“Genocide, war, and resilience in Thessaloniki, Greece and beyond – A case study of a city’s past and current challenges” This Dialogue offers insights into a complex and unique history of genocide, war, and continuing ethnic diversity as experienced from the perspective of one city – Thessaloniki, Greece. Our journey begins with the exploration of the systematic persecution of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greek communities during the Armenian Genocide, and the expulsion of Greek refugees from Turkey to Thessaloniki and beyond; it continues with the Jewish Holocaust and a brutal Nazi occupation in a city that was home to the largest Jewish community in all of Greece; and ends with the city’s often strenuous and continuous regional challenges that include Greek-Turkish relations, a burgeoning refugee crisis, and deep climate-related economic impacts – the largest losses of any EU country. This program gives students the opportunity to learn about this difficult past in conversation with local experts and public servants, and members and descendants of the Greek, Armenian, and Jewish community in Thessaloniki. Students will trace how the city’s past is echoed in current political and societal challenges such as reflected in policies regarding migration, refugees, and other pressing issues. In close cooperation with the city’s Universities, and with time to immerse in the local culture and traditions, this program confronts the complex histories of violence but also celebrates the resilience of the communities in and around Thessaloniki.
To see photos from earlier iterations of the program, please visit this link: https://story.piktochart.com/share/Cvr1YBnpOg7563dOf2qh
See the Global Experience Office website for details.
