Descendants of Population Exchange mark 103rd anniversary in Samsun
A commemorative ceremony marking the 103rd anniversary of the 1923 population exchange between Türkiye and Greece was held in Samsun, bringing together descendants of exchangees (mübadele descendants), public officials, and citizens to honor a shared and painful history.
The event took place along Kurtuluş Yolu (Liberation Road), at Tütün Pier, symbolizing the arrival of the Bandırma Ferry in Samsun—an iconic moment in modern Turkish history.
Organized by the Lausanne Exchange Foundation and the Samsun Population Exchange Association, the ceremony began with a moment of silence followed by the Turkish National Anthem.
High-Level Participation from Thrace and Local Authorities
Among the attendees was Işık Sadık Ahmet, wife of the late Dr. Sadık Ahmet, the revered leader of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, and Honorary President of the Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace (FEP).
The ceremony was also attended by Samsun Governor Orhan Tavlı, AK Party Samsun MP Çiğdem Karaaslan, Samsun Metropolitan Mayor Halit Doğan, association members, protocol representatives, descendants of the population exchange, and local residents.
“A Sacred Journey to Memory, Not Tourism”
Speaking at the event, Özlem Danışman, Board Member of the Samsun Population Exchange Association, emphasized that visits to Greece by descendants of exchangees are not acts of tourism but deeply emotional journeys.
“Our visits to the lands where our ancestors were born—their homes, places of worship, and cemeteries—are sacred journeys of conscience and longing,” Danışman said.
“Through concerts, exhibitions, and shared tables, we demonstrate to the world a cultural unity that borders cannot divide. Between the two shores, we carry not only memories, but also the breath of peace.”
She also stressed that remembrance is not limited to honoring past suffering but includes raising a voice against present and future injustices.
“The carnations we cast into the sea on the 103rd anniversary of the population exchange are not only for the lives we lost, but for our longing for a world where borders do not divide people and imperialist ambitions do not claim lives,” she stated.
“Guided by the painful lessons of our ancestors, we once again proclaim: ‘Peace at home, peace in the world.’”
Carnations Laid into the Black Sea
The ceremony concluded with participants laying carnations into the Black Sea, accompanied by the traditional folk song “Vardar Ovası”, symbolizing remembrance, reconciliation, and the enduring call for peace between peoples.
