The Imvrians’ Society of Melbourne will launch a new exhibition telling the story of how the island of Imbros was involved in the Gallipoli campaign and the ANZACs.
The exhibition will be launched on Friday, June 2 at 7pm at the Parkdale Greek Orthodox Church Community Hall in Parkdale, Victoria.
The exhibition has been curated by Melbourne historian, Jim Claven, who has been researching the role of Imbros in the campaign for over eight years.
“With the locals” Imbros, 1915-16. Photographer P.O. Bill Pollard. Courtesy William Pollard/Cross & Cockade Archive.
The exhibition showcases Mr Claven’s research and consists of a series of large panels, arranged around the key themes of the role of Imbros in the campaign.
On display are also archival photographs of Imbros taken by Australians and other Allied service personnel during the campaign, placed in context with text explaining the key aspects of Imbros’ role in the Gallipoli story.
The exhibition ends with the reproduction of Mr Claven’s own photographs of many of the same scenes today, taken during his field research trips to Imbros.
Historian Jim Claven undertaking his field research on Imbros. 2015. Photographer Jim Claven.
The Imvrian Society’s project coordinator, George Xinos, said the aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness on how this shared history between Imbros and Australia can be commemorated.
The exhibition will be launched at 7pm on June 2 at the Parkdale Greek Orthodox Church Community Hall, located at 56-58 The Corso, Parkdale. The exhibition has received funding support from the Victorian Government, Victorian Veterans Council and the City of Kingston.
The resources include posters and flyers and translated information on reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week. The 2023 theme urges all Australians to Be a Voice for Generations – Act now for a Reconciled Future.
Reconciliation Australia Chief Executive, Karen Mundine, said her organisation recognised the importance of non-Anglo migrant communities in the Australian social and political landscape.
“It is clear that engagement and understanding from Australia’s largest migrant communities will be critical to achieving reconciliation. All the signs suggest that these communities are strong supporters of First Nations aspirations including those addressed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart,” she said.
“It is essential that Australia’s migrant communities understand our history and are able to make properly informed decisions about voting in the upcoming referendum.”
Just over half of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one migrant parent; nearly a quarter of Australians speak a language other than English at home.
The Project’s co-host Sarah Harris has recently admitted the joke about Jesus Christ made by comedian Reuben Kaye on the Channel Ten program earlier this year was inappropriate.
After speaking about the abuse he receives from the Christian community about his sexuality, Kaye made the joke: “I love Jesus. I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more.”
“I’m not defending having the joke on the show, it was absolutely the wrong context and wrong forum for that,” Harris said while speaking on the latest episode of the Matty Johns podcast.
The TV host remained adamant though that religious comedy shouldn’t be totally off limits for Australian television programs.
The Project co-host Sarah Harris does not defend airing comedian Reuben Kaye’s joke, but says religion can’t be off limits for all comedy. Picture: The Daily Telegraph.
“But when we start talking about what you can and can’t joke about, are we going to move onto blasphemy laws next? It’s concerning for comedy as well,” she said.
In the statement, the Archbishop called the joke “extremely distasteful and rather deplorable content,” and said it was “inappropriate” such “suggestive and disparaging remarks of a sexual nature” were aired in the early evening “when children were more likely to be viewing.”
Kaye was forced to postpone his Sydney Comedy Festival show in April over protests, and has rescheduled it for July.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald(SMH), government officials confirmed on Monday they would base their list of ‘high fee’ schools that will lose their payroll tax exemption on the same standard they used to decide eligibility for the COVID-19 tutoring program.
Under this program, access was limited to schools that charge less than $7500 in student fees.
This means Victorian independent schools which charge more than $7,500 a year in student fees will be classified as ‘high-fee independent schools’ and they would lose their payroll tax exemption.
The Catholic Education Commission Victoria executive director, Jim Miles, spoke out against this on Monday and warned there would be “significant consequences” for mid-fee schools.
The Victorian Budget was handed down on Tuesday.
Impact to Greek Orthodox schools in Melbourne:
St John’s College Preston – a Greek Orthodox school in Melbourne – charges fees of $8772 in years 11 and 12, making it one of the lowest-fee schools subject to the change.
According to the SMH, St John’s College Preston has been under review by the education regulator since last year due to fears the school is financially unviable. The school posted a $1.79 million loss in 2021 and a $1.07 million loss in 2020.
In a letter sent to Victorian MPs on Friday, school leaders at St John’s College Preston, alongside Oakleigh Grammar, reiterated this threat to their viability as a result of the payroll tax change.
The schools leaders said in the letter that as “low-to-mid fee schools” they would “be subject to approximately $700,000 in payroll tax for the 2024 school year” and this “would jeopardise in the worst case scenario, the ongoing viability of our schools.”
The letter also stressed that any further increase in school fees due to the introduction of a payroll tax would put many parents out of reach financially to afford an independent school education.
The Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance argues the changes are fair, and told the SMH the initiative “will ensure the benefit of the exemption will only flow to schools that genuinely need support.”
In the upcoming repeat elections in Greece on June 25, approximately 7,000 additional voters living abroad will have the opportunity to cast their votes.
The decision comes as a result of these voters missing out on voting in May due to late registration applications.
The number of voters registered in the special electoral rolls abroad for the May 21 elections was 22,857. With the inclusion of the additional 7,000 voters, the total number of Greeks voting from abroad in the repeat elections will reach 30,000.
To accommodate the higher number of registered voters, the possibility of setting up more polling stations is being considered. A minimum of 40 voters is required to establish a polling station in a specific location.
To be eligible to vote in the repeat elections, individuals must have had their voter registration application approved at least 12 days prior to the announcement of the election date. For example, if the official announcement is made on May 29, Greeks abroad whose applications were approved on May 17 will be eligible to vote.
Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, extended his congratulations to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his re-election on Monday, according to a report by Ekathimerini.
Erdogan extended his rule into a third decade by defeating Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the country’s runoff election on Sunday.
In a press conference event organised by the Cyprus Ministry of Energy and hydrocarbon companies, Christodoulides emphasised Cyprus’ preparedness to resume discussions with Turkey on the Cyprus issue.
Cyprus’ new president Nikos Christodoulides arrives at the Presidential palace for an official ceremony, in Nicosia, last month. Photo: AP
“With the completion of the electoral process, our efforts enter a second stage, as it represents a significant milestone, and we remain hopeful for forthcoming developments,” Christodoulides stated.
Erdogan will also receive a letter from Greece’s caretaker Prime Minister, Ioannis Sarmas, sending his congratulations and expressing his wishes for peace for the Turkish people.
Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou has issued the Presidential Decree dissolving the Parliament and officially announced a second national election will be held on June 25 this year.
By the same Decree, voters are invited to elect deputies on June 25, 2023, and the Parliament that will result from the elections will convene on July 3, 2023.
The Presidential Decree.
The Presidential Decree is co-signed by acting Prime Minister Ioannis Sarmas.
This is only the second time that Greece has had a “two-day” Parliament since the restoration of democracy in 1974, with the previous one being the result of the May 2012 elections that also failed to produce a government.
When I first met Maria Anthony around six years ago, I was still at university and an aspiring young journalist. A few months later, I was the emcee for a genocide commemoration event organised by Maria as President of Pontoxeniteas NSW. That same night, her brother-in-law Terry ‘Tezza’ Anthony died by suicide after a long battle with mental health issues.
Flash forward to Saturday night, May 27, at The Grand Roxy in Brighton-Le-Sands, Sydney and The Greek Herald was a proud media partner as Maria and her husband, Glenn Anthony, held their first-ever fundraiser to raise awareness of mental health issues and suicide prevention in honour of Terry’s memory.
Glenn and Maria Anthony.Auction.All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.Memorial for Terry at the event.
Being behind the lens on the night – in what both Maria and I call ‘a full circle moment’ – it was clear the couple were surrounded by the love and support of their family and friends as they raised money for the Black Dog Institute.
People supporting the event.People supporting the event.People supporting the event.People supporting the event.People supporting the event.People supporting the event.
Whilst there was an educational aspect to the fundraiser in the form of a speaker from the Black Dog Institute, there was also a number of intimate touches as Glenn and guest speaker Katrina Tsaftaropoulos shared their personal stories of losing a loved one to suicide.
Emcee Christine Gazepis Stavropoulos introduced Katrina to the stage to speak first. She openly shared how losing her son George to suicide in 2012 saw her develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression.
The event was a huge success.Families came together.Everyone came together in honour of Terry’s memory.
“I lost my son. I didn’t just lose him in the past. I lost his future. He would have been married, he would have had children, there would have been christenings and birthdays – all those events have been lost. It’s not just one thing. It’s a whole lifetime,” Katrina said.
“I’m always going to suffer his loss and carry that grief with every breath I take and every beat of my heart. There’s just not getting through it or over it. A mother should never have to bury their child.”
Katrina said she had to get treatment and support from mental health services, and now uses this knowledge to raise awareness and help others.
Katrina Tsaftaropoulos.
“This gave me a reason to get up every single day. It gave me a legacy to honour my son and it helped me by helping others. I didn’t want any other mother to go through what I went through,” Katrina explained.
“Mental health is not a choice. It’s not a result of sin. It’s not a weakness. It’s not a personal fault. It’s not attention seeking or anything to be ashamed of. It’s an illness just like any other illness and it can be treated. We have to remove the stigma to allow people to access that treatment.”
Glenn also gave a small speech and thanked everyone – from friends to family and people who donated prizes and money – for attending the fundraising event in honour of his brother.
Glenn Anthony.
He also shared how Terry’s struggle with mental illness had an inter-generational impact on his family, and that his death was “still raw” for him.
“I was haunted by two questions: ‘Why did my brother do this to himself?’ and ‘could I have done anything more to prevent it?’ These are impossible questions to answer and in time I’ve had to learn to accept it,” Glenn said.
“What I’ve come to realise is no matter who you speak to, everyone is dealing with some sort of a battle, whether it be mental, physical, emotional or even financial – everyone is fighting a war. So be kind and help when you can.”
Glenn surprised his wife with flowers as a thank you.All the volunteers who made the fundraising event possible.
Glenn then welcomed his wife to the stage and thanked her for her continuous support, before Maria took the microphone to explain how Terry’s death impacted her.
“I know many of you in this room know me as a leader of our Pontian community but I do want to share that I struggle with it because I always have to be strong for my community and for my family and it’s hard,” Maria said as she became emotional.
“So that’s why I love being busy because I think if I was to stop, I’d probably crumble. Everyone copes differently and I think it’s important to understand each other… and being honest about your feelings is so important.”
At the conclusion of these speeches, people continued to enjoy their three-course meal, before there was an auction.
Glenn with his sister in front of the painting depicting Terry on his jetski.Items to be auctioned.Items for the auction.Auction items.People at the fundraiser.
In a small act of kindness during the live auction, Terry’s godparents, his cousins, friends and family, joined forces to bid on a hand-painted photo in memory of Terry and offered it to Glenn.
Painting given to Glenn by his family.
The night ended with dancing to music by deejay’s Dino Haritos and Con Andrews.
When I reached out to Maria the next day to find out how much was raised on the night, her response was overwhelmingly positive.
“We raised $37,665! Can you believe it?” she said over the phone. “We are shocked and overwhelmed. This would not have been possible without the generosity of everyone who supported us. Thank you.”
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
A gathering of influential Greek Australian women took place at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton in Melbourne, Victoria on Friday, May 26, marking the launch of the ‘Women in Philanthropia’ movement, under the aegis of The Hellenic Initiative of Australia (THI Australia).
Led by Freda Miriklis, Chair of ‘Women in Philanthropia,’ the event symbolised both a new beginning and continuation of existing foundations.
At the launch. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.Attendees.
With a profound understanding of the challenges Greece has faced following years of economic downturn, with high unemployment rates and reduced public services, Freda, a global leader in advocating ethical businesses and trade opportunities, delivered an impassioned speech on how the movement would extend its reach globally to assist Greece’s most disadvantaged.
“Something needed to be done and it was almost like a ‘calling’ to bring it all together,” she said, highlighting the urgency and purpose behind the movement. It was a call the other women paid heed to with the new movement raising $10,000 in its first 24 hours.
Influential Greek Australian women.Everyone enjoyed the launch.
Alongside Freda stand a formidable taskforce comprised of her CEO sister, Cherrie Miriklis, insightful Strategic Advisor Penny Sahinis and founder of Meleros Cosmetics Melissa Pateras. United by their unwavering commitment to social impact, they met just two months prior to this event. A serendipitous coincidence as the new Ritz-Carlton was concurrently launched to celebrate “the convergence of ancient stories and vibrant cultures,” according to its website.
Within the elegant surroundings, the room was filled with well-coiffed CEOs, academics, former politicians, and influential figures such as Melbourne fertility specialist Dr Lynn Burmeister.
Ioanna Nikoloulea from the Psaltries Choir of Melbourne also opened the night with her ethereal performance.
Yet, beneath the glamour, the attendees were acutely aware of the hardships Greece has endured following the debt crisis. Memories of our own migrant hardships transcended the dazzling jewellery, softly curated flowers set at each table by Cherrie’s company, Flowers Vasette, and opulent décor with touches of gold by artist Natalia Rompotis.
During his brief appearance, Andrew Liveris, a prominent figure, shared his Castellorizian-born grandmother’s story upon her arrival to Darwin in 1918.
Andrew Liveris spoke at the event.
“She lost her husband, my grandfather, soon thereafter. And that woman, she did everything. She washed clothes for minors, she cooked food for them, she worked day and night to give them a pathway,” Andrew recalled, reminiscing about his grandmother’s resilience and determination.
Her sacrifices laid the foundation for Andrew’s father and uncle to establish Darwin’s largest construction company.
Before making his exit, Andrew shared how Greek Australian women – his grandmother, mother and wife – have shaped his values of giving back and paying it forward.
“It was a very natural thing for me in the way I was moulded by these amazing women,” he said.
All smiles.‘Women in Philanthropia’ was launched in Melbourne on Friday night.
His wife, Paula, the inaugural ambassador of ‘Women in Philanthropia,’ also shared her personal journey, reminding the audience that privilege is not inherited but earned through hard work and determination.
“I was born into a very humble home in Broken Hill, Australia. I didn’t get to go to college because there was no money and life was very tough, but here I am speaking to you, a very esteemed group here in Melbourne, and who would have thought?” Paula said.
She reflected on her own journey and urged women to become catalysts for change, drawing inspiration from MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, who pledged to donate most of her wealth, including a generous divorce settlement, to charity.
“MacKenzie Scott. She’s not Greek, but she could be,” Paula stated, emphasising the potential of every individual to make significant impact.
Attendees.
A hundred meticulously manicured hands raised fluted champagne glasses to toast Paula’s journey and the shared commitment to philanthropy.
Freda acknowledged the brain drain experienced by Greece, as many young individuals sought opportunities abroad. She highlighted the resilience of those who chose to return, driven by a deep-rooted connection to their homeland and a desire to contribute to its progress.
“They are the ones we support; they are the ones we back. We back their vision because they know the terrain, they know what they are going through, and they know what their country needs. They are the NGOs,” emphasised Freda, highlighting the significance of supporting these exceptional individuals.
A family affair. Sisters Cherrie and Freda Miriklis and Natalie Rombotis with her mum Elena.
Ms Sahinis added that “the fund will advance the needs of young people in Greece facing continued challenges” and underscored the movement’s commitment to supporting and empowering the next generation.
Jenny Mikakos, former health minister and a passionate advocate for Greek language programs, said she marvelled at the collective strength displayed by Greek women. She applauded the visionary women behind the movement, recognising their unwavering commitment to spearhead significant social and economic initiatives that would forever change lives in Greece.
More attendees including Jenny Mikakos (left).
Freda left the women with an edible impression. She stressed they were part of history in the making – a powerful force destined to reshape the narrative of Greece’s future.
United in purpose, a rallying cry resounded through the room. “Together. Όλοι μαζί!” was the catchcry women were called to state. A testament to the enduring strength and resilience of the Greek spirit.
The exams for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek language were successfully completed at Macquarie University from May 23 to 25. The first day of the examinations was reserved for the levels A1 – A2, with B1 – C2 proficiency levels taking place the following two days. Almost 100 candidates sat for the exams during three consecutive days.
Macquarie University is the only certified Examination Centre for the Greek language certificate in NSW by the Centre for Greek Language (CGL) in Thessaloniki. The Discipline of Languages and Cultures of the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language, and Literature (MCCALL) of Macquarie University is ranked 100-150 in Modern Languages worldwide in the QS 2023 Subject Rankings.
The Certificate of Attainment in Greek is the only official state certification confirming the knowledge of Greek as a foreign/second language at six levels, corresponding to the Common European Framework (CEFR) levels. It is recognised by all member states of the European Union, and also by NESA (New South Wales Education Standards Authority).
Dr Patricia Koromvokis, Lecturer in Modern Greek Studies and Head of the Examination Centre, said: “It is the second consecutive year that the exams for the Certificate of Attainment in the Greek language are carried out at Macquarie University.”
Students with Dr Patricia Koromvokis (centre).
“Two things make me feel proud and give me the strength to continue: watching all the candidates with Greek and non-Greek background preparing, studying, and sitting for the exam and, secondly, all the passionate Greek language teachers who assisted with the exam procedure,” Dr Koromvokis added.
“Special thanks to Adamantia Tserentzoulia who has been assisting in the organisation of the exams and to SICLE (Sydney Institute of Community Languages Education), with which we co-organised two informative seminars for the educators. We all work together as a team to maintain the Greek language in the diaspora. This effective teamwork has made Macquarie University the biggest examination centre in Australia. I wish all the candidates a successful result!”
The exams for the Certificate of Attainment in the Greek language are sometimes a common target by the whole family. We often see siblings or cousins sit for exams. This year a mother took the exams for the C1 level and her daughter for the B2.
Students at Macquarie University in Sydney.
The mother stated: “I first participated in the examinations last year purely for personal satisfaction and have since proudly received the Certificate of Attainment in the Greek Language. I was very impressed with the whole process from registering right through to the completion of the exams. The professionalism and warmth of Dr Koromvokis and all the examiners should be commended. They were brilliant.”
“This year I took the next level together with my daughter. It was something I genuinely wanted her to do and experience. It will be an advantage for her to have this Certificate for her future studies. We both found this whole experience at Macquarie University extremely rewarding. It was a wonderful opportunity to be a part of and look forward to continuing next year!” the mother added.
Her daughter who sat for the B2 level stated: “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience taking the Greek language exam at Macquarie University. The environment and staff were so friendly and accommodating. I was impressed when I saw my mother doing it and I thought it’d be an asset to have under my belt for the future. I have plans to study International Studies and even go back to Greece to work and thought this would be a great achievement to have”.
