with us throughout the festival. It was a pleasure sharing the day together, enjoying each other's company, and celebrating our performances side by side.

We are also grateful to the organisers, fellow performers, and everyone who came to celebrate with us.

#ποντος #ποντιακα

Such an amazing festival - thanks for making it happen! European Cultural Heritage Festival

Συγκίνησε «Η Μπάντα» του Νίκου Ασλανίδη στο Λονδίνο – Μήνυμα αναγνώρισης της Γενοκτονίας
Link στο 1ο σχόλιο 👇

Μια συγκινητική και ουσιαστική ημέρα μνήμης πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Λονδίνο, με την προβολή του βραβευμένου ντοκιμαντέρ «Η Μπάντα» του δημοσιογράφου και συγγραφέα Νίκου Ασλανίδη.

Το ντοκιμαντέρ, βασισμένο στην αληθινή μαρτυρία του Ιωάννη Παπαδόπουλου, του μοναδικού επιζώντα από τους 13 Έλληνες μουσικούς που εξαναγκάστηκαν να ακολουθήσουν τον Τοπάλ Οσμάν κατά τις διώξεις των Ελλήνων του Πόντου, έδωσε στο κοινό την ευκαιρία να γνωρίσει μια συγκλονιστική σελίδα της ιστορίας μας μέσα από τα μάτια ενός αυτόπτη μάρτυρα.

Η συμμετοχή και το ενδιαφέρον του κοινού επιβεβαίωσαν ότι η ιστορική μνήμη παραμένει ζωντανή και ότι η ανάγκη για γνώση, διάλογο και διατήρηση της ιστορικής αλήθειας είναι πάντα επίκαιρη.

Ευχαριστούμε θερμά τον Νίκο Ασλανίδη για την παρουσία του στο Λονδίνο, καθώς και όλους όσοι τίμησαν με την παρουσία τους την εκδήλωση.

Ως Ποντιακός Σύλλογος Λονδίνου «Σεβάστεια», συνεχίζουμε να εργαζόμαστε για τη διατήρηση της ιστορικής μνήμης, της πολιτιστικής μας κληρονομιάς και τη μεταλαμπάδευσή τους στις επόμενες γενιές.

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A moving and meaningful day of remembrance took place in London with the screening of the award-winning documentary “The Band” by journalist and author Nikos Aslanidis.

Based on the true testimony of Ioannis Papadopoulos, the sole survivor among the 13 Greek musicians who were forced to accompany Topal Osman during the persecutions of the Pontic Greeks, the documentary offered the audience a powerful opportunity to explore a profound chapter of our history through the eyes of an eyewitness.

The strong engagement and interest shown by the audience confirmed that historical memory remains alive and that the need for knowledge, dialogue, and the preservation of historical truth is as relevant as ever.

We extend our sincere thanks to Nikos Aslanidis for joining us in London, as well as to everyone who honoured the event with their presence.

As the Pontic Greek Society of London "Sevasteia", we remain committed to preserving historical memory, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and passing it on to future generations.

#ποντος

PART B | The Journey to the End

⬅️ Haven’t seen the beginning? Start with PART A (the previous post).

We continue the testimony of Ioannis Papadopoulos: from Asarcik and Mount Agiou-Tepe, through Kavak, Merzifon, and the banks of the Kızılırmak River, to the triumphant reception in Ankara — and finally to the last night at Mangal-Tepe, where the musicians were executed and Papadopoulos escaped, the only one who survived.

He recorded his testimony in writing in 1965 so that future generations would not forget. Thanks to this one survivor, we today possess an eyewitness account of the genocide — from within, from inside the very column of the perpetrator himself.

Watch this same true story in the award-winning documentary “The Band” by journalist and author Nikos Aslanidis.

Source: Papadopoulos, I. (1965). Pages from the History of Kerasounta and the Atrocities of Topal Osman Throughout the Region of Pontus. Published by I. Papadopoulos; printed by Konstantinos I. Printing House (26 Pavlou Mela Street), Kavala.

#ποντος

PART A | Ioannis Papadopoulos: The Sole Survivor

In 1921, thirteen Greek musicians from Kerasounta (Giresun) were forced to follow Topal Osman as “his band” — playing music while atrocities against Pontic Greeks and Kurds unfolded around them. Only one returned alive: Ioannis Papadopoulos.

In the series “Pontus 101,” we follow his eyewitness testimony step by step, as he recorded it himself in 1965, covering the period from February to August 1921.

In this first part: who Topal Osman was, how the suffering in Kerasounta began, how the band became attached to his expeditionary force, and their journey as far as Ladik.

➡️ Swipe to the end — and continue with PART B in the next post.

This story is brought to life in the award-winning documentary “The Band” by journalist and author Nikos Aslanidis.

Source: Papadopoulos, I. (1965). Pages from the History of Kerasounta and the Atrocities of Topal Osman Throughout the Region of Pontus. Published by I. Papadopoulos; printed by Konstantinos I. Printing House (26 Pavlou Mela Street), Kavala.

#ποντος