After a five-year absence, Greek National Day celebrations will return to the vicinity of the Shrine of Remembrance, thanks to the Victorian Council for Greek National Day, led by President Sophia Siachos.
A wreath-laying ceremony, honouring Greek and Australian servicemen and women, will take place at the Second World War Forecourt of the Shrine of Remembrance at 12:30 pm on Sunday, March 23, as indicated on the Shrine of Remembrance website. This will be followed by a students’ parade at 1:30 pm, which will pass in front of the Australian Hellenic War Memorial at Birdwood Avenue, near the Shrine.
The last full National Day Parade held at the Shrine was in 2019, dedicated to the Pontian Genocide. That year also coincided with a visit from Greek Deputy Parliamentary Speaker George Varemenos, which triggered protests due to the Prespes Agreement signed that year. During the parade, after the 77th group marched past, the Thessaloniki group Lefkos Pyrgos sang “Makedonia Xakousti.” As they passed Mr Varemenos, chaos erupted, with crowds yelling and hissing, calling him a traitor, and throwing water bottles. Officials were escorted from the area under police guard.
In subsequent years, under the leadership of Tony Tsourdalakis, the parade moved to South Melbourne Football Stadium, with dates fluctuating due to Grand Prix events, scheduling conflicts, and the availability of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia. Last year, the parade was held on April 14th. Many in the Greek community viewed this move as a demotion, expressing concerns that the event was “out of sight and out of mind.” Others, comparing the parade to those in Sydney and US cities, felt it resembled a school celebration more than a grand parade fit for the historical celebration of Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman yoke.
“This year, a smaller group will gather at the Shrine for the annual wreath-laying as every year,” Ms Siachos told The Greek Herald. “The parade itself will not be at the Shrine forecourt, but rather down Birdwood Avenue, passing in front of the Australian Hellenic War Memorial (AHWM). It will be a two-part celebration with these two separate events.”
Final approval for the parade came at last Monday’s Victorian Council for Greek National Day meeting, with final paperwork from the City of Melbourne on Tuesday, February 25.
“It took a lot of planning and back-up plans, but we managed to achieve this and hope it will be a good parade,” Ms Siachos commented.
The Greek Herald spoke with Ms Siachos on Sunday night, when she was 99 percent certain the permit would be granted but still needed to finalise paperwork and inform venues that their services would no longer be required. School principals of Greek schools have been informed of the parade in front of the AHWM.
Steve Kyritsis, President of the Australian Hellenic War Memorial, told The Greek Herald that the students will gather and march down Birdwood Avenue, passing Government House and the Australian Hellenic War Memorial.
Following the cancellation of the parade at the Shrine, the Shrine’s CEO, Dean Lee, had stated that their policy since 1975 had been to not host national days and related festivities within the reserve, though exceptions had been made for the Greek Independence Day parade.
Mr Kyritsis clarified that only Greece had the honour of marching to the Shrine forecourt. The violent behavior in 2019 led to the curtailment of the service and a review of this policy.
Organisers are hopeful that due honour and appreciation will be shown this year, allowing younger generations to enjoy the parade, create memories, and respect both Greek history and the contributions of Greek Australians to their adopted homeland.
Tuesday, March 25th
As in previous years, the Hellenic RSL Melbourne will hold a doxology at St Eustathios in South Melbourne at 9.30am on the date of the Greek national day, this will be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian Hellenic Memorial at 12pm, a wreath laying ceremony inside the Shrine of Remembrance at 1pm, and a luncheon at the Hellenic RSL at 1.30pm.
These events allow the Greek Australian community to celebrate their heritage as March 25th is a day of dual celebration, marking both Greek Independence Day, commemorating the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821, and coinciding with the Annunciation of the Theotokos, and National Medal of Honor Day, honouring the highest military decoration for valour in the United States.
