Pan-Pontian Federation

Pontos is a historic region located along the southern coast of
the Black Sea, in what is now northeastern Turkey. For over
3,000 years, it was home to a vibrant and resilient Greek
population known as the Pontian Greeks. With deep roots in
Hellenic, Byzantine, and local traditions, Pontian Greeks
developed a distinct cultural identity—expressed through their
unique dialect, music, dances, religious traditions, cuisine, and
strong sense of community. Despite centuries of foreign
occupation, particularly under Ottoman rule, the Pontian
people maintained their language, customs, and Orthodox
Christian faith.
In the early 20th century, the Pontian Greek population faced
one of the darkest chapters in its history. During the period of
the Greek Genocide (1913–1923), hundreds of thousands of
Pontian Greeks were murdered, forcibly deported, or displaced
from their ancestral homeland as part of a broader campaign
of ethnic cleansing. Survivors were scattered around the world,
many resettling in Greece, while others eventually made their
way to North America, carrying with them the memory of their
homeland and the pain of exile.