Oakleigh Grammar welcomed Ioannis Loverdos, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad, as part of his official tour of Australia and New Zealand.
The visit formed part of the Greek Government’s broader initiative to strengthen ties with the Greek diaspora across the Southern Hemisphere, recognising the enduring cultural, educational, and community contributions of Hellenic communities abroad.
Loverdos was accompanied by a distinguished delegation of officials, including Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of Greece to Australia and New Zealand; Athanasios Balermpas, Secretary-General for Interior and Organisation, Ministry of the Interior; Dimitrios Karnavos, Secretary-General for Citizenship; Aikaterini Ouli, Director-General for Citizenship; Zoi Tsirakopoulou-Gklinou, Secretary of Embassy, Deputy Minister’s Diplomatic Cabinet; and Dimitra Georgantzoglou, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne.
The delegation was warmly received by Oakleigh Grammar Board Chairman Chris Damatopoulos and Principal Mark Robertson, who shared the School’s rich 42-year history and its role in nurturing a vibrant, multicultural student body with strong Hellenic roots, as well as the School’s future masterplan.
During the visit, the dignitaries engaged with students in the School Library, toured the campus facilities, and visited the adjacent Sts Anargiri Greek Orthodox Church, a spiritual and cultural cornerstone of the local Greek Australian community.
The visit concluded with a shared meal at Vanilla, a beloved local Oakleigh establishment, further celebrating the deep bonds between Greece and the Greek diaspora in Melbourne.
“We are deeply honoured by the visit of Deputy Minister Loverdos and the esteemed delegation,” said Principal Robertson. “Their presence underscores the importance of cultural heritage and the enduring bonds between Greece and our school community.”
