Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne president Bill Papastergiadis has farewelled Consul General Mr Dimitrios Michalopoulos following the end to his three-year term.
Consul General Mr Michalopoulos has recently returned to Greece, with Mr Papastergiadis saying his tenure was a formative one but unfortunately also interrupted significantly by virtue of Covid-19.
“My dealings with the Consul were always constructive and informative. He brought significant experience with him to Melbourne,” said Bill Papastergiadis.
“Perhaps most, I will miss his insight on Eastern Europe which he had an unparalleled understanding of its political systems. He was always forthcoming in providing assistance and made himself available to assist wherever he could”.
“We wish him well in his next posting and we will remain in touch with one another. The Melbourne post for any consul is no doubt the most challenging given the size of the greek population here. It’s a never ending job and he executed it well ” Bill Papastergiadis added.
Speaking previously during a church service at St Spyridon’s church in Melbourne, Mr Michalopoulos says that the time he served in Victoria will remain engraved in his memory due to the dynamic spirit of Hellenism in Melbourne and its impact to the wider Greek Australian community.
READ MORE: “Not an epilogue but a starting point,” Consul General of Greece in Melbourne on Gold Cross bestowment
READ MORE: Consul General in Melbourne, Dimitrios Michalopoulos, receives church medal
“I met successful people, who excelled, each in their own fields and who never forgot the place where their ancestors were born. I would like the relations between the Greek diaspora and Greece to remain strong, in a spirit of mutual respect and national solidarity.
“On a more personal level, Melbourne is a very beautiful city, with the right infrastructure, a high level of higher education and a thriving economy. In other words, it is Athens as it should be. I hope, then, that these memories will soon become a reality in the homeland,” Mr Michalopoulos concluded.
