The publication coincides with and honors the completion of 100 years since the period 1916-1922, which was one of the most tragic and adventurous in the long history of Hellenism. The protagonists and witnesses of this period are our ancestors, who speak to us and provide their testimonies.

They are the heroes of the Pontic Resistance, who with unparalleled determination and bravery offered epic resistance to the exterminating intentions of the Turks, and their struggles are among the greatest in Hellenism. One of the paradoxes of Greek History is that the names and struggles of these fighters are absent from its pages.

However, the fighting rebel of Pontus is not a new hero for Greece. As Palamas said, "The breath of Digenis everywhere shapes Kanaris, Karaiskakis, and Kolokotronis." It is an honor for those who alone "decided to guard Thermopylae" without needing a state call. The younger generations express their gratitude because they owe their lives to them. Close by are the testimonies of the grieving women with their shocking narratives orchestrated with the lament, which serve as an indictment of the crime of Genocide.

But their testimonies are not limited only to the hardships, the exterminating exiles, the relentless atrocities of the Turks, and the drama of refuge. They also constitute a comprehensive presentation of the elements that composed their social, economic, and cultural life.
Our ancestors, throughout their long presence in the blessed lands of the East, never ceased to maintain their national consciousness unscathed and their national spirit vigorous and proud, with unwavering faith in their indestructible ancestral traditions.

The book is a contribution to the preservation of Historical Memory. It will teach the younger generations that the Hellenism of the East was one of the most dynamic and most martyred parts of our Nation.