The Hellenic Initiative Australia hosted a special exhibition and reception in Sydney on Friday, May 29 in honour of Greek visual artist and designer Caroline Rovithi, whose touring exhibition Two Homelands, One Heart has resonated with audiences across Australia.
The event brought together members of the Greek Australian community, business leaders and dignitaries to celebrate themes of identity, migration, memory and belonging reflected throughout Rovithi’s work.
Among those in attendance were Consul General of Greece in Sydney George Skemperis and members of the Consular staff, President of The Hellenic Initiative Australia George Kailis, Executive Director of Business Sydney Paul Nicolaou, and other distinguished guests.
The Honorary Consul General of Greece in Queensland, George Mastrocostas, who also serves as a Director on the Board of The Hellenic Initiative Australia, delivered the keynote address of the evening.
In an emotional speech, Mr Mastrocostas reflected on the enduring connection many Greek Australians maintain with their ancestral homeland.
“Greece is the voice of our grandparents. It is the smell of bread, incense and coffee. It is the icon in the corner. It is the sound of our name being spoken in a way that reminds us who we are,” he said.
“Greece is memory. Greece is patrida. And patrida is not simply where we come from. It is what we carry.”
Mr Mastrocostas also spoke about the dual identity experienced by many Greek Australians, describing it not as a division, but as a strength.
“We are proudly Australian. We are deeply Greek. We do not live with a divided heart. We live with an enlarged one,” he said. “We have been blessed with two homelands, but one soul.”
The evening highlighted the important role art and cultural events continue to play in strengthening ties between Greece and the Greek diaspora in Australia.
Organisers described the exhibition as both a celebration of heritage and a reflection on the emotional experience of migration and identity across generations.
The exhibition Two Homelands, One Heart has toured across Australia, drawing strong engagement from communities connected to Hellenism and multicultural Australia.
Closing the evening, speakers reflected on the broader contribution of Greek Australians to national life and the importance of continuing to preserve and share those stories with future generations.
“The Greek story in Australia is not a footnote,” Mr Mastrocostas said. “It is part of the Australian story itself.”
