NEW YORK, NY –
The opening of the photographic exhibition ‘MARIUPOL & ODESA. Stories of Resistance’ took place with great success in the hall of the Consulate General of Greece in New York, on February 22nd, just two days before the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The exhibition is under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in New York, in cooperation with the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York, the Union of Greeks of Ukraine in Greece and the Federation of Greek Societies of Ukraine.
Svitlana Petropoulou, an ethnic Greek from the Azov region of Ukraine, Director of Public Diplomacy Department of the Union of Greeks of Ukraine in Greece coordinated the event and presented the speakers. Referring to the Exhibition, Petropoulou stressed that it is dedicated to the heroes of the resistance and defense of Mariupol and Odessa, cities that constitute historical cradles of Hellenism.
She also underlined that this exhibition is the product of the work of photographers who lost their lives during the siege of Mariupol and its merciless bombardment by the Russian invaders, and then she presented a video on the 10 years of resistance in Ukraine. Also, she referred to the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” which will be shown on February 23rd on DCTV. A minute’s silence followed for the Ukrainians who died on the battlefields.
Welcoming the distinguished guests, the Consul General of Greece in New York, Ambassador Dinos Konstantinou, in his address said that for two years now Ukraine has been suffering a war, facing unimaginable obstacles and difficulties with great civilian casualties, the destruction of their families and communities. Yet despite the chaos and destruction, the morale of Ukrainians remains intact and is an inspiration of democracy for the peoples of Europe.
For Greece, supporting Ukraine is a position of principle as for Greece – which in the past has faced unhistorical revisionisms – changing borders because of military power can never be accepted. And that is why it will never recognize such changes that Russia seeks by force, or any violation of international law, illegal occupation, or similar fait accompli. Greece has long-standing relations with Ukraine, due to the centuries-long presence of Hellenism in Mariupol and Odessa, the city that was the cradle of the Filiki Etairia (Society of Friends) that organized the Greek Revolution, but also in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities, the Consul General of Greece stressed, adding that Russian aggression against Ukraine poses a threat not only to European stability, but also to global peace and security.
On behalf of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Special Envoy of Greece for Ukraine, Ambassador Spyridon Lambridis, noted that he was particularly moved by the Exhibition as he had visited the region in 2004 during the Olympic torch relay and had admired a society full of life, young people full of enthusiasm, and when he visited these areas again after the outbreak of the war, he saw the chaos and destruction brought about by the suffering of the war.
