Three generations of Greek women in Australia enjoy AHEPA NSW event

·

With music, a ‘parade’ of traditional clothes, community history and a table laden with savoury and sweet foods, AHEPA NSW Inc. honoured International Women’s Day 2024.

The event was organised by Chapter Antigone with special guests including members of the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney and UNSW Hellenic Studies lecturer Dr Vasilis Adrahtas.

AHEPA NSW.
AHEPA NSW.

For some years, Dr Adrahtas has studied the history of AHEPA. As the Keynote Speaker, he presented the roles women played in AHEPA in Australia between the formal entry into the organisation in 1953 and 1959, when the association expanded rapidly. As Dr Adrahtas stated, this growth was due largely to the initial organised presence of the ladies within the Australian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association two decades after its founding.

Chapter Antigone also had a special surprise in store for the event, presenting its annual International Women’s Day Award for service to Australian Hellenism to Liana Vertzayias, President of the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney.

The award recognised her decades of service to Australian Hellenism through theatre, university student associations, folkloric groups and especially the Hellenic Lyceum.

Young ladies of the Hellenic Lyceum brought colour and a different flavour to AHEPA NSW Hall, modelling the traditional clothes of five regions of Hellenism: Pontos, Macedonia’s Emathia district, Mani, Kalymnos island and the ‘Amalia.’

They were accompanied by Theodora Zourka and Irene Tsenkas who spoke about the different items of clothing and jewellery, about how the clothes were worn, as well as select historical associations.

It was a beautiful – somewhat different – event, filled with Hellenic tradition, involving three generations of Australian Hellene women representing the past, the present and the future of Australian Hellenism. 

AHEPA NSW Inc. President Demetris Papanagiotou invited everyone to support all the 90th anniversary of AHEPA NSW events being organised, especially the AHEPA Sunday luncheon on May 26.

AHEPA NSW Inc invites everyone to the next event in its 90th anniversary celebrations – honouring Greek Independence Day on Wednesday, March 27 at AHEPA NSW Hall, Princes’ Highway, Rockdale from 7pm. The Keynote Speaker will be lawyer and historian Costa Vertzayias.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Panayiota Dimopoulos’ OXI Day artwork takes pride of place on The Greek Herald cover

Panayiota Dimopoulos from Oakleigh Grammar designed The Greek Herald’s OXI Day cover, capturing the shared history of Greece and Australia.

Greek and Cypriot leaders honour OXI Day with messages to Australia’s Greek diaspora

Greek and Cypriot politicians and diplomats have issued messages to Australia’s Greek diaspora ahead of the OXI Day celebrations.

Greek Film Festival wraps 30th year with a triumphant Sydney finale

The curtain fell on the 30th Greek Film Festival in Sydney on Sunday night with a sold-out screening of Athens Midnight Radio.

Pan Macedonian Federation of SA launches the 44th Dimitria Greek Festival

On Friday, October 24, the Pan Macedonian Federation of South Australia officially launched the 44th Dimitria Greek Festival.

Youth, veterans and faith at the heart of Australia’s OXI Day tributes

In the lead-up to OXI Day (28 October), Greek communities across Australia held a series of heartfelt commemorations.

You May Also Like

Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou to play in inaugural Australian Open event for hearing impaired

Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou to play in first ever international Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing tournament at the Australian Open.

Peter Papathanasiou’s new book addresses lack of Greek representation in outback noir

Peter Papathanasiou’s new book, The Stoning, addresses a lack of Greek representation in outback noir stories.

Thanasi Kokkinakis books showdown with Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon

Thanasi Kokkinakis won his maiden first round Wimbledon match overnight against Kamil Majchrzak in three sets 7-6(5) 6-2 7-5.