On Sunday, June 23, Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, his wife Lara Tikaidi and the Consul General of Greece in Adelaide, George Psiachas, were welcomed by a range of professional and stakeholder bodies in South Australia dedicated to the promotion of Hellenic culture and identity, including the advocacy of community interests through their respective organisations.
This meeting was a part of the Ambassador’s continued mission to engage and form relationships with the Greek community in SA, and followed his meeting with GOCSA and other community groups during his first trip to the state since the beginning of his tenure as the Greek Ambassador to Australia earlier this year.
In attendance at the meeting was Adoni Fotopoulos, President of Festival Hellenika, Helen Haltis, President of the Organisation of Hellene & Hellene-Cypriot Women of Australia SA Inc. (OEEGA) SA, Chris Despotakis, Owner/Manager at Radio ENA, Kosta Barkoukis, President of the Australian Hellenic Medical Charity Incorporated (AHMCI), Kosta Koutsonas, Chair of Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for SA (HACCI SA), and Chrysoula Melissinaki, President of the Greek Museum of Adelaide.
Each representative explained to the Ambassador the purpose, mission and goals of their organisation, including significant achievements and initiatives.
The Ambassador expressed his deep appreciation and admiration for the efforts that each person and their organisations have made in upholding Hellenism in South Australia, emphasising its crucial importance to the maintenance of Greek cultural identity in the diaspora.
The event was also an opportunity to bid farewell to Consul General Psiachas. Since the opening of the Consulate-General in Adelaide in 1977, Mr Psiachas has been the longest serving Consul General, working diligently and tirelessly for five-and-a-half years to advocate and form relations between the diaspora community in SA and the Greek State.
