The Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney held its “Commemoration to Motherhood” luncheon at the Australian Golf Club on Tuesday May 18.
Among the 160 guests who attended the event were the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras; Trade Commissioner, Katia Gkikiza; First lady, Jenny Morrison and special guest speaker, Professor Katherine Georgouras -the first female professor of dermatology in Australia and professor of Medicine of Greek origin and the first female appointed to the Senate of Sydney University who is also a racing car driver.
Dr Georgouras, a proud Castellorizian, mesmerised the guests with her humility and dedication to her family and talked about her parents’ sacrifices during the difficult years after WWII that shaped her as a human and a professional. A pleasant surprise for the attendees, was when first lady Jenny Morrison, sang a song in Greek while Despina Lucas entertained the guests with a collection of old favourites.
Wearing a beaded Cretan headpiece to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, Hellenic Lyceum President Liana Vertzayias and Consul General Christos Karras, both highlighted in the tenderness, kindness and perseverance of a mother’s love in their speeche while Mrs Vertzayias also referred to the love of Mother Land (Μητέρα Πατρίδα) and the sacrifices the mothers and heroines of 1821 made for our generation to be free.
Present at this function were also committees and representatives from other community organisations such as the Castellorizians, Kytherians, AHEPANS, Athenians, St. George Rosebay Philoptohos, Suzanne Brisimis from the White Pearl Foundation and Lucy Miller from Dionysus Theatre.
Winner of the First prize donated by Mrs Betty Lee of Bower Haus was Christine Gazepis Stavropoulos.
RELATED: Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney: The first Greek women’s association in Australia [Part 1].
