The Association
The social and economic life of Kato Panagia on the Erythraea Peninsula of Asia Minor, came to a permanent end in early September 1922, when the Kemalist forces entered the community, carrying out massacres and acts of violence against the civilian population.
Forced by these tragic events, the people of Kato Panagia were compelled to abandon their ancestral homeland forever. Many settled on the nearby island of Chios, others moved to Athens and Piraeus, while another group established the new community of Kato Panagia in Kyllini, Elis, Greece.
Those who settled in Athens founded an association in 1933 with the aim of preserving their collective memory, strengthening solidarity among its members, and safeguarding their common interests. The organisation was originally established as the“Progressive and Philanthropic Association of Kato Panagia".In 1954, following an amendment to its statutes, it adopted the name“Association of People Originating from Kato Panagia, Asia Minor.”Today, it is officially known as the“Kato Panagia Association of Asia Minor”and is a founding member of the Federation of Refugee Associations of Greece (OPSE).
Through its public presence and collective action, the Association has remained active—with only brief periods of inactivity—continuing its mission of preserving the historical memory and cultural heritage of Kato Panagia for future generations.
Activities
- Preserving the Association’s historic headquarters in the centre of Athens, together with its Folklore Museum, which houses the historical artefacts of Kato Panagia, Asia Minor.
- Strengthening the Association and maintaining close contact with descendants in Greece and the Greek diaspora.
- Collecting family records, oral testimonies, genealogical information and historical heirlooms.
- Researching and collecting historical material for the continuous development of the Digital Archive.
- Events
Publications
.. DELTION of Kato Panagia is a rare leather-bound volume documenting the collective activities of the people of Kato Panagia in Athens, Kyllini, Chios and Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania) between 1956 and 1965.
.. Tou Choriou Mas (Our Village)published by the Association in 1958, brings together short stories and historical essays recalling the lost homeland of Ionia. Written by Periklis Papachatzidakis, Dimitrios Kleidas, Sophia Spanoudi, Nikos D. Tziotis, Giannis D. Kostidakis, Maria Sideri and Kostas P. Panagiotakis, the volume preserves the memories and literary heritage of Kato Panagia for future generations.
.. Ta Penintachrona tou Xerizomou (Fifty Years Since the Uprooting)a rare publication issued by the Association in 1972, commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the forced displacement of the people of Kato Panagia.
Folklore Collection
The Folklore Collection of Kato Panagia, housed at the Association's premises on Veranzerou Street in Athens, preserves a unique collection of historical objects and everyday artefacts from the lost homeland.
The collection includes traditional woven textiles, embroidery, handcrafted objects, historical documents of the Council of Elders, photographs, family heirlooms and everyday household items that illustrate life in Kato Panagia before 1922.