“The Lemnos’ Friends of ANZAC” Association
International Conference for the Gallipoli Campaign, title: ¨The First World War in the Mediterranean –
For the first time, so systematically in Greece, an international conference took place at Varos Village Hotel
Lemnos, to highlight the role of the island in the Battle of Gallipoli, organized by "The Lemnos’ Friends of
ANZAC “ Association ( June 26th-28th, 2015)
Primarily investigated in detail, the political and military components of the notorious Gallipoli campaign,
which held a significant extent developments in Thracian and Asia Minor battlefield and is ( for many
reasons, both good and bad) a high valued historical fact. As noted in the conference, the Gallipoli
Campaign, as a historical event took place to provide from its allies, "Entente", aid to Russia so as not to
isolate the Black Sea and the Allied defeat and held the future of Istanbul. Particular attention was paid to
the causes that led to the defeat of the Allies with very interesting approaches from professors of maritime
history and other specialists of the Australia, US, France, Britain, Turkey and Greece.
The Battle of Gallipoli rose the star of Mustafa Kemal, the future founder of the Turkish Republic, whose
military tactics characterized aggressive.
According to what speakers have said, the coalition forces underestimated the opponent and had not been
prepared adequately for the campaign. With organizational, strategic, operational and tactical
shortcomings, led to painful and humiliating defeat by the Ottoman army which been helped by the German
forces of Otto von Sanders, the famous German General of the WW1. Young, well-educated and ambitious
Ottomans officers whose professional future was in this battle, contributed to the Allied defeat.
Lemnos played an important role in this great moment in world history.
The army of the Commonwealth had stayed in many different places on the island (Sharpi, Kallithea,
Moudros, Therma, Portianou, Punta), participated in the daily life, sharing their love, sadness, joy and
above all peace which lacked than the opposite coast of Gallipoli.
The historical fact of the landing at Gallipoli helped to recognize the national identity of the countries of
Australia and New Zealand, which for this reason, made as a national day of creation of their own State,
the day of Landing, ie April 25, which then, refers in world history, as Anzac Day. One of the many
outcomes of this conference was the Archaeological Institute from Sydney in Athens' proposal, to create
and set an international survey so, more official datas will be in process . This step will help to make more
strong and successful the idea of the creation of “ the ANZAC Path for Peace ‘ which will be a very
important sign of remembrance of the International Community to Lemnos . The Institute with its great
experience on research , offered its methodology to make this important survey to succeed and to present
this to the Greek Ministry of Culture and to all the distinguished universities and scientific institutes in the
world. All participants and the Association of course, accepted this great
"The Lemnos' Friends of Anzac" Association, founded in March 2014, and aims to highlight the role of
Lemnos island in this historic battle as well as the WW1, in general .
This international English-speaking Conference, held under the auspices of H.E. the
President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Prokopios Pavlopoulos and invited and spoke eminent professors
worldwide such as: John B. Hattendorf (The USA Naval War Museum), Geoffrey Till (The King's College
London), Serhat Guvenc (Kadir Has University of Istanbul), Alexandre Sheldon-Duplaix (Head of research
and education history at the service of Defense Ministry of France), Lita Tzortzopoulou-Gregory, (special
advisor to the Australian Archaiological Institute at Athens). Natalia Vogeikoff-Brogan,( The American
School of Classical Studies at Athens), Hon. John Pandazopoulos, (President of the World Hellenic Inter-
Parliamentary Union) and from the Greek side, Evanthis Hatzivassiliou (Professor of Modern History at the
University of Athens), Zisis Fotakis (Lecturer of the School Naval Academy),Vlassis Vlassidis (Assistant
professor, University of Macedonia), Dionysis Chourchoulis (Greek Open University) , Marina Petrakis
(independent researcher) and Theofanis Vlachos from the Army History Directorate. Professor Christos
Boulotis, Battlefield Archaeologist from the Greek Parliament Foundation and the University of Athens, also
present his papers to the conference,
It was covered by many media from all over Greece and abroad.
Similar events will be organized annually by the Association, aiming to historical and cultural highlight of
Lemnos, July 2015
