AHEPA Australia’s NSW branch, in partnership with the Kostis Palamas Centre, has successfully hosted a patriotic fundraising event to support the survival of Greek language in schools on small remote islands in Greece, including Pserimos, Erikoussa and Gavdos.
The event, held on Saturday, August 9 at the Ramsgate Life Saving Club, attracted strong community attendance despite adverse weather conditions.
The initiative forms part of a wider campaign led by the International Hellenic Association (IHA), a global body of approximately 5,000 members drawn from the academic community and other professional fields, including former ambassadors, senior military officers and authors.
Fundraising efforts were boosted by the donation of books from poet and author Theodoros Dalmaris, an IHA member, which were given to sponsors at the event. Additional titles by Dr Pipina Elli and the Kostis Palamas Centre will also be sold, with proceeds going directly to the cause.
The IHA programme is spearheaded by its founder, Captain Evangelos N. M. Rigos, and aims to strengthen both the survival and development of Greece’s small island communities.
A key component of the campaign is the provision of free Greek language education – both in-person and online – to children abroad who may not have access to Greek schools, as well as to adults who never had the chance to learn the language.
In collaboration with General Dimitrios Voggolis, President of the Patris – World Academy of Romiosyni, and coordinator of free Greek language classes for the diaspora, the programme provides lessons delivered by qualified teachers who assess the language level of each student. The only requirement is an annual IHA membership fee of €50.
The initiative also aims to engage young Greek parents overseas who do not speak Greek themselves, enabling them to assist their children in learning the language. Online classes are expected to be of particular benefit to these families.
Enrolments for the next intake begin in September, and organisers are calling on the Greek Australian community to nominate students promptly.
Saturday’s event raised more than $3,000 from business sponsors, with further pledges of support still to be confirmed. The list of donors and their contributions will be forwarded to both the IHA and Patris.
Event organisers extended their thanks to all attendees and supporters, highlighting the importance of collective action in preserving the Greek language for future generations.
