The High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia – designate Antonis Sammoutis attended a Commonwealth Service at The Lodge in Canberra on Tuesday, September 13 to commemorate the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Mr Sammoutis, along with other High Commissioners and Ambassadors from Commonwealth countries, were welcomed to The Lodge on the day by the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese.
In an informal meeting prior to the service, Mr Sammoutis and Mr Albanese spoke briefly about the Queen and her contribution to the Commonwealth, as well as the Prime Minister’s connection to Australia’s Cypriot community.
“I was very pleased to hear of Mr Albanese’s long standing relationship with the Cyprus community in Australia,” Mr Sammoutis told The Greek Herald.
Following the Commonwealth Service where Mr Albanese spoke about the Queen following her death last week, Mr Sammoutis and everyone in attendance signed a condolence book.
The condolence book will be opened for a fortnight at Parliament House, Government House and the website of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
This comes as overnight, Mr Albanese left Sydney to travel to Britain for the Queen’s funeral. Mr Albanese was accompanied by nine other Australians, among them Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott and i4give Day founder, Danny Abdallah.
The High Commissioner – designate said he looks forward to providing his credentials to the Governor-General of Australia David Hurley in the coming weeks and officially meeting with Mr Albanese when he returns to discuss the Cyprus issue.
READ MORE: ‘She looked at me and smiled’: Greek Australians remember Queen Elizabeth II.
