Monument Vandalised in Thessaloniki Memorial Park

Learner News | 23/11/2024

Today’s Greek Learner News looks at a recent act of vandalism on a Thessaloniki monument. Authorities are taking action to identify the perpetrators, while restoration efforts are underway. Discover who’s behind the monument’s recovery mission.

Monument Vandalised in Thessaloniki Memorial Park

The news in Greek

Το Μνημείο1 του Ποντιακού και Μικρασιατικού Ελληνισμού στη Θεσσαλονίκη υπέστη βανδαλισμό2 . Οι αστυνομικές3 αρχές εξετάζουν κάμερες για τους δράστες4 . Ο Δήμος κατήγγειλε5 τον βανδαλισμό6 και άρχισε την αποκατάσταση. Δήμαρχος καταδίκασε την πράξη ως προσβολή7 στην ιστορική μνήμη. Το μνημείο8 θα αποκατασταθεί από τον καλλιτέχνη Γιώργο Τσάρα.

  1. μνημείο (n.)
    έργο τέχνης ή κατασκευή για ανάμνηση ενός σημαντικού γεγονότος ή προσώπου ↩︎
  2. βανδαλισμός (m.)
    καταστροφή ή ζημιά σε περιουσία ή έργο τέχνης ↩︎
  3. αστυνομικός
    που σχετίζεται με την αστυνομία ↩︎
  4. δράστης (m.)
    άτομο που έχει διαπράξει παράνομη πράξη ↩︎
  5. καταγγέλλω
    κάνω επίσημη δήλωση για κάτι το παράνομο ή κατακριτέο ↩︎
  6. βανδαλισμός (m.)
    καταστροφή ή ζημιά σε περιουσία ή έργο τέχνης ↩︎
  7. προσβολή (f.)
    ενέργεια που προκαλεί προσβολή ή ασέβεια ↩︎
  8. μνημείο (n.)
    έργο τέχνης ή κατασκευή για ανάμνηση ενός σημαντικού γεγονότος ή προσώπου ↩︎

Translation

The Monument of Pontian and Asia Minor Hellenism in Thessaloniki has been vandalised. Police authorities are reviewing footage to identify the perpetrators. The Municipality reported the vandalism and has begun restoration. The Mayor condemned the act as an affront to historical memory. The monument will be restored by the artist Giorgos Tsaras.

Text Comprehension

Question: What are the police doing to find the vandals?

The police are examining camera footage to find the vandals.

Question: Who will restore the vandalised monument?

The artist Giorgos Tsaras will restore the vandalised monument.

Vocabulary

GreekEnglish
μνημείο (n.)monument
βανδαλισμός (m.)vandalism
αστυνομικόςpolice
δράστης (m.)perpetrators
καταγγέλλωreport
προσβολή (f.)insult

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Read the full story

Unveiled in June 2023, the monument is a significant installation, standing as a sculpted column six metres high, topped by seven illuminated birds symbolising the resilience of memory. It was erected as part of the park’s dedication to the history and memory of the Pontian and Asia Minor refugees.

The city’s administration has filed a formal complaint and is deeply concerned about the attack, which is suspected to have been motivated either by the attempted theft of metal or as an affront to those it commemorates. The vandals not only damaged the structure but also disabled its lighting system.

Monument Vandalised in Thessaloniki Memorial Park
Monument Vandalised in Thessaloniki Memorial Park

Mayor Simos Daniilidis expressed his disdain for the act, condemning those responsible as disrespectful. He underscored the offence inflicted upon the memory of ancestors who suffered in the past, suggesting that those involved are, in effect, aligning themselves with historical oppressors.

Efforts to restore the monument are underway, with the intent to return it to its former state as quickly as possible. The original creator, Professor Giorgos Tsaras of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s School of Fine Arts, will oversee the restoration process.

Info: “Greek Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Greek,” a language school dedicated to teaching Greek. We offer various types of online courses, including Greek classes that cater to different levels of proficiency.


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