Did you know? This August 20 marks the 75th anniversary of the Blackest August of 1949, and the 21st anniversary of when our refugee children were allowed to return home to Aegean Macedonia in 2003.

August 20, 2024, marks 75 years since the “Blackest August” of 1949 and the 21st anniversary since political refugees were allowed to return home to Lehrin in 2003.

After 55 years, many refugee children could finally see their homes and families again; with the 1982 repatriation law change, they could enter Greece for a maximum of 20 days from 20 August 2003 to 30 October 2003. Although, a large number of refugees were turned back at the border because their passports listed their native village with the old Macedonian name.

Vinozhito organized a symbolic reception for the Macedonian political refugees who were allowed to enter Greece. The reception included relatives of the refugees still living in Greece. Below is the transcript of the emotional speech of Vera Foteva, who was finally allowed to return home on August 20, 2003.

“Dear friends from Lerin. Today, for the first time in 50 years, I am in my country where I was born! The state for which we fought to have rights and freedoms as a Macedonian minority. We are grateful to the Greek government and our comrades who made it possible for us to be here after so many years. This day is a great historical day for all of us. But more so for us, because we were finally allowed to come and visit our native places. There is a lot to talk about. This August 20 is joy for me, but there was another August 20 in 1949, the black August for us. All of us who are here, from 2 to 14 years old then, now from 60 to 65 years old, we can finally be here.”

Photos courtesy of Anna Curry and Vangel Tanurovski.