Community Leaders Across Australia Support Motion to Recognise 1915 Genocides

A coalition of over 35 community and religious leaders from diverse groups, including Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish, Cypriot, Tamil, Tigray, Lebanese, Indian Hindu, Christian, and Islamic backgrounds, have united in support of a future motion in the Victorian Parliament to recognise the 1915 Genocides officially.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia reported this significant push.

Among the organisations lending their support are major community and religious bodies such as:

Support for the initiative has been expressed through formal letters from:

• Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
• Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia
• Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU)
• Australian Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Advocacy Network
• Assyrian Australian Social Development Club
• Assyrian Church of the East Australia
• Assyrian Democratic Movement
• Assyrian Democratic Organisation
• Assyrian National Council - Australia
• Australian Assyrian Arts and Literature Foundation
• Australian Hellenic Council
• Australian Tigray Alliance
• Beth Nahrain Assyria Association
• Cypriot Community of  Melbourne and Victoria
• Darebin Ethnic Communities Council
• Educational Institution Hellenism of Anatolia
• Federation of Pontian Associations Australia
• Federation of Greek Elderly Citizens
• Food For Thought Network
• Greek Australian Cultural League of Melbourne
• Hellenic Writers Association
• Jewish Hellenic Association of Victoria
• Maronite Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania
• Pan Australian Justice For Cyprus
• Pansamian Brotherhood of Melbourne Pythagoras
• Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria
• Phoenix the New Generation
• Pontic Educational and Cultural Association of Melbourne Victoria “Akrites Tou Pontou”
• The Australian Federation of Pontian Associations
• The Greek community of Victoria
• The Pan-Epirotic Federation of Australia
• The United Australian Lebanese Movement
• The Young Assyrians
• Return to Anatolia
• Victorian Council of Churches

The collective backing, which includes formal letters from the heads of these groups, urges the Victorian government to formally acknowledge the genocides against the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks during the Ottoman Empire in 1915. The letter from the Victorian Council of Churches, signed by President Rev. Deacon Dr Joseph Leach and Executive Officer Rev Dr Sandy Boyce, emphasized the importance of recognition for historical accuracy and as a means of reconciliation for the descendants of genocide survivors. It also stressed that recognition is vital to preventing future atrocities.

“Recognition of these Genocides is not only important to affirm history but also serves as a means to reconcile the past and provide a sense of closure to the descendants of genocide survivors. In a broader sense, recognition also plays an integral part in preventing future genocides—a view that genocide scholars widely support,” the letter stated.

Michael Kolokossian from the Armenian National Committee of Australia expressed confidence that the motion would gain overwhelming support from both sides of politics. “We are confident that such a motion has overwhelming support in both houses from all sides of politics and that the passage is simply a matter of time,” Kolokossian said.

Peter Stefanidis, President of the Australian Hellenic Council - Victoria, remarked on the importance of truth and justice, highlighting the Victorian Parliament’s record of supporting human rights, including banning Nazi insignia and fostering reconciliation for Indigenous Australians. “However, certain forces are pushing for a parliament of genocide denial. It cannot be both,” Stefanidis argued.

Kos Samaras, former assistant state secretary of the Victorian Labor Party, strongly supported the motion and condemned those who have attacked the Victorian Greens over the issue.

Chris Crewther, the Member for Mornington, also publicly supported the motion, posting on social media to urge Parliament to back the genocide recognition. “There are times in politics and life when one must have the moral courage to do the right thing, regardless of political considerations or self-interest. That’s why Parliament needs to support the upcoming motion to recognise the genocide of Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians,” Crewther said.

The effort to pass the motion is part of the Joint Justice Initiative, launched in February 2020 at Australia’s Parliament House. The initiative aims to have the Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek genocides officially recognised by Australia, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian National Council - Australia (ANC), and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC).

This collective move underscores the deep commitment to securing formal recognition for the atrocities of 1915, ensuring that the victims' memory is honoured and that future generations understand the importance of acknowledging such historical events.