Türkiye marked the 103rd anniversary of the Turkish-Greek population exchange, a forced migration that reshaped the Aegean region and uprooted hundreds of thousands of people.
Signed on Jan. 30, 1923, under the Treaty of Lausanne, the agreement compelled roughly 400,000 ethnic Turks to leave Greece for Anatolia, while 1.2 million Orthodox Greeks moved from Türkiye to Greece.
The exodus left empty homes and shattered memories, forcing displaced families to start over in unknown lands.
Commemorative events were held across the country. In the northwestern province of Bursa’s Nilufer district, the municipality and a lausanne exchangees association hosted a concert which brought audiences together through songs reflecting shared cultural heritage.
Nilüfer Mayor Sadi Özdemir told attendees, “The exchange is not only about those who left, but also about the homes, half-lived lives and memories that remained. Preserving this heritage with both a responsibility and a tribute to our ancestors.”
In the capital Ankara, the Samsun Balkan Turks Association organized a formal ceremony at Anıtkabir, the final resting place of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, attended by descendants of exchangees.
The event began with a march and highlighted the historical significance of the population movement. On Cunda Island in Ayvalık in the western province of Balıkesir, the Ayvalık Girit Association held a commemoration at Mevlana Park, laying flowers in the sea and singing Türkiye’s national anthem in memory of those lost during the migration.
The 1923 exchange not only transformed the demographic map of Türkiye and Greece but also left a lasting cultural legacy. Over a century later, descendants continue to honor those who were forced to leave, keeping alive the songs, stories and traditions that link the two communities across generations.
