The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) in collaboration with Pontiaki Estia, will present a lecture by Dean Kalimniou entitled “Sliding Doors: The Crypto-Christians of Pontus & the Negotiation of Ethno-Religious Identity”, on Wednesday 16 May 2018, at the Greek Centre. The lecture is part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the GCM.

The lecture will focus on the fascinating case of two communities, the Kromlides and the Stavriotes, who periodically belonged to the Orthodox and Muslim communities during Ottoman times and were compelled to negotiate through prevailing expectations and stereotypes, along with a discriminatory legal system poised upon reform, at a time of great political foment and change.

“The talk is given as part of the many community events organised by the Co-ordinating Committee for the Commemoration of the Pontian Genocide, for the weekend culminating in the 19th May, which is Pontian Genocide Remembrance Day,” said Dean Kalimniou.

“The talk is dedicated to the memory of Olga Siranidis, and I thank Mrs Roma Siachou for choosing this talk as a means of remembering such a special person’.

Dean Kalimniou is also a well-known poet and short story writer within the Greek community. As a journalist he is popular within the Greek community of Australia through his column in the Melbourne Greek newspaper Neos Kosmos, entitled Diatribe, which has been running since 2001. He has published six poetry collections and has also translated numerous works of prominent Greek-Australian authors from Greek into English. In November 2007, Dean Kalimniou was awarded a Government of Victoria Award for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs.

When: Wednesday, 16May 2018, 7.00pm
Where: Greek Centre, (Level 1, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne)