The annual Yarraville Festival, a historic event which was first held in the Melbourne suburb in 1981, was celebrated over the weekend on Sunday, March 5.
The festival brings over 30,000 people together to celebrate and embrace cultural diversity through artistic displays, artisan stalls and gourmet food experiences.
Greeks at the Yarraville Festival. Photo: The Clique online, festival photographers.The Greek precinct at the Yarraville Festival. Photo: The Clique online, festival photographers.
For the past two years, the Yarraville Festival has incorporated a special ‘Greek precinct’ to bring a taste of Greece to the event.
In this year’s precinct, there was a Sun Theatre, a stall for the local St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, and food by Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar, Andrew’s Butcher and Alpha Bakehouse.
People could also enjoy dancing performances, smash some plates, browse stalls with Greek products, and speak with Greek Australian writers about their published books.
Photo: The Clique online, festival photographers.Plate smashing. Photo: The Clique online, festival photographers.
Well-known historian and author, Jim Claven, set up shop at the stall of The Papaflessas Social Club to hand out signed copies of his book, Grecian Adventure: Greece 1941, Anzac Trail Stories and Photographs. Mr Claven spoke with many history enthusiasts on the day about the Hellenic ANZAC story.
Jim Claven at the Papaflessas Social Club stand talking to young enthusiasts about the Hellenic ANZAC experience. Photo: Papaflessas Social Club / Facebook.
This year, the festival also partnered with the Greek Youth Generator (GYG) to showcase Greek films by Aliki Vougiouklaki from the 1960s at the iconic Sun Theatre. The films shown were The daughter of the Sun and The lady and the Tramp.
Papaflessas Social Club members, Greek Youth Generator (GYG) and Vicki Kyriatsis from The Greek Centre at the Yarraville Festival 2023. Photo: Papaflessas Social Club.
Speaking to The Greek Herald, Con Frescos, who is Treasurer on the Committee of the Yarraville Festival, said “the day was fantastic.”
“It was a very multicultural day with a Greek flavour,” Mr Frescos concluded.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, three prominent Greek Australian women are set to speak at theSpeaker Series: Australian-Greek Women in Leadershipon Wednesday, March 8 at Ashfield Town Hall in Sydney, NSW.
The women leaders will discuss their struggles as children of migrants, their leadership challenges and the need to balance family life with the workforce.
About the speakers:
Violet Roumeliotis AM is a social entrepreneur who champions the strengths of our diverse communities and is committed to take a leadership and pioneering role to elevate reconciliation. Through her C-suite and board roles, Violet uses innovation and collective impact to promote social justice and inclusion.
She is the CEO of Settlement Services International, a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other vulnerable individuals to achieve their full potential.
Sophie Cotsis MP is a member of the Legislative Assembly and Member for Canterbury, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, and Shadow Minister for Work Health and Safety Member of the Australian Labor Party.
Effy Alexakis is a documentary photographer who has been ranked in the top ten portrait photographers in Australia. Alexakis’ photographs are held in both public and private collections in Australia.
Event details:
The event is at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm AEDT on March 8, 2023 at 260 Liverpool Road Ashfield, Ashfield Town Hall, NSW. To make a booking, visit Eventbrite.
For the first time, an exhibition of photographs of the legendary Evzones – Greece’s Presidential Guard – taken by a Greek from the diaspora will be put on display at the War Museum in Athens.
The Evzones Collection, comprising a series of photographs taken by Nick Bourdaniotis, a renown Greek Australian photographer based in Sydney, Australia, will open at the Athens War Museum on March 20, 2023 and will remain on exhibition until March 31 as part of Greece’s ongoing celebrations of the Greek Revolution of 1821.
The exhibition will be held under the patronage of Her Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Ms Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
The Evzones:
The Evzones are best known for their ceremonial work in guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Hellenic Parliament in Athens, and the Presidential Palace. The Presidential Guard is also the only military unit authorised to raise and lower the Greek flag each day on the Acropolis.
The Evzones were elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army that fought during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottomans and embody the essence of bravery and resistance.
In 2021, the Hellenic President proudly declared that the Evzones are the custodians of our collective memory.
She said: “The Evzones connect the past with the present and our future. Our heritage, with our dynamic course, towards tomorrow. They are a living reminder of the values we have fought for and defended in every phase of our national path: the values of freedom, democracy, and our national sovereignty.”
Nick Bourdaniotis first encountered the Evzones when a detachment of the Presidential Guard came to Sydney in 2016 to participate in the ANZAC Day commemoration. His photographic sojourn with the Evzones continued both in Athens and again in Australia when members of the Presidential Guard returned to Melbourne and Adelaide.
Bourdaniotis was granted rare, behind-the-scenes access into the daily lives of the Evzones for historical, archival, media and television purposes over seven years and has put together an oeuvre of work meticulously photographing the Evzones.
The result is that this photo exhibition, which opened for the first time in Sydney in February 2021 under the auspices of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, has travelled throughout Australia to much acclaim, including the National Museum in Canberra and the Maritime Museum in Sydney.
His exhibition has also been endorsed by the Greek Presidential Guard and the Hellenic National Defence General Staff.
Photographing the Evzones:
The famous Swiss-American photographer, Robert Frank, wrote that: “there is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.”
Bourdaniotis’ gaze upon the Evzones is full of humanity as the faces of the Presidential Guard are immortalised on canvas.
For the photographer, this is only natural: “The Evzones are the heart and soul of Greece.”
Nick Bourdaniotis.
Bourdaniotis has intuitive photographic skills. To Nick, each photograph is an artistic creation using a digital brush and enhanced by an impeccable sense of timing to capture the moment. His photos of the Evzones marching over the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis or approaching the Parthenon encapsulate the unconquerable spirit of Hellenism embodied in the history and traditions of the Presidential Guard.
The aesthetic sensibilities of the Evzones, whether it be their stylised movements in the changing of the guard or their standing at full attention, completely motionless, are brilliantly captured by Nick’s photographic lens.
The Evzones Collection shows the elite Presidential Guard in a truly remarkable light.
The Athens War Museum:
The Athens War Museum is also a natural setting for the exhibition.
It was inaugurated in July 1975 to facilitate the collection, preservation and exhibition of war relics, as well as the documentation and promotion of the struggles of the Greek nation over the ages. It is the largest museum of military history in Greece, and its collections include historical, photographic and cinematographic archives.
The Evzones Collection will be on display in the ground floor foyer and will immediately greet and impress visitors to the museum.
Bourdaniotis’ photographs of the Evzones will be compulsory viewing.
Exhibition director Mr George Karantonis and exhibition curator Ms Eirini Alligiannis will also travel to Athens to participate in this historical event, showcasing Greece’s favourite sons.
The primary sponsors of the exhibition at the Athens War Museum are the Kalymnian Association of NSW, the Kytherian Association of Australia, the Nicholas Anthony Aroney Trust, The Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra and District Inc., St Basil’s NSW/ACT. Significant contributors are the Athens War Museum, Greek City Times, Image Smart and the Hellenic Club Sydney.
Photos: Copyright Nick Bourdaniotis / Bourdo Photography
Member representatives that sit on the Board of Directors of The Hellenic Village Ltd held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week.
During the AGM, a number of topics were on the agenda. The President presented his annual report, the financial reports of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 were approved, and an update was provided on the sale of the organisation’s 105-acre Kemps Creek property in NSW.
In December 2020,The Greek Herald reported that an allocation of profits from the property sale would be invested back into the Greek community for a cultural building or toward existing Greek Australian initiatives for the benefit of the wider Greek Australian community.
After that: (1) some of the profits would go towards paying the Hellenic Village’s debt, or(2) a portion would go back to the associations who have shares in the property, in order to reimburse costs relating to the ongoing maintenance of the property.
Following discussion around the property, the elections of the new Board of Directors for the next two years were held.
The re-elected Board members were: George Mpliokas, John Petropoulos, Peter Siomos, Andrew Kalavritinos, George Lianos, Sam Pashalis and Andreas Kolovos. George Kafataris, Eve Tusa (Dimitriadis), Phillip Koinis and Elias Sioutas were also elected.
Outgoing Board members Sotirios Katsianas and Panayiotis Achilleos did not seek re-election.
On Monday, March 13, the Board held its first meeting of its new term to review action items, confirm priorities and elect office bearers. It was unanimously agreed at the meeting that the President, two Vice-Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary all be returned to their positions for the new term.
The new Board of Hellenic Village is as follows:
President: George Mpliokas
Vice President: John Petropoulos
Vice President: Peter Siomos
Secretary: Andrew Kalavritinos
Treasurer: George Lianos
Assistant Secretary: Eve Tusa (Dimitriadis)
Assistant Treasurer: Sam Pashalis
Directors: George Kafataris, Phillip Koinis, Andreas Kolovos, Elias Sioutas
The traditional march to Sydney’s Opera House for Greek Independence Day has been replaced again this year with a new event at Sydney’s Town Hall on Sunday, March 26.
On the Sunday, the local Greek community is invited to a memorial service and wreath laying ceremony at Sydney’s Martin Place cenotaph at 12pm.
This will be followed by formalities and entertainment at Sydney Town Hall from 1pm to 3pm. The meeting place for this new event is St Andrews Square.
The news has been confirmed by the event organisers – The Inter-Communities Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW).
When The Greek Herald made an enquiry as to why the march to Sydney’s Opera House was not going ahead this year, the event organisers said the iconic Sydney site was “unavailable due to renovations to the forecourt.”
The event organisers said representations were made both to the Opera House and to the NSW Government “with no success.”
“We considered other open air sites such as the Domain but again, they were not available,” they said in a statement. “We hope to return to the Opera House in 2024.”
South Melbourne FC achieved its third victory in as many games on Monday night, with the “blue and white” team defeating Melbourne Knights 2-1 at Lakeside Stadium during a derby match.
In front of around 2,800 spectators, Esteban Quintas’ home side did the job and will go into the tough away clash with Dandenong Thunder in the best of spirits.
South Melbourne started the match in the best conditions as they opened the scoring in just the 7th minute with Marco Jankovic’s header.
In the second half, South Melbourne came out strongly and in the 47th minute with a header from Patrick Langlois, the score became 2-0.
This victory saw South Melbourne get nine points on the National Premier Leagues Victoria Men’s competition. The Club is now at the top of the standings.
Greece’s former Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, Kostas Karamanlis, will rerun as an election candidate for the New Democracy (ND) party in the upcoming national elections, a government spokesman has confirmed.
Greek government spokesman, Giannis Oikonomou, confirmed the news to reporters on Monday and said: “On the part of ND and Mr Karamanlis, there is no intention not to be a candidate in the parliamentary elections.”
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, second left, accompanied by former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, left, visit the location of train collision in Tempi. Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos / Greek Prime Minister’s Office via AP, File.
Mr Oikonomou described the ex-minister’s resignation as “a brave assumption of political objective responsibility” and said it “honours him as a politician and as a person.”
On the topic of elections, when asked if Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will announce a date soon, Mr Oikonomou that “the prime minister is not concerned with the time of the elections” at present.
Heavy construction machinery was used to move remaining parts of shattered rail cars at Tempi, where 57 people were killed in the February 28 crash. Twelve people remain hospitalised with injuries, five of them in serious condition.
Wreckage is being cleared at the crash site. Photo: AMNA.
According to Ekathimerini, one of the victims was identified on Monday as a 33-year-old man from Bangladesh, after his family came forward via a lawyer. Until now, it had not been possible to identify his body as there had been no comparative DNA sample.
The 33-year-old had been working in Greece for the last 10 years selling costume jewellery and had visited Athens for work when he was caught up in the train collision.
In a Twitter post on Monday, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had spoken with Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about how the bloc can provide support.
This morning I discussed with PM @kmitsotakis further technical support that the EU can provide to Greece to modernise its railways and improve their safety.
Commission and @ERA_railways experts will travel this week to Athens.
Anti-government protests erupted across Greece after the train crash, including a rolling strike by rail workers that has shut down the network.
According to Reuters, rail workers will be joined by government workers, teachers and students on Wednesday for a major day of protest.
On Monday, protesters placed empty chairs with red carnations outside the Greek Ministry of Transport, and held placards reading “Our lives matter” and “Murderers.”
A boy lights a candle outside a court in Larissa city on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Photo: AP Photo/Vaggelis Kousioras.
Relatives of victim testify in court:
Family members of two people who died in the rail collision testified before the investigating Larissa prosecutor on Monday.
Earlier, a 59-year-old station manager was charged with negligent homicide and was jailed late Sunday pending trial.
This comes as the head of the Larissa Appeals Court Prosecutors’ office, Stamatis Daskalopoulos, on Monday officially requested that the Larissa Appeals Justices’ Council convene in full to decide on the appointment of an appellate-level examining magistrate to investigate the Tempi rail crash, due to the seriousness of the case.
The Halloumi Festival returned to Melbourne, Victoria this weekend, bringing once more the Cypriot community together. The festival had a bit of everything from dances to traditional songs, loukoumades and of course, a lot of halloumi.
The festival was organised by the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria.
Cypriots of all ages arrived at Brunswick for the two-day event and could be seen tasting the food and celebrating their culture with excitement.
A Cypriot family dancing with traditional songs
“This event is pleasant because you can meet up with old friends you haven’t seen all year,” one group of old Cypriot migrants to Australia told The Greek Herald at the festival.
Cypriot migrants
“There are many people that come here for the special Cyprus dishes.”
Nearby stood Aspasia and Ilias, a couple that came to Australia from Cyprus about 60 years ago. They said they were attending a community event for the first time in years and were impressed.
Pegasus dancing academy
On the day, there were halloumi eating competitions, an impressive cooking demonstration of how to make halloumi, dances by the Pegasus Dance Academy and live music from Aetos band.
Making loukoumades
During the official speeches, the President of the Cyprus Community, Theo Theophanous, spoke to the public and emphasised the Cypriot origin of halloumi.
“We want everyone who goes to a café and orders halloumi to know that it is from Cyprus,” Mr Theophanous said.
In his speech, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta said: “This is a holy moment to be again all together in one place to celebrate our culture and our traditions.”
Halloumi
The Deputy Head of Mission at the Cyprus High Commission in Australia, Stavros Nicolaou, was also present at the festival and said: “Halloumi is the main element of our culture, the element that brings us together. It expresses the Cypriot soul and brings together the Cypriot family.”
Dimitris Tsilikis, who represented the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, said that “when halloumi is not there on the food table, it is like water is out of home.”
Federal Labor MP, Peter Khalil, promised to bring some halloumi to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when he visited Canberra next and highlighted the Cypriot community’s success story.
“You have all here – your parents, your grandparents – built something very special in this country,” Mr Khalil said.
Peter Khalil, Stavros Nicolaou, Theo Theophanous
The President of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), Bill Papastergiadis OAM, also spoke on the day and said he would work with Mr Theophanous to bring to Australia the Cypriot singer and politician, Michalis Chatzigiannis. Mr Papastergiadis also promised that the Apollon football club will take part in next year’s Greek Community Cup.
Dimitris Tsilikis, Bill Papastergiadis, Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta
“We are and will always be by your side,” he concluded.
All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Giorgos Psomiadis
“We can’t all travel to the isle of Lesvos to experience the Ouzo Festival there, but this is the next best thing. How wonderful that this is happening right here in Knox,” said Knox Councillor Sorina Grasso, addressing hundreds who gathered at the Ouzo Festival on Sunday.
Organised by the Palesviaki Enosi (Lesvos Culture Club), the day was filled with entertainment, good food and of course, dancing. Greece’s Vice Consul General to Melbourne, Dimitrios Linardos, who attended the event with his wife, Georgia Tsimbanagianni, and his son, was impressed by the jovial spirit.
“It gives me hope for a lovely day ahead,” he told The Greek Herald.
The Ouzo Festival.(L-R) Palesviaki President John Karanikolas, Vice Consul General of Melbourne Dimitris Linardos and Knox Cr Sorina Grasso.
Palesviaki President John Karanikolas came to Melbourne from Skala, Mytilene in 1982, two years before the 10 acres for the club were brought following the amalgamation of the clubs Arion and Pittakos. Shortly after, the Ouzo Festival kicked off, one of the club’s most popular events.
“We’re here to honour our island and our product – ouzo. It’s a place with rich history, cultural heritage and important people of the arts as well as products known around the world,” he said.
“We are here to remember experiences from our homeland… and keep our traditions in our second homeland.”
Attendees at the festival.More festival-goers.
Nicky Tsakos, serving calamari, remembers the excitement of coming from Mytilene as a newcomer 49 years earlier and states the first Ouzo Festival took place shortly after the creation of the Club, however Fotini Athiniotis said there were gatherings with plenty of ouzo since 1959.
“Ouzo gatherings were organised well before the Club,” she said, adding that “ouzo means happiness.”
Doukissa’s god-daughter.Dancing.
Memories vary, but one thing everyone can agree on is the hard work that goes into the event. Planning starts months in advance as the group reaches out to sponsors, organises food and marketing of the event. It is one the entire community of Australians from Mytilene look forward too, though on Sunday there were Greeks of many backgrounds present.
Mr Karanikolas told The Greek Herald he’s glad to see young people show up, but admits the club faces the problem of many clubs in Australia as youth aren’t as interested in carrying on events.
Loukoumades at the festival.Ouzo being poured at the festival.
“They have found other means of entertainment, bars for instance, and though they come to the festival, few are willing to put in the effort to organise events,” he lamented.
Marianna Alepidis, a young member of the Club, was churning out food orders.
“For me, it’s a chance to give back to the Club I grew up with. As a girl, I’d play at the bouncing castle and now I’m serving salads,” she said.
Marianna Alepidis and her mum, Rally.Androulla’s Sweets.
“We always need help and money is always going to be an issue. Some places are rundown, and we need to keep it up.”
The festival itself is intergenerational, apart from the Alepidis family manning stations at the event, the Club’s Secretary Stella Corlentinis was helped by her daughter Renee and son Steve.
Palesviaki President Stella Corlentinis and her daughter, Renee.Sophia Giovanidou (middle) lives on the Club’s acreage. She wants the traditions to be kept alive by people of her generation.
“We have three generations from our family helping out here today,” Stella said.
Sophia Giovanidou, also in her 20s, lives on the acreage.
“Four years ago we came here from Greece and lived in share accommodation before coming to live here as guardians of the place,” she said.
Festivalgoers.Face painting.
“When we left Mytilene in 2019 things were hard there due to the refugee crisis but we recently went back and things were very different. We liked it! We can’t be there but it is good to be here today, surrounded by our people.”
