On Saturday, November 20, the presentation ceremony for awarding the Certificates of Attainment in Greek to the candidates who sat the May 2024 examinations was hosted at the Greek Centre, following the appointment of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) as the official examination centre for Victoria.
The Certificate of Attainment in Greek examinations have been held in Victoria for over 20 years. The number of examination candidates continues to grow with 34 candidates receiving 38 certificates this year, as the Certificate of Attainment in Greek is the only officially recognised Greek language qualification in Greece and the rest of Europe.
The event was opened by the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, who congratulated the successful students and emphasised that learning the Greek language is both an opportunity and a reason to learn. It is an opportunity to learn the language of one’s grandparents, parents and children, and an occasion to engage with Greek poetry and theatre—key areas of distinction for Greece, rooted in the power of the word.
The Deputy Consul for Educational Affairs for Australia and New Zealand, Maria Triantafyllou, congratulated those who participated in the examinations and encouraged continued efforts to learn the Greek language as a means of communication and a connection to Greek literature and culture.
President of the GCM, Bill Papastergiadis OAM, highlighted the honour of being entrusted with the responsibility of conducting Greek language proficiency examinations for the state of Victoria. He also recalled a talk he gave to the Greek Parliament a few years ago, during which students of Greek background from the United States, who spoke after him, addressed the audience in English. These students pointed out that, despite their Greek heritage, they felt like foreigners in Greece due to the language barrier. Mr Papastergiadis emphasised the importance of learning the Greek language, stressing the critical connection between language, identity and culture.
Head of the GCM’s educational programs, Dr Nick Dallas, spoke about the importance of being bilingual, noting that, despite the multicultural nature of the region in which we live, bilingualism remains an exception.
After the brief greetings, the certificates were awarded by Greek language teachers, the Consul General, and the President of the GCM to the successful candidates.
It is worth noting that the next Certificate of Attainment in Greek exams will be held in May 2025, and applications will be accepted from February 1 to March 20, 2025.
