Greek communities of Canberra, Melbourne and NSW commemorate OXI Day

·

The 80th anniversary of OXI Day yesterday was commemorated with heartfelt poems and speeches by the Greek communities of Canberra, Melbourne and New South Wales.

The October 28 holiday commemorates the day in 1940 when Greece rejected an ultimatum from fascist Italy to allow Axis troops to enter the country and occupy strategic locations. The refusal marked Greece’s entry into World War II on the Allied side.

READ MORE: October 28, 1940: The day Greek people bravely said ‘OXI’ to the Italians.

Here’s how the commemorations went down across the three states:

Greek Orthodox Community & Church of Canberra:

On Wednesday, the Greek Orthodox Community & Church of Canberra held a special ceremony at the Greek Embassy of Australia to celebrate OXI Day.

The event had a total of 220 people in attendance, running from 6-8pm in the gardens of the embassy. 25 children from the Greek School of Canberra performed songs and poems about OXI Day, followed by the Canberra Hellenic Dancers Atalanti group performing traditional Greek dances.

“We were very blessed that we got to celebrate this historic and religious event as a community, united to remember the fallen heroes of 28 October 1940, for they sacrificed their today for our tomorrow,” President of the Greek Orthodox Community & Church of Canberra, John Loukadellis, tells The Greek Herald.

Full Story HERE.

Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria:

The Greek Schools of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria commemorated OXI Day last night with a special Zoom event.

Many hundreds of children and parents took part in the digital commemoration, with some reciting poems, giving speeches and presentations.

The Greek Schools of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria commemorated OXI Day last night with a special Zoom event.

All of the activities were focused on the meaning and relevance of OXI Day.

“The Zoom event was a great success. It gave all the students a chance to continue performing and honour the heroic actions of the Greeks,” President of the Community, Bill Papastergiadis, tells The Greek Herald.

All of the activities were focused on the meaning and relevance of OXI Day.

Greek Orthodox Community of NSW:

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW organised a cocktail “COVID-Safe” event to mark the 80th anniversary of OXI Day last night.

Students from the Community’s Greek schools started the event with the singing of the National Anthems of Greece and Australia. This was followed by a small play, where students retold the events that occurred on OXI Day.

In attendance were the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Christos Karras, Leader of the Opposition, Jodi McKay, Member for Oatley, Mark Coure, and Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis, as well as a number of representatives from Greek communities across NSW.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

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

Advertisement

Latest News

Greek museums go digital in groundbreaking collaboration with Google

While its ancient masterpieces are world-famous, Greece also boasts a dynamic and ever-evolving modern and contemporary art scene.

Professor Polymeris Voglis to give online seminar on political prisoners in 20th century Greece

Political prisoners is a phenomenon that is not limited to the years 1946-1949 but runs through modern Greek history from the 1920s to 1974.

Theo Anousas to bring a taste of Kythera to Canberra with new Greek café ‘Ela’

28-year-old Theo Anousas is set to open Ela café in the coming weeks as part of the Hellenic Club of Canberra's recent renovations at Woden.

Aria Bolkus preselected as Labor’s candidate for Colton in 2026 SA election

Aria Bolkus has been officially preselected by the SA Labor Party as its candidate for the marginal seat of Colton in Adelaide’s west.

Greek Australian developer unveils $2.5 billion landmark project on the Gold Coast

The Landmark was officially launched last night by Aniko Group, led by prominent Greek Australian developer George Mastrocostas.

You May Also Like

How Commodore John Stavridis commemorates ANZAC Day every year

Every year, on April 25, Australians honour all those who have fallen, those who have served and all of those who continue to serve.

A return to the village: Are Greek Australians drawn to a slower life?

Many young Greek Australians now count the days between their holidays to Greece, desperate to return to the place their ancestors left.

Comedy and connection: The view through Arianna Papalexopoulos’ lens

Arianna Papalexopoulos, the multitalented writer, actor and digital creator speaks with The Greek Herald about all things Greek. Read more.