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Seminar on Greek role in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs to be held in Melbourne

The Greek Herald
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Seminar on Greek role in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs to be held in Melbourne

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is holding a lecture, titled The Role of Greeks in the Decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphs, on Thursday, June 8 at 7pm as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars.

Dr Andrew Brown, a lecturer in Ancient History at Monash University’s Centre for Ancient Cultures, will be delivering the lecture.

This event offers a unique opportunity for attendees to explore the fascinating topic of deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs and the significant influence of the Greek language.

Dr Brown is a distinguished academic, currently serving as the Lecturer in Ancient History at the Centre for Ancient Cultures, Monash University. With expertise in the history and archaeology of Classical Greece, the Hellenistic world, and the Roman Empire, he also imparts knowledge on the ancient Greek and Latin languages. His research focuses on society, religion, and the economy in Egypt under Ptolemaic and Roman rule, with a particular emphasis on studying Greek-language documents preserved on papyrus. His latest publication, “Confiscation or Coexistence: Egyptian Temples in the Age of Augustus,” published by the University of Michigan Press, has been widely acclaimed.

During the lecture, he will delve into the transformative decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs, an achievement that revolutionised the study of ancient Egypt. This captivating international story involves the collaboration of scholars from Egypt, France, the United Kingdom, and other nations. Notably attributed to the renowned French Egyptologist Jean-François Champollion, this ground breaking decipherment owes its success to the interplay between the Greek language and historical context.

Emphasising on the Rosetta Stone, the talk will explore the motivations behind its creation, the significance it commemorates, its journey to the British Museum, and the pivotal role played by the Greek inscription in Champollion’s efforts.

This lecture presents both an ancient and modern narrative—an exploration of how Greeks aided Macedonian monarchs, Egyptian priests, and 19th-century scholars in comprehending the complex world of the eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, ultimately creating a global icon.

This event is open to the public, and all individuals interested in Greek history and culture are encouraged to attend.

Event Details:

  • When: Thursday, 8 June 2023.
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Where: Greek Centre, (Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne)

Nick Andrianakos invests in Melbourne mall for $134 million

The Greek Herald
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Nick Andrianakos invests in Melbourne mall for $134 million

Nick Andrianakos has bought a half-stake in a mall in Melbourne’s north for $134.5 million from ASX-listed company Vicinity Centres, according to The Australian Financial Review.

The acquisition of an interest in Broadmeadows Central comes a year after made a $138.2 million investment in Adelaide’s Colonnades centre last year. 

Mr Andrianakos is a Greek migrant who built his fortune through the Milemaker chain of petrol stations. Ranked 92nd on the Rich List with a fortune of $1.49 billion, he bought his first service station 50 years ago and created a 54-site chain.

Mr Andrianakos then sold the business to Caltex for $95 million in 2016, while retaining the freehold land on 30-year leases. That real estate is now part of a growing commercial property portfolio held by the family’s Nikos Property Group.

Broadmeadows Central is anchored by a Kmart and three supermarkets: Aldi, Coles and Woolworths. Photo: The Australian Financial Review

Mr Andrianakos‘ connection with Vicinity, which is the joint owner and operator of both the Melbourne and Adelaide shopping centres, has been strengthened by his latest purchase.

“We began our business in the north of Melbourne and we own seven service stations within 7 kilometres of the shopping centre,” Mr Andrianakos told The Australian Financial Review.

“The area has always been good to us because we understand the people who live in the area and we look forward to working with Vicinity to maximise the potential of the property.”

Source: The Australian Financial Review

New discovery moves dawn of Greek archaeology back by a quarter million years

The Greek Herald
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New discovery moves dawn of Greek archaeology back by a quarter million years

The oldest archaeological site of Greece has been discovered in the southern part of the country, in an open coal mine rich with antiquities.

According to ekathimerini.com, the site dates to 700,000 years ago and is related to modern humans’ hominin ancestors.

The finding would drag the dawn of Greek archaeology back by as much as a quarter of a million years.

Older hominin sites have been brought to light elsewhere in Europe, with the oldest one located in Spain and being dated to more than a million years ago.

The Greek site was one of five investigated in the Megalopolis area during a project which has lasted for five years, and involves an international team of experts.

It was found to contain rough stone tools from the Lower Palaeolithic period — about 3.3 million to 300,000 years ago — and the remains of an extinct species of giant deer, elephants, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and a macaque monkey.

The project was directed by Panagiotis Karkanas of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Eleni Panagopoulou from the Greek Culture Ministry and Katerina Harvati, a professor of paleoanthropology at the University of Tübingen in Germany.

“We are very excited to be able to report this finding, which demonstrates the great importance of our region for understanding hominin migrations to Europe and for human evolution in general,” the three co-directors said.

The oldest Middle Palaeolithic remains found in Greece, dating to roughly 280,000 years ago, were found at another site in the Megalopolis area of the southern Peloponnese peninsula.

According to the researchers, the findings suggest Greece may have played a significant role in stone industry developments in Europe.  

Source: ekathimerini.com

Greek olive oils capture 52 prizes at Olive Japan 2023

The Greek Herald
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Greek olive oils capture 52 prizes at Olive Japan 2023

By Lisa Radinovsky from Greek Liquid Gold.

Greek olive oil companies earned 52 awards at the 2023 edition of the Olive Japan International Olive Oil Competition. In a contest with 710 entries from 24 countries, 17 judges from 11 nations awarded 21 gold prizes and 31 silvers to Greek olive oils.

Mediterre Eurofood SA won the Best of Greece distinction for its Koroneiki variety Mediterre Alea.

The Mediterre Eurofood CEO Konstantinos Papadopoulos attributes his company’s success at Olive Japan—which includes 6 gold awards and 3 silvers, as well as the Best of Greece award—to his team “always working toward achieving excellence. In collaboration with expert scientists in the field of olive oil, we try continuously to analyse each variety in order to bring out the unique flavours and aromatic characteristics of our region, the land of Ancient Olympia.”

Papadopoulos added that they “are very proud of having managed to revive the local Olympia (Nemoutiana) olive variety, an ancient variety very rich in healthy phenols and unbelievable aromas, which was about to be extinguished. By winning a number of awards in international competitions, we managed to prove its value.” This led many olive producers to become more interested in cultivating Olympia olives, “resulting in its eventual maintenance and growth.”

Papadopoulos explained why his company participates in this competition: “Olive Japan is considered one of the biggest and most important EVOO competitions worldwide. Therefore it is a great success for our company to stand out in this contest, and it provides the opportunity to make our products known in the Japanese market.”

Photo supplied by Mediterre Eurofood.

Laconiko olive oil co-owner Dino Pierrakos also appreciates the opportunity “to showcase the quality of our olive oils in one of the most recognisable competitions in Japan,” as their distributor also did at the Olive Japan Show for buyers and consumers in Tokyo.

“We notice that the Asian market is looking for reliable, honest brands offering high quality olive oils. They do not accept low or mediocre quality olive oils due to the low volume that they consume, so the quality has to meet their standards or run the risk of damaging your reputation,” Pierrakos said.

Laconiko’s 5 gold prizes and 5 silvers for their olive oil at Olive Japan this year support Pierrakos’ claim that “our consistently high quality is very much in line with the needs of those markets.”

For years, Laconiko has focused on attending to all the details of olive cultivation, oil extraction, transportation, and storage that enable them to give their customers exceptional olive oil. The Laconiko team also ensures consumers that they will receive the same outstanding, carefully stored products the company enters in competitions, from their single-estate extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) to their extra healthy high phenolic early harvest Zoi EVOO and their very popular range of flavored olive oils.

OLEVE is also proud to “guarantee the real and consistent quality of all our products.” Taking home 2 gold medals and one silver Antonios Tirpintiris told Greek Liquid Gold: “our team’s passion for sustainable agriculture and commitment to excellence is what sets us apart. Our award-winning olive oil is the result of the hard work and dedication of our team of professionals”: meticulously attentive farmers and harvesters, a master miller, and a quality control team. The result: all the samples entered in competitions last year (their first year to enter) won awards, and this year’s competition season is already showing impressive results for OLEVE.

Tirpintiris emphasised his company’s “model of sustainable olive cultivation, which not only has a positive environmental impact, but also creates biodiversity on once-barren land in Sigri on the island of Lesvos.”

His team has transformed that land “into a thriving, sustainable olive grove that supports a rich ecosystem of wildlife.” It includes “40,000 olive trees representing 12 Greek and Mediterranean varieties,” as well as 20,000 other trees. In addition to water conservation and terracing, they use compost they make themselves “from all-natural local resources. By returning everything to the earth, we are able to create a closed-loop system that supports the long-term health of our trees and the surrounding environment.”

Aiming for quality, health benefits, and environmental friendliness, Greek olive oil producers submitted dozens of excellent samples to Olive Japan this year. Competition director Toshiya Tada told Greek Liquid Gold that while the overall number of samples received this year was lower than in 2022, the percentage of olive oils winning prizes increased, “indicating that more higher quality samples got sent to us even in this very difficult year,” both from Greece and worldwide.

Complete lists of the Greek winners at Olive Japan 2023

The Best of Greece at Olive Japan 2023, Plus Gold Award Winner

Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Alea – Koroneiki

Greek Gold Award Winners at Olive Japan 2023

(Company – Olive Oil – Olive Variety or Varieties and Flavoring, Where Applicable)

  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Miller’s Blend – Koroneiki & Manaki   
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Premium – Koroneiki & Manaki       
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Bella Vista – Koroneiki               
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Breeze – Koroneiki               
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Sea Breeze – Koroneiki               
  • Botzakis SA – Yiayia and Friends Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Koroneiki               
  • Makaria Terra – Makaria Terra – Koroneiki               
  • Falcon SA – Ol’eve / Early Harvest Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Kolovi               
  • Falcon SA – Ol’eve / Early Harvest Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Kalamon   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Lemon – Flavored Koroneiki
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Clementine – Flavored Koroneiki   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Zoi – Kalamon       
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Garlic – Flavored Koroneiki   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Rosemary – Flavored Koroneiki
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Alea – Koroneiki       
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Limone – Flavored Koroneiki       
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Omphacium – Olympia               
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Rosmarino – Flavored Koroneiki       
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Omphacium Organic – Olympia   
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Olymp Olympia PGI – Koroneiki & Kolireiki   
  • Melissa – Kikizas SA – Terra Creta Grand Cru Koroneiki – Koroneiki    
Greek Silver Award Winners at Olive Japan 2023

(Company – Olive Oil – Olive Variety or Varieties and Flavoring, Where Applicable)

  • Agriston Ltd – Argilos Chalkidikis – Chalkidikis               
  • Agriston Ltd – Argilos Chalkidikis Megaron Koroneiki – Chalkidikis, Megaron & Koroneiki
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Balanced – Koroneiki & Manaki
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Sakura – Koroneiki, Manaki, Makri & Lianolia
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Blossom – Koroneiki, Manaki, Makri & Lianolia   
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Bitter Gray – Nemoutiana               
  • AMACS – Goutis Estate – Goutis Estate Fresh – Koroneiki & Nemoutiana   
  • Aposstar Ltd – Apos – Maroneia        
  • Dr. Kavvadia Olive Oil – Lianelia – Corfu Lianelia   
  • Dr. Kavvadia Olive Oil – Thiako – Thiako   
  • Sitia Olive Oil SA – Lasitia – Sitia 0.3 – Koroneiki
  • Falcon SA – Ol’eve / FAROS SIGRI Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Koroneiki, Adramytiani, Aerokompi & Fs17   
  • G. Iatropoulos – Asopiton – Koroneiki       
  • Greek Nature Estate – Vios – Koroneiki       
  • Hellenic Fields Ltd – Ena Ena Superior Organic PGI Olympia – Koroneiki               
  • Hellenic Fields Ltd – Ena Ena Organic PGI Olympia – Koroneiki               
  • Kavalaria Estate – Pathos Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Koroneiki               
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Lime – Flavored Koroneiki   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Olio Nuovo – Koroneiki   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Blood Orange – Flavored Koroneiki                  
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Citrus Habanero – Flavored Koroneiki                   
  • Laconiko – Laconiko Koroneiki – Koroneiki
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Oregano – Flavored Koroneiki                       
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Lena – Koroneiki & Manaki         
  • Mediterre Eurofood SA – Mediterre Olymp Olympia PGI Organic – Koroneiki & Kolireiki   
  • Oikologiko Elaiotriveio EE – Delta-Mi – Athinoelia, Koroneiki, Arbosana & Chalkidikis
  • Olive Fabrica – The Governor – Lianolia Kerkiras   
  • S Madariotakis kai Sia EE – Cretan Harvest – Early Harvest – Koroneiki               
  • Build Bridge A – Doleon / Greek Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Koroneiki               
  • Sparta Gourmet SA – Sparta Gourmet – Koroneiki              
  • Oilove – Oilove® Organic EVOO ‐ Origin Astros, Arcadia, Greece – Koroneiki   

*Originally published on Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (greekliquidgold.com). See that site for recipes with olive oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and food tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and information.

Greek university develops medical robot to support children with autism

The Greek Herald
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Greek university develops medical robot to support children with autism

“Margarita,” a pillow-like, blue and purple robot shaped as a flower, has been developed by LIRES Laboratory of the Department of Educational and Social Policy of the University of Macedonia, to create a bridge for health professionals treating children with autism and social challenges.

Professor Nikos Fahandidis from the LIRES Laboratory said the robot is a “tool for professionals.”

“The interaction is easier and so the trainer or the therapist can use Margarita as a ‘bridge’ to carry out their training program, evaluation, or diagnosis program,” the Professor said.

University of Macedonia.

Professor Fahandidis said children can learn about emotions by observing the various expressions on Margarita’s face, whose facial expression changes to mimic the expressions of others.

Children can embrace Margarita like a cuddly toy or have it “sit” in a high chair.

Margarita, or “Daisy” in English, has been trialled in schools and studies showed that social skills in children with autism improved to a notable extent.

Source: AMNA.gr.

Kythnos island gets first-ever archaeological museum

The Greek Herald
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Kythnos island gets first-ever archaeological museum

The Cycladic island of Kythnos has opened a long-awaited archaeological museum.

Housed in an old primary school in the main town of Hora, a number of archaeological sites on the island are displayed for public viewing.

This includes the ancient city of Vryokastro and the early settlement of Maroulas, where excavations have been carried out since the 1990s by Alexandros Mazarakis-Ainian.

Greece’s Minister of Culture and Sports, Linda Mendoni, attended the opening ceremony for the museum and said it was a historic moment for islanders.

“[The museum is] a vision for the island’s residents, who have been waiting for it to be realised for 30 years,” Mendoni said.

“Giving a museum to local communities is very important, because it gives them part of their identity.”

Source: news.gtp.gr.

European Parliament lifts immunity of Greek MEPs Georgoulis and Spyraki

The Greek Herald
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European Parliament lifts immunity of Greek MEPs Georgoulis and Spyraki

The European Parliament has lifted the immunity of Alexis Georgoulis and Maria Spyraki, following a plenary session in Brussels on Thursday.

A request to lift Georgoulis’ immunity was submitted by Belgian authorities earlier this year as part of an investigation into alleged sexual abuse committed by the Greek MEP three years ago.

According to amna.gr, Georgoulis’ lawyer said that the Georgoulis had personally proposed to Belgian authorities that he appear and provide explanations, but this was not possible as the process of waiving his immunity had not been concluded.

At the same time, the plenary voted in favour of lifting the immunity of the MEP Maria Spyraki.

Photo: amna.gr

On December 15, 2022, there was a request to lift Spyraki’s immunity from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, regarding an investigation concerning fraud at the expense of the European Union budget.

In a statement, Spyraki said: “I did not ‘hide’ behind my immunity. Instead, in a letter to the chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI), I asked for my immunity to be lifted and the process to be expedited.”

“I have never been accused of taking the remuneration of my assistants or the illegal disbursement of budget funds. I have no financial differences with the European Parliament. I have complete faith in Justice,” she said.

Source: amna.gr

Sale of F-35 fighter jets from US to Greece within reach

The Greek Herald
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Sale of F-35 fighter jets from US to Greece within reach

United States Senator, Jim Risch, has added the last signature needed to progress a deal which will see the sale of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 fighter jets to Greece.

According to Ekathimerini, the deal was green-lighted by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, US Senator Bob Menendez, in February.

Since then, it has also secured the approval of Republican co-chair Michael McCaul and of Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the committee. Mr Risch was the last to give his approval.

Now that the consensus of all four officials has been obtained, the US government will formally notify Congress of the sale of F-35s to Greece, and from there, the prescribed procedure for the ratification of the defence contract will be followed.

Source: Ekathimerini.

READ MORE: ‘Greek skies shielded as never before’: Mitsotakis says amid tensions with Turkey.

Victorian referee Tina Zafiropoulos wins National Female Football Week Award

The Greek Herald
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Victorian referee Tina Zafiropoulos wins National Female Football Week Award

Launched in 2014, Female Football Week is an annual initiative aimed at elevating women and girls and their contribution to football.

As part of the celebrations, between May 19 – 28 this year, the National Female Football Week Awards took place with the theme #LoveOurGame and this time there was a Greek twist.

Greek Australian, Tina Zafiropoulos, won Victorian ‘Female Football Week’ Referee of the Year.

Zafiropoulos has been refereeing for over 20 years and is known for her friendly and joyful personality. She has refereed a high volume of games across all levels of junior, male and female age groups.

Zafiropoulos was also selected to referee at the 2023 Futsal State Championships.

The National Female Football Week Awards recognise Australian women’s football and encourages participants to embrace their love for the world game and its positive impacts.

Feeling left behind by the Greek Australian migration experience

The Greek Herald
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Feeling left behind by the Greek Australian migration experience

By Kathy Karageorgiou

Australia is a testament to successful Greek immigration. The overall story and general reality are one of Greek migrants to Australia achieving their goals. Goals such as gaining decently paid employment and its offshoots – buying a comfortable home, access to leisure time, and raising a family with relative ease aided by the availability of a credible public health care and education system. 

Leaving one’s home country for the journey into the more-often-than-not unknown Australia, luckily did reward. But family members who stayed in Greece is sometimes a topic left behind closed doors.

As a second-generation Greek Australian who has been living in Greece for over 20 years, I have come to know many Greeks in Greece who have family in Australia. Many say they wish they too had moved to Australia due to “better economic conditions,” while others claim they could never leave their homeland Greece.

Old portrait of Andriana
Andriana at the square

Feeling left behind:

One family member, Andriana, now over 80 years of age, who has never been Down Under, decries her brother’s decision to leave Greece for Australia in 1967. 

“He was like a father to us,” Andriana tells of her brother, who enacted the role of a paternal figure to her and their family – including two older sisters and their mother. 

Their father had passed away when Andriana was five. Growing up during the difficult WWII and Civil War times, she goes on to explain: “Middle class, city women like me, my sisters and mother, didn’t work then. To work was somewhat of a disgrace, and education and career weren’t accessible like they are today anyway.”

She continues, with tears in her eyes: “We treated our brother like a king. We kept the house in perfect order, cooked good food and were quiet, to ensure he got proper rest and sleep as he was our provider.”

Andriana then relates that she was “the baby” of the family, while her brother was next in line followed by her two sisters.

“My sisters married and had children, while I did not. I really didn’t feel I wanted to, as I was the closest to my poor, widowed mother and did not lack a social life, that’s for sure,” she says smiling.

Andriana dancing

“My brother would take me to dances and tavernas, to cinemas and to the beach. Everyone loved him, so he had many friends and we had such fun.”

Then, her face clouds over: “But, the worst day of my life came when my brother left for Australia and didn’t come back.”

“He worked there and made better money and fell in love and married, so he settled there, away from his country, away from his family in Greece,” she adds.

I ask Andriana if her brother has children and perhaps grandchildren in Australia, with her responding “yes,” and adding “he has come on holidays to Greece since he left for Australia in 1967, three or four times with his wife and kids.” 

I then gesture at the photos, prompting Andriana to show me her brother’s family, but she reverts to showing me photos of her brother in what she regards as her heyday of socialising, adding “look at how happy we all were.” 

The new family of Andriana’s brother

Lighting a cigarette, Andriana continues: “He was so strict on me growing up and wouldn’t let me go out late with my girlfriends because he feared we’d meet boys and get taken advantage of. That’s how it was back then, so how was I supposed to meet someone to marry?” 

I ask her how old she was when her brother left for Australia and she tells me 27, adding, “how could I meet someone at that age? I was then considered an old maid, so I just looked after our mother until she died 20 years ago.” 

“At least I still talk to my brother on the phone now and then, but it’s not the same…” she adds wistfully.

I offer hope that her brother may come back to Greece before asking whether she ever considered going to Australia? 

With eyes lowered, she tells me: “My brother did invite me there when I was 35, and I seriously considered it. I even had new outfits made. But then I thought that I’d perhaps be interfering with his new family, and I was also terrified of travelling on a plane, so I didn’t go.”

Family photos

Andriana says that she has “a somewhat decent pension” and her own apartment, as dowry that her brother ensured for her. She also has a few friends, and her nieces and nephews visit her often. 

“I pray to God every day that my brother will return,” she tells me as I bid her goodbye and wish her the best, passing a little table by the door adorned with multiple framed photos of her beloved brother.

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