State Proclamations and Resolutions
NOTE: Not all resolutions and proclamation are displayed here.
_____________________________________________________________
New York State
New York State Governor Pataki New York Senate recognizing Genocide
Proclamation recognizing the Genocide of the Asia Minor Greeks May 22. 2002
of the Pontic Greeks —May 19 2002
_____________________________________________________________
NY State Governor George E. Pataki Proclaims
May 19th, 2002 as the 80th Anniversary of the Persecution of Greeks of Asia Minor
Whereas, the Empire State is home to many ethnic communities whose members benefit from the freedom and democracy upon which our Nation was founded, and as a global leader in areas of basic human and
social rights, New York State has a prominent role in acknowledging events in history — many of them tragic and distressing — that teach valuable lessons from which our greater society benefits; one
such event is the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus and Asia Minor, a tragedy that took the lives of an estimated 353,000 Greek civilians during World War I; and
Whereas, these Greeks, whose ancestors had lived in communities along present-day northern Turkey near the Black Sea for three millennia, were singled out by the Turkish authorities for expulsion
along with Armenians and Assyrians, and from 1915-1923, Pontian Greeks endured immeasurable cruelty during a Turkish Government-sanctioned campaign to displace them; an estimated 353,000 Pontian
Greeks died while being forcibly marched without provisions across the Anatolian plains to the Syrian border and those who survived were exiled from Turkey and today they and their descendants live
throughout the Greek diaspora; and
Whereas, the perpetrators of genocide in Asia Minor were notably brutal when executing their campaign to displace Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians from their ancestral lands and widely noticed but
largely unchecked by the world community; the celebrated book, "Not Even My Name," is one of the few English-language accounts of the Pontian Genocide and conveys
a touching story of perseverance, triumph and healing, and this publication makes an important contribution to documented reports that clarify our understanding of this dark chapter in history;
and
Whereas, it is believed by many that acknowledgment and awareness of this shameful event will not only teach future generations, but also will help mankind prevent such crimes from being repeated —
this concept is particularly important as our State works to instill in youth, a universal respect for other cultures, races, religions and viewpoints; and
Whereas, it is fitting that New Yorkers and all freedom-loving people throughout the world share in the solemn commemoration of the Pontian Genocide of 1915-23, and join with the Greek-American
community and its many religious, communal and philanthropic organizations as they honor the sacrifices and memory of their noble ancestors;
Now, Therefore, I, George E. Pataki, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim May 19, 2005 as PONTIAN GREEK GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY in the Empire State.
________________________________________________________________________
NY State Governor George E. Pataki Proclaims
October 6th, 2002 as the 80th Anniversary of the Persecution of Greeks of Asia Minor
Whereas, the Empire State is home to many ethnic communities whose members benefit from the freedom and democracy upon which our Nation was founded; as a global leader in many areas of basic human
and social rights, New York State has a prominent role in acknowledging events in history -- many of them tragic and distressing -- that teach valuable lessons from which our greater society
benefits; such events are the destruction of the city of Smyrna and the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus and Asia Minor, tragedies that took the lives of hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians
during World War I; and
Whereas, these Greeks, whose ancestors had lived in communities along present-day northern Turkey near the Black Sea for three millennia, were singled out by the Turkish authorities for expulsion
from their ancestral lands along with Armenians and Assyrians; from 1915-1923, Greeks of Asia Minor endured immeasurable cruelty during a Turkish Government-sanctioned systematic campaign to displace
them; destroying Greek towns and villages and slaughtering additional hundreds of thousands of civilians in areas where Greeks composed a majority, as on the Black Sea coast, Pontus, and areas around
Smyrna; those who survived were exiled from Turkey and today they and their descendants live throughout the Greek diaspora; and
Whereas, in 1922, Smyrna, the largest city in Asia Minor called "the jewel of the Mediterranean", a cosmopolitan hub populated by a highly educated Greek community and flourishing commercial and
middle-classes, was sacked and burned and its inhabitants massacred by the Turkish forces; the pier of Smyrna became a scene of final desperation as the approaching flames forced many thousands to
jump to their death, rather than be consumed by flame; George Horton, the Consul General of the United States in Smyrna at the time of the catastrophe, is quoted as saying, "...the destruction of
Smyrna happened, however, in 1922, and no act ever perpetrated by the Turkish race in all its bloodstained history has been characterized by more brutal and lustful features, nor more productive of
the worst of human sufferings inflicted on the defenseless and unarmed. It was a fittingly lurid and Satanic finale to the whole dreadful tragedy..."; and
Whereas, it is believed by many that acknowledgment and awareness of this shameful event will not only teach future generations, but also will help mankind prevent such crimes from being repeated;
this concept is particularly important as our State works to instill in youth, a universal respect for other cultures, races, religions and viewpoints; and
Whereas, it is fitting that all freedom-loving people worldwide and New Yorkers alike, share in the solemn commemoration of the of Great Catastophe of Asia Minor of 1915-23, and join with the
Greek-American community and its many religious, communal and philanthropic organizations as they honor the sacrifices and memory of their noble ancestors;
Now, Therefore, I, George E. Pataki, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim October 6th, 2002 as the 80th Anniversary of the Commemoration of the Burning of Smyrna and the Persecution
of the Greeks of Asia Minor in the Empire State.
_____________________________________________________________
New Jersey
Genocide of the Pontic Greeks. 2002
____________________________________________________________________________________
South Carolina
City of Columbia Proclamation
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pennsylvania
Georgia
Florida
Rhode Island
Print 