The Museum of Refugee Hellenism was inaugurated at AEK Stadium

In an atmosphere of emotion, nostalgia and pride, the Museum of Refugee Hellenism was inaugurated on Saturday (18.11) at the AEK stadium in New Philadelphia.

During his speech before the official opening ceremony, the administrative leader of PAE AEK, Dimitris Melissanidis, emphasised: “In the difficult times we are living with two open wars in Europe and the Middle East, it is a great consolation to inaugurate the museum of refugee Hellenism, a museum containing priceless relics from Constantinople, the Pontus and Asia Minor. This Museum, constantly being enriched in the future, will symbolise the history of centuries to the next generations.

With God’s help, today, we were able to present two important achievements. We founded two brilliant projects. The stadium jewel of AEK, OPAP Arena, which is rightfully considered the best in the country, but also this Museum of Refugee Hellenism with the title ‘The Ark of Romiosyny’, as named by his two godfathers. The great Mikis Theodorakis and Eleni Glykatzi-Arveler.

But soon, the third child will be born, the museum of AEK. The children of AEK are triplets, unfolding the legacy of a historic club but also of the millions of friends of our team. What you see here is an antidote to the greatness of the hundreds of thousands of Asia Minor and Pontians who live from one end to the other throughout Greece. They are deposits of life and dreams; they are the flowers of the piety of this whole world that left the unruly and untamed homelands and created the epic of the new Greece.

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I find it very moving that dozens of anonymous people come every day and leave a piece that is their talisman, the hidden legacy of their ancestors, which they hold tightly in their hearts. Great personalities of our country have left legacies. The lord of Greek business, Aristotle Onassis, and Dimitris Psathas, the journalist who moved mountains and changed regimes with his caustic pen. Lefteris Papadopoulos has written half the Greek song. Giorgos Dalaras and Haris Alexiou sang about Asia Minor; this work by Apostolos Kardaras moved all Greeks. A titan of Greek music, Stelios Kazantzidis, is also located in this museum; he will see it from up there, and his soul will rejoice.

It is most evident that there is a connecting link in these pages of history: sunny orthodoxy. Because Orthodoxy is wealth and the root of immortality, it inspired those who fought to free the homeland and us who never want to forget them. Your presence today makes me happy; it gives me the liberating feeling that I, too, as one of you, did my duty when the time came. You will soon take a walk in this museum; it is a walk through the history of Greece, Asia Minor and Pontus.

With shock and awe, ordinary people gave us something unique to them, like an icon, so this space is the seven-light lamp that always burns in every refugee’s heart, that has within it the most, that is, the good return and until the end of the world this longing will not come from the heart of any of us. In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Ilias Papageorgiou and his team and the head of the whole effort, our lawyer, Mrs. Efi Mavropoulou.”

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The “present” at the event was given by the Deputy Minister of Sports, Yannis Vroutsis, who underlined: “This initiative is worthy of admiration because it comes to be deposited in the living memory of all of us. Today, the historical years are being revived here inside the AEK stadium.”

“With emotional feelings of admiration and joy, we record an important day of historical memory. The museum should be open to all schools so all children can see it.

“This museum does not belong to AEK but to all of Hellenism. To all Greeks. And it keeps the things that should never be forgotten in everyone’s memory.”

Then the honourable Metropolitan of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion and Chalkidon, Mr Gavriil, spoke: “It is not just a stadium; it is a place of culture, a place of memory, a place of history. The time is approaching when we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of AEK.”

“The Athletic Union of Constantinople will always remain, not just a team but an idea that will have the power to pass on these values ​​that it carries within itself and that refugee Hellenism carries throughout time.

“Dear President, the creation of this museum is the fruit of your vision for this group. It is proof of how much your heart beats Greek inside you and what it means to be Greek in the 21st century. It’s an offer for the new generations for the new kids.”