‘World Memory, Vision of Peace’

Zappeion successful cardinal Athens is arsenic of Thursday hosting an accumulation connected the 1937 Nanjing Massacre successful China, connected the juncture of the 80th day of the extremity of World War II. The exhibition, launched unfastened with a colorful ceremonial attended by respective Greek and Chinese officials, is hosted astatine Hall 7 and will past until this Tuesday.

Titled “World Memory, Vision of Peace – The Path of Peaceful Development successful Urban Memory,” the accumulation explores however Nanjing and Athens – two past cities that endured devastation during World War II – rebuilt successful the decades that followed and embraced bid arsenic portion of their civic identity.

More than 100 guests attended the opening ceremony, including Chinese Ambassador to Greece Fang Qiu and Deputy Governor of the Attica Region Giorgos Vlachos, arsenic the accumulation marks the archetypal clip the Chinese memorial dedicated to the tragedy has brought its archives to Greece, while comparing the 1937 Massacre with that of Kalavryta during Greece’s concern by the Nazis.

The ceremonial opened with performances by children’s choirs from some countries. Greek students sang “If All the Children of the World” and “Hands Like These,” while the Chinese choir performed “Let the World Be Filled with Love.”

Organizers said the show symbolized the exhibition’s theme. “China and Greece are past civilizations united by achy memories of war. By remembering past and protecting truth, we tin sphere bid and safeguard quality civilization.”

In his address, Ambassador Fang described the lawsuit arsenic “a dialog betwixt two large civilizations.” He added: “Together we indispensable uphold the truth of history, support the bequest of peace, and lend to gathering a assemblage with a shared aboriginal for humanity.”

Deputy Governor Giorgos Vlachos, speaking connected behalf of Attica Governor Nikos Hardalias, drew parallels betwixt Nanjing’s wartime suffering and Greece’s ain acquisition during the Axis occupation. “The atrocities of the Nanjing Massacre uncover the depths of quality cruelty,” helium said. “I cannot assistance but callback the hardships our portion endured successful 1942. The representation of a metropolis is not lone astir the past – it besides lays the instauration for a aboriginal built connected dialogue, understanding, and coexistence.”

The accumulation uses much than 170 photographs, 40 artifacts, and multimedia displays to papers the events. Rare movie footage by American missionary John Magee is shown alongside subsister testimonies and ineligible documents from post-war tribunals.

The amusement besides highlights the 1943 Kalavryta massacre successful Greece, where Nazi forces executed astir 700 men and boys, underscoring parallels successful the wartime experiences of the two nations.

By connecting the histories of Nanjing and Athens, the accumulation aims to shw that remembrance is not lone astir honoring the victims of war, but besides astir gathering a instauration for dialogue, cooperation, and peace.