Fonds F0799 - Michalis Mouratidis collection

Michalis Mouratidis was born in the village of Panagista, Pella, Greece in 1943. In 1946, during the Greek Civil War, he was relocated with his family to Veria.

Mouratidis was active in sports during his youth and was a member of the National Youth Team and Panhellenic champion in the 3000- and 5000-meter steeplechase. He married Eleftheria (Roula) Argyropoulou and together they had three children, Kosmas, Angelos and Dimitri.

Mouratidis immigrated to Canada in 1966 and settled in Toronto. He trained as a dental technician and worked for Royal Dental Lab as a denturist.

An active member of the Greek Canadian community, Mouratidis was an executive member of many organizations and associations, including the Cultural-Athletic Association "Omiros”, the Pontian Brotherhood of Toronto "Panagia Soumela”, the Greek Community of Toronto, the Panpontian Federation of the USA – Canada, and the Cultural Association of the Prefecture of Imathia "Vergina".

From 1976-1978 Mouratidis served as the president of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto. From 1978-1980, Mouratidis was the president of the Greek Community of Toronto’s Cultural Centre, during which time he established a replica museum with cast copies of ancient Greek statues.

From 1988-1990 he was a member of a Five-member National Council responsible for addressing national and community problems.

In 1989, Mouratidis was honoured for his contributions with a Man of the Year Award, presented by then-president of the Greek Community of Toronto, Anastasios Karantonis.

From 1990-1992, Mouratidis was on the Board of Directors for the Greek Community of Toronto.

In 1990, Mouratidis also played an active role in fundraising for the Chair of Modern Greek Studies at York University.

Mouratidis served as the first president of the Pan-Pontian Federation of USA and Canada, established in 1980. In this role, he oversaw the proclamation of 1982 as the year of “Hellenism in Pontus and Asia Minor” as well as the establishment of the Day of Remembrance of the Pontian Genocide, observed annually on May 19.

In 1991, Michalis and Roula Mouratidis pioneered the establishment of the Cultural Association of the Prefecture of Imathia "Vergina".

Together with his wife Roula, Mouratidis has worked to highlight and commemorate the history of the Pontian Genocide in Canada through exhibits, lectures, and visits to the Canadian Parliament to advocate for recognition.

Mouratidis has a long-held passion for history, and has been collecting books, photographs, albums, newspapers, and other materials from the Greek community in Toronto for many years. He is the author of a photographic memory book titled “Μνήμες”, published in 1989, as well as a book on the history of Greeks in Toronto titled “Όσα Δεν Έσβησε Ο Χρόνος: Ελληνική Κοινότητα Τορόντο”, published in 2016.

Mouratidis continues to reside in Toronto and plays an active role in the community.