Three Greek Australians have been inducted into the inaugural Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll 2022 for their exceptional and lasting contributions to multiculturalism in the state.
Dr Christos Fifis, Elias Diacolabrianos and Tammy Iliou were recognised, along with 26 other inductees, at a ceremony at the Arts Centre in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
The ceremony was attended by the Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Ros Spence, as well as the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) Chairperson, Vivienne Nguyen AM.
Ms Spence said the Honour Roll is important as it is “a celebration” of the cultural diversity of Victoria.
The 29 inductees represent trailblazers, emerging leaders and passionate community members from 19 cultures who support and amplify multicultural or multifaith communities, often voluntarily and without formal position.
“We are a proud multicultural state, and it is important that we recognise the many grass-roots advocates of our multicultural communities who make outstanding contributions,” Ms Spence said.
Ms Nguyen agreed with the Minister and said she was “proud” to elevate the achievements of the inductees “who work tirelessly on behalf of multicultural communities.”
“It is our hope that people of all cultural backgrounds can be inspired by the achievements of the first inductees onto Victoria’s Multicultural Honour Roll,” the VMC Chairperson added.
The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll replaces the Meritorious Service to the Community category of the VMC’s annual Multicultural Awards for Excellence and ensures the social, cultural, and economic benefits of cultural diversity continue to be showcased.
Who are the Greek Australian inductees?
Dr Christos Fifis:
Dr Christos Fifis is a leading Greek-Australian historian, translator and educator based in Melbourne. He has devoted more than 50 years to supporting and initiating the establishment of Greek translation services, historical documentation, and literary works.
Christos is a prominent advocate for social and community services, a broadcaster for Greek Australian media and has been a volunteer broadcaster for Melbourne’s multicultural radio 3ZZZ program for over 30 years.
Elias Diacolabrianos:
Elias Diacolabrianos has made lasting contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria since he arrived in Melbourne over 50 years ago. He is an advocate for the Greek Australian community and voluntarily championed accessible translation, welfare and community support services.
Elias advocates for increased diversity in Australia’s media landscape and is himself a media broadcaster, having been involved in the expansion of community radio since the 1970s. He was one of the first broadcasters to work for Melbourne’s multicultural radio 3ZZZ program and continues to present a weekly program and is a sitting board member.
Tammy Iliou:
Tammy Iliou is described as a trailblazer and community leader for Melbourne’s Greek community. She has actively engaged in Greek community activities for more than 30 years and led the development of numerous welfare, arts and community programs.
Across different cultural groups, Tammy has been focused on developing young female leaders and programs for the elderly who typically face a distinct set of challenges around language and access to technology, which impacts their engagement in the broader community and access to services.
She was also the first female Vice-President of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria in its 140-year-old history.
Full details of the 29 Multicultural Honour Roll inductees can be found here.
