“Sites of Memory, Places of Martyrdom”
Photography Exhibition
at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle

The new exhibition of the Museum Foundation of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia is titled “Sites of Memory, Places of Martyrdom.” It presents photographic material from the extensive field research conducted over many years by Nikos Kosmidis, documenting sites of memory and martyrdom across Europe and Greece.

Historical memory is not a simple recollection of the past but a living mechanism that allows societies to reflect on their course and redefine their values. Places of memory—spaces where remembrance takes on tangible and experiential form—play a crucial role in preserving this historical consciousness.

The exhibition “Sites of Memory, Places of Martyrdom”, curated by Professor Stavroula Mavrogeni of the Department of Balkan, Slavic, and Oriental Studies and Director of KEMIT–IMMA, presents, through rich photographic material, memorial sites and places of martyrdom from World War II in Greece and Europe. The selected photographs highlight the historical and moral significance of these locations—places of sacrifice, resistance, and human suffering—reminding us that the active preservation of memory is an act of responsibility and democratic awareness.

The exhibition is held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and is organized in collaboration with the program “Actions of History, Memory, and Culture”, with the support of the Thracian Art and Tradition Foundation. The general coordination is by Athina Pavlidou, Philologist–Museologist and Director of IMMA.

The photographs by Nikos Kosmidis, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Architecture at the Democritus University of Thrace, are part of a decade-long field study on sites and landmarks of dark memory across Europe, exploring the relationship between space, memory, and identity.

The exhibition reminds us that memory does not concern only the past—it concerns, above all, the present and the future. For only through memory can we lay the foundations for a more just, tolerant, and democratic world.

As part of the exhibition, thematic tours for the educational community will be organized, along with an educational program through which students will approach the history of World War II with a critical and contemporary perspective, reflecting on issues of identity, stereotypes, and collective responsibility.

Exhibition Duration: October 21, 2025 – January 31, 2026