The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) welcomed the newly elected National Union of Greek Australian Students Victoria’s (NUGAS) committee to The Greek Centre for a roundtable discussion and agreed on the joint formation of a subcommittee that will formulate a plan on engaging with the youth.
The meeting was organised by ex-NUGAS president and current GCM Board Member Tass Sgardelis who emphasised the two organisations long history of collaboration. Joining Tass were GCM President Bill Papastergiadis OAM and Vice President Michael Karamitos who were also eager to listen to the new NUGAS committee’s vision, and to see how the GCM can best play a supporting role.
Discussions focused on the GCM facilitating a youth subcommittee with plans to meet once a month to collaborate on programs and events. NUGAS Co-Presidents Marissa Robotis and Billy Battista confirmed NUGAS’ interest in the proposal and expressed their excitement to the idea.
Bill Papastergiadis OAM stated that the youth subcommittee “is a pathway for input at a critical part of our community and which will assist in the facilitation of leadership for the GCM going forward.” Agreeing with Bill, Michael Karamitos explained that this current GCM board is “dedicated to creating a pathway in which the Greek Australian youth can directly communicate with the GCM and work together on new ideas.”
Further to discussing the youth subcommittee, Billy Battista and Marissa Robotis updated the GCM on their planned events including their End of Semester Festa a collaboration with VITA (Victorian Italian-Australian Tertiary Association). With this, the co-presidents explained a substantial focus of NUGAS’ 2023/24 executive team is to celebrate NUGAS’ 50-year anniversary with an alumni event.
The GCM delegation were enthusiastic about this project and where happy to offer a helping hand. Bill Papastergiadis OAM advised the NUGAS committee that “the GCM will value add where we can and help maximise [NUGAS’] vision. It is imperative that the GCM listens to the voices of NUGAS and is proactive in developing programs that allow for engagement on cultural and educational matters”.
NUGAS Education Officer Christina Savopoulos also spoke on the assistance the GCM gave with the 2022 VCE Oral Greek Exam Help Session and was looking to see how to further involve the GCM with future educational activities NUGAS plans to run. Christina stated that a great ambition of her education committee was to help assist post VCE students continue their journey with modern Greek into tertiary levels and beyond.
Tass Sgardelis who sits on the GCM’s education committee along with Bill Papastergiadis offered to help promote NUGAS’ educational activities within the GCM schools, but to also promote their programs further across the Greek schools in Victoria.
The youth subcommittee will have its first meeting in late July.
In attendance were:
- Bill Papastergiadis OAM | President of the Greek Community of Melbourne
- Michael Karamitos | Vice President of the Greek Community of Melbourne
- Tass Sgardelis | Board Member of the Greek Community of Melbourne
- Billy Battista | Co-President of NUGAS | MUnGA
- Marissa Robotis | Co-President of NUGAS | RUSH
- Jenna Pletsias | Secretary of NUGAS | DUGS
- Chris Giannaros | Treasurer of NUGAS | DUGS
- Christina Savopoulos | Education Officer of NUGAS | MUnGA
- Daphne Chryssanthakopoulos | Representing LUGS
- Theodora Tamvakis | Representing LUGS
- Angelica Spiliopoulos | Representing LUGS
- Christina Soupionas | Representing SHS
- Nikitas Koukounaras | Representing SHS
- Alek Paris | Representing DUGS
- Helena Kayalicos | Representing RUSH
- Natalia Makridi Ι RMIT / RUSH
- Demi Bour | Representing MHSS
- Krista Lymbouris | Representing MHSS
- Karly Georgantis | Independent/ Graduate
- Athan Robotis | Independent/ Graduate
- Will Dasopatis | Independent/ Graduate
 welcomed the newly elected National Union of Greek Australian Students Victoria’s (NUGAS) committee.){kind=link}