The Pan Macedonian Federation of South Australia brought together the nation’s Greek Macedonian community in a powerful display of unity, culture and philanthropy at its MAZI (Together) National Gala 2026, held on Saturday, May 2, at the Donato Centre in Kilkenny.
Drawing attendees from across Australia, the evening embodied its title, mazi, meaning “together”, as community leaders and families gathered to celebrate shared heritage while supporting a meaningful charitable cause.
Part proceeds from the evening were directed to AusHealth in SA, which supports, amongst other things, medical research and advancements in cancer treatment and early detection.
The evening’s cultural display formed a central highlight, featuring a compressive program of traditional dance performances from five distinguished groups across Australia: the Pontian Brotherhood of South Australia, the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia Dance Academy, the Flambouro Philanthropic Society of SA, the Greek Community of Melbourne’s dance group, and the Aristotelion Academy of Greek Traditional Dance.
Each ensemble presented regional traditions through music, costume and choreography, reflecting the diversity and continuity of Hellenic and Macedonian cultural uniqueness.
Among the speakers was the Consul General of Greece in Adelaide, Dr Alexandra Theodoropoulou, who delivered a reflective address centred on intergenerational continuity and the enduring strength of the diaspora.
The Consul General acknowledged the “generation that helped build this great organisation in Adelaide … by bringing culture to the wider community.”
Turning to the younger generation, she added: “At the same time, it is equally important to honour our young people.”
“I saw them from the moment I entered—full of energy and hope for the future. They enjoy the dancing, they enjoy travelling, and I am certain they take great joy in visiting not only places across Australia but also Greece, where they can reconnect with the energy and culture of the homeland,” the Consul said.
“Very often, the heart of Greece and Macedonia beats strongly outside Greece, because here we see a ‘small Greece’ and a ‘small Macedonia.’ And that is something truly remarkable. In a place as distant as Australia, the heart of Greece beats loudly and beautifully.”
The President of the Pan Macedonian Federation of Australia and current President of the World Pan Macedonian Association, George Kosmidis, delivered an address combining expressions of gratitude with reflections on identity and contemporary issues.
Emphasising the importance of, particularly, Macedonian identity, he stated that: “To be Greek is an honour and a source of pride, but to be both Greek and Macedonian is a double pride.”
Reflecting on the Prespa Agreement, Mr Kosmidis remarked that it was not simply a matter of compromise, but a decision with broader implications for identity and language at an international level.
He emphasised that the issue extended beyond simple naming, suggesting that the agreement carried wider consequences in terms of recognition and its use in international contexts, and that focusing on the name alone did not fully capture the complexity of the issue.
“It was the recognition of a Macedonian nationality and a Macedonian language. It was about the right of others to call themselves Macedonian, without clearly explaining what is meant by that term and how it is defined,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Mr Kosmidis declared: “Macedonia today is, and will always be, Greek… Some patriots, for 40 years, and by the end of this year, 70 years, have been striving to prove that their homeland is entirely Greek; that Macedonia is one.”
Throughout the evening, the atmosphere was one of pride and unity, reflecting both the strength of the Greek Macedonian identity in Australia and the capacity of the community to mobilise around shared values, cultural celebration and a philanthropic initiative.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Peter Tantalos
