108th Anniversary of the Liberation of Ioannina

February 21, 2021

108th Anniversary of the Liberation of Ioannina

Today Epirotans and whole of Hellas celebrate the liberation of Ioannina, the geopolitical and financial center of Epirus, from the Ottoman Empire! It is a day of joy, a day of remembrance and a day of syllogism!

Joy that the years of occupation, aggression and oppression were finally over after numerous years of protest, resistance, war and human sacrifice! Joy that peace and human values have finally prevailed over the battered Epirotic land and Epirotans can live as free Hellenes!

A day for the next generations to remember, because freedom rarely comes overnight and never without protest and human sacrifice! We, the generations that live after the liberation should never forget what our ancestors had to endure for us to enjoy this freedom!

Syllogism – thoughtfulness – that this freedom should not be taken for granted! Not all Epirotan Hellenes can live and express themselves as freely, as the ones living in the Hellenic part of Epirus! Enemies and dangers to freedom and liberty are unfortunately always lurking around the corner!

It is indicative that 108 years after the liberation of Ioannina, the Hellenic Republic still has to fight for its sovereignty against Turkish aggression.

It is up to us and the coming generations to safeguard this freedom and this liberty!

In memory of all the humans who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Ioannina, MEMORY ETERNAL, ΑΙΩΝΙΑ Η ΜΝΗΜΗ!

For the Panepirotic Federation of America John Katsimbaris President

Oxi Day 2020: A Message From Our President

Dear Epirotans and other Hellenic Compatriots,

Today, It has been 80 years since Ioannis Metaxas and the Hellenic Nation cried out “OXI” to the fascist nvaders of our country!

The strength of our people fighting the intruders didn’t derive from strong and mighty weapons, it emanated from their heart and inner spirit to defend their Nation, protect their families, the land of their ancestors, and the Hellenic identity! This is a ‘strength’ that weapons cannot match!

Our beloved Epiros was in the forefront of the battles! The Italian artillery started pounding on the Epirotic mountains in Kalpaki early in the morning of October 28th, 1940! A piece of unprecedented history was about to be written. The Hellenic Forces not only defended their positions, but also managed to counter attack and liberate the land of Northern Epiros! One-by-one the North Epirotic cities and towns of Korytsa, Premeti, Delvino, Aghioi Saranta, Argyrokatro and Himara were seeing the soldiers of the VIII (8th) division of the Hellenic Army liberate them!

It was not ‘just’ a victory for the Hellenic Nation; it was the first victory against the advancing axis powers in Europe. People of nations like Poland, France, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark and others, which were under Nazi occupation, saw for the first time a spark against the axis powers, a slap on Mussolini’s & Hitler’s ‘face’! Subsequently, Hitler had to delay his invasion of the Soviet Union by 3 months in order to ‘capture’ Greece first, with all the consequences of battling during the Russian winter and of the historical defeats that followed.

Today, I commemorate my grandfather Ioannis, who fought with the 51st Battalion in the battle of Vasilitsa under Colonel Davakis and in the battle of Premeti under General Katsimitros! As Hellenes, we commemorate our ancestors fighting for our Nation and our Ideals! As Americans, we commemorate the Hellenic struggle, which consequently lead to the liberation of Europe from the axis powers! As citizens of the world, we commemorate the Hellenic spirit, which initiated the defeat of fascist and nazi ideologies!

The lessons of ‘OXI’ day are today more contemporary than ever! Let the struggle of our ancestors and the battles in the blood drained land of Epiros be a reminder to every aggressor and invader that the Hellenic spirit of humans defending their freedom and ideals cannot be defeated by weapons or other material means!

ΖΗΤΩ Ο ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΣ! ΖΗΤΩ ΤΟ ΕΘΝΟΣ!

Ioannis (John) Katsimbaris President of Panepirotic Federation of America

Panepirotic Federation of America Declaration on the Conversion of Aghia Sophia

The Panepirotic Federation of America is appalled by the decision of Mr Erdogan and the Turkish authorities to initiate the use of Aghia Sophia of Constantinople as a mosque. 

Aghia Sophia was declared a museum by Kemal Ataturk for a reason! 

It was a turning point of the Turkish state and society, bringing the country closer to humanistic and democratic principles of the western world. 

Aghia Sophia was treated as ‘spoils of war’ by the Ottoman Muslims, the way barbaric traditions were performed by humans during that era. Many of its marvelous frescos, iconographies and mosaics were destroyed or covered with plaster, a primitive way to show power and imperialist supremacy! 

Human soul and behavior has evolved since the 15th century and mankind does not need primitive ways to show superiority. 

Islam has its own architectural wonders, does it really need to steal from Christianity, occupy a Christian Cathedral in order to feel superior? Don’t the Turkish authorities and Mr. Erdogan understand that it is actually their own religion they are offending by using a ‘former’ Christian Cathedral for their prayers and rituals, as if they do not have any monumental mosques built exclusively for that purpose? 

Even if immature Ottoman rulers behaved as such 500+ years ago, do Turkish leaders have to repeat such primitive behavior over again in the 21st century? 

As Hellenes from the region of Epiros, we know what inhumane conditions our ancestors had to endure under Ottoman Islamic rule. It is just over a century that most of Epiros was liberated from Ottoman occupation. The remnants of autocratic oppression can be seen in form of monuments on Epirotan soil! 

Mr. Erdogan does not respect the dignity and human rights of his own citizens, why would he respect the dignity of monuments of some other religion. He is unfortunately repeating the mistakes of the Ottomans namely, oppression, brutality, violence, imperialism! He is catapulting Turkish society 500+ years back! We urge him to look into the translation of the formal Cathedral and museum he is undignifying, “Aghia Sophia” the “Holy Wisdom”! Even a minuscule piece of wisdom should be enough to let Mr Erdogan and the Turkish authorities rise to the expectations of the 21st century! 

Kemal Ataturk brought Turkey to the 20th century by making Aghia Sophia into a museum. He reached out a hand of friendship to the multiple ethnicities of Constantinople alias Istanbul and to the developed world. He rose to the expectations of his era! Recep Tayip Erdogan is catapulting a whole state and society back to the 15th century! 

Aghia Sophia of Constantinople was not the first former Christian Church to have been converted into a museum and reconverted into a mosque by the Turkish authorities under Mr Erdogan. Aghia Sophia of Trabzon, a small church from the 13th century, had the same fate 7 years ago! Evidently, it was a tryout, the world did not protest much. Various other reconversions followed. 

The Turkish authorities under Mr Erdogan have shown that, as also in the case of pastor Andrew Brunson in 2017, they will not budge from their extremist and primitive acts if there is no international pressure from countries they fear. In 2017, President Trump managed to take actions that lead to the release of pastor Brunson! 

President Trump, as Americans, citizens and residents of this great nation, roughly 3.5 million Americans of Greek decent, many from the region of Epiros, look up to You for leadership concerning Aghia Sophia! President Trump, take action, do the right thing! 

For the Panepirotic Federation of America, 

John Katsimbaris
President