Gokceada (also known as Imroz) is a large Turkish island in the northern Aegean that, until recent decades, was predominantly Greek. Although it was not part of the 1923 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, Gokceada's Greek population has dwindled to almost nothing as its original residents left due to a combination of political, economic and social factors.
In recent years, Greek life on the island -- the birthplace of Bartholomew I, the current Orthodox Patriarch -- has seen something of a small revival, thanks mostly to the presence of former residents who have returned to the island to retire or spend their summers. But the island's Greek community has now received an interesting boost from the Turkish government, which has given permission for a Greek primary to be reopened on the island. From a Cihan news service report:
The Ministry of Education has given permission to the Greek community to open a primary school on Gökçeada (Imbros), an island in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Çanakkale province.
Laki Vingas, elected representative of non-Muslim foundations at the Council of the General Assembly of the Directorate General for Foundations (VGM), was quoted in the Milliyet daily on Thursday as saying that the ministry gave permission verbally and that the Greeks of Gökçeada can start the process of opening a Greek school on the island.
Turkey's Greek schools are on the verge of closure because the Greek community's population is close to the point of extinction. There are estimated to be only 180-200 Turkish citizens of Greek origin on Gökçeada, and the number of Greek students expected to attend a Greek school on the island is expected to be low. But Vingas said that even if there are 10 students, the initiative would be important because it gives hopes for the future of the Greek community in Turkey.
In total, there are 250 ethnic Greek students in Turkey attending the few Greek schools left in İstanbul. One of these schools is Zografyon Greek High School, established in 1893. It has only 40 students.
Another one is the Zapyon Greek Primary and High School of İstanbul. A long time ago, when it was established in 1875, it was a lively school with 1,500 students; now, it only has 110 students. It remains the only Greek school in Turkey comprising a kindergarten, a primary and a high school. There are only eight students in the first grade this year.
According to the report, Greek community leaders in Gokceada have said that families in Istanbul and Athens have expressed an interest in returning to the island if a school is opened. Still, it's fairly clear that while the permission to reopen the school is a positive move, finding students to fill it will be a serious challenge.
For more about Greek life on Gokceada, take a look at this story I filed for Eurasianet after a visit there in 2004 (when the photos accompanying this post were taken).
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