Applications are now open for the inaugural $10,000 Anzac Memorial Trustees Military History Prize – a new annual award within the prestigious NSW Premier’s History Awards.
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the establishment of the award highlighted the importance of recording our military history to honour and remember our veterans.
“Capturing our military history is vital in ensuring future generations are educated on the service and sacrifice of Australians in armed conflicts,” Mr Elliott said.
“This prize is not only an important acknowledgement of the work which is already being done to record the events and stories of those who served in conflict and peacekeeping missions but also provides an avenue for that work to be shared more widely.
“This is another step in ensuring the sacrifices of all those who have served in the defence forces and military operations continue to be profiled as part of the nation’s military history, so our veterans will not be forgotten.
“I encourage all historians with an interest in our military history to apply for this award as it will help future generations learn about and understand the bravery, dedication and legacy of our veterans,” Mr Elliott said.
The Military History Prize is for a work of non-fiction on the involvement of Australians in wars, campaigns, battles and/or peacekeeping operations which are represented in the Anzac Memorial’s Hall of Service.
The Hall of Service displays 100 international sites of military significance for NSW service personnel from the 19th Century to more recent military operations.
In the Anzac spirit, the Prize is open to citizens and permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand. Entries close on 6 April with winners announced in September 2023.
he Anzac spirit, the Prize is open to citizens and permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand. Entries close on 6 April with winners announced in September
For more information visit: https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/awards/nsw-premiershistory-awards
Sarah Craig, the CEO and Head of Curation at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, Victoria, has been turned into a Lego figure for International Lego Classicism Day.
Ms Craig trained in Archaeology and Sociology at Monash University and Art Curatorship at the University of Melbourne.
Sarah Craig, the CEO and Head of Curation at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, Victoria.
She has worked as a curator at the Hellenic Museum since 2014 and following her service as Head Curator and Manager of Curation, she was appointed CEO and Head of Curation in 2020.
The Hellenic Museum is Australia’s only museum dedicated to celebrating the impact of Hellenism and its collection showcases the importance of the Greek world and experience from ancient to modern times.
Professor Hodos, an experienced field archaeologist and scholar, will be joining the University of Sydney (USYD) and Australian Archaeological Institute of Athens (AAIA) from the University of Bristol, the UK in the second half of 2023.
USYD’s School of Humanities Head, Professor Keith Dobney, welcomed Professor Hodos into her new role and to this exciting opportunity.
“Professor Hodos brings her wealth of research experience studying the ancient Mediterranean world, not least the important role Greek culture played within its development,” Professor Dobney said.
“She comes at an exciting time in the history of the Institute and with new ideas and initiatives into how we engage a range of audiences with the fascinating world of Hellenistic studies.”
Using her extensive experience and contacts in Europe, Professor Hodos said she hopes to “forge innovative, collaborative projects to develop a new understanding of the culture of the Hellenes, their impact and their role in broader world history, from ancient, byzantine to modern.”
Professor Hodos, who will be Director of the Institute as well as taking up a position as Chair of Classical Archaeology, will look to elevate the standing of the AAIA in its role as a Foreign School of Athens and a unique research institution here in Australia.
She is focused on creating career pathways in the study of Hellenic culture for students and researchers, to create opportunities and expand their knowledge of the Hellenic world, and to bring that knowledge to the public.
Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens in Sydney.
“I see the relevance of the past to our recent experiences and believe we should harness our knowledge of the past to inform our present and our future,” Professor Hodos said.
The new Director will build upon the links between the AAIA and the Greek Australian community, recognising the vital role the AAIA holds as a bridge between Greece and Australia.
“I appreciate the work and contribution of the Greek Australian diaspora in creating and supporting this unique Institution in Australia. As its Director, I am keen to extend the Institute’s growing focus on the experiences of Australia’s Greek community today,” she said.
As part of this forward-looking, global approach, Professor Hodos will be working with the AAIA Friends Groups and Institutional Members to develop the ways Hellenic cultural heritage is interpreted, and share the Institute’s research of the past in a relevant and accessible way in Australia.
“I understand that the past inclusiveness of the AAIA is essential to instigating future collaborative projects and look forward to many productive associations with many different stakeholders in my future role,” she said.
The AAIA is one of 18 foreign research facilities established in Athens that focus on Greek and wider Mediterranean studies, with a heavy emphasis on archaeological fieldwork and research.
Archaeology professor, curator of the Nicholson Museum for 37 years and founder of the AAIA, Professor Cambitoglou generously bequeathed $6 million to the Institute, with the funds dedicated to supporting its ongoing work and new directorship.
The Victorian Minister for Tourism, Steve Dimopoulos MP, received an inside look at Australia’s first heart hospital in Clayton, Melbourne before it officially opens its doors to patients on Thursday.
Mr Dimopoulos toured the new 206-bed Victorian Heart Hospital in Clayton on Sunday alongside Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas.
We promised Victorians that we'd build a dedicated Victorian Heart Hospital.
In a post on Facebook, Mr Dimopoulos said the hospital was the “first of its kind in Australia” and would provide “world leading treatment and research.”
“A public hospital for all Victorians. Right here. Promised, funded, delivered – now opened – all under a Victorian Labor Government,” Mr Dimopoulos’ said in his post.
The $577 million facility will be able to cater for up to 2150 cardiac surgeries, 28,300 emergency presentations and 108,000 consultations a year.
It will also provide telehealth services to reduce the need for country Victorians to travel for specialist appointments, and be used to train more than 300 undergraduate, 260 postgraduate and 20 PhD students each year.
Early works for the stand-alone hospital began in July 2019 and major construction was completed late last year.
The Opposition has criticised the Andrews Government for delays, but Premier Andrews said the project’s scope had expanded over the years, altering the timeline for its construction.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Athens, Greece on Monday evening, and met with Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at Maximos Mansion.
This is Blinken’s first visit to Greece in his current role as US Secretary of State.
According to AMNA.gr, Mitsotakis stressed during their meeting that Blinken had arrived “at a time of great challenges,” referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“It is very clear we must convey the message that every form of revisionism, every change of borders through violence, cannot be accepted by the international community of democratic states,” Mitsotakis said.
Welcome to Athens @SecBlinken. I am looking forward to our discussions, as we will have the opportunity to take stock of our bilateral relationship which is going from strength to strength on all fronts. https://t.co/WmDHF45tDVpic.twitter.com/3zppIGeuo0
The Greek Prime Minister also spoke of Greece becoming an energy hub and stressed Greece’s support to Turkey during this month’s deadly earthquake.
For his part, Blinken praised Greece’s role as one of the first to express its support to Turkey, and said Greece plays a leading role in the region, particularly in environmental issues and in promoting the EU accession of Western Balkan countries.
“The United States stands with Greece and supports Greece’s continued leadership in the region,” Blinken said on Twitter.
Sat down with @PrimeMinisterGR Kyriakos Mitsotakis today and affirmed the United States’ unshakeable partnership with Greece. The United States stands with Greece and supports Greece’s continued leadership in the region. pic.twitter.com/AsLWPvcX8h
Both Mitsotakis and Blinken spoke of the strong and strategic ties between the two countries, while Blinken added he looks forward to the deepening of relations between the two peoples.
After this meeting, Blinken will meet on Tuesday with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to launch the Fourth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue. He will also meet with opposition leader Alexis Tsipras.
Starting at 11am, Sydney’s Greek community were in for a treat as they enjoyed live music all day from bands such as Iho Nyx, Mistura and SousAnna’s. Konstantina Touni and Tryfonas Anastasiou also came direct from Greece to entertain the masses and drew loud applause.
Youth also put on their dancing shoes and costumes for Greek dancing performances by Sydney Greek Dancing School, Sydney Sizmos, Sophia Ventouris School of Dance, Cyprus Community of NSW Dance Group, and the GOCNSW Dancing Group under the instruction of Paroula and Nicole Thurban.
Amongst all the music and dancing, festivalgoers could be seen mingling with each other and browsing a number of stalls selling handmade jewellery, candles and religious icons.
One festival attendee, Reuben, who was from Ghana, brought his daughter River to the event to expose her to “a bit more culture.”
“I mean my best friend’s Greek and I love the food! The people are always kind and nice as well,” Reuben told The Greek Herald with a laugh.
With any festival, there were also a number of official guests in attendance including the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; Archbishop Makarios of Australia; the NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet; the NSW Labor Leader, Chris Minns; the Federal Member for Banks, David Coleman MP; the NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure; City of Sydney Councillor (Waskam) Emelda Davis; CEO of the Bank of Sydney, Miltos Michaelas; the President of GOCNSW, Harry Danalis; Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris; and many other politicians and representatives from local Greek organisations.
The official proceedings began with a traditional smoking ceremony, followed by the singing of the national anthems of Greece and Australia by George Karantonis. Next up were speeches by the aforementioned special guests.
In his speech, the Premier Mr Perrottet reiterated the NSW Government’s pledge to invest $800,000 over the next four years to continue supporting the Greek Festival of Sydney. He also praised the Greek community for their valued contribution to NSW.
“This has become one of the biggest festivals, one of the biggest cultural festivals in NSW, but it’s also become one of the best. That is a tribute to our Greek community for having the foresight and the energy to keep this festival growing from strength to strength,” Mr Perrottet said.
Next to address the crowd was the NSW Labor Leader Mr Minns. In his speech, he stressed that the Greek Festival had “come a long way from its humble beginnings in the back streets of Marrickville.”
“I can only imagine that when the original festival was constituted the idea that it would spread to the middle of Sydney with tens of thousands of people and weeks of celebratory events, would’ve blown their minds away,” Mr Minns said.
“But it’s a tribute to the kind of dedication and work and the growing Greek community that we have in Sydney that that’s exactly what we have.”
At the conclusion of these official speeches, crowds gathered around the main stage in anticipation for the arrival of international singer, Alkistis Protopsaltis. Her performance left people singing along to her rhythmic music and people slowly jumped up to dance the night away.
Relentless rain, lightning and thunder couldn’t dampen the Cretan spirit on Saturday night as hundreds of people gathered on a rural property at Peats Ridge in Sydney to dance a pentozali, sousta or malevizotis.
Over 500 people drove the 1.5 hours outside of central Sydney to Peats Ridge for the annual Cretan Paniyiri by the Cretan Association of Sydney and New South Wales.
On arrival, they definitely weren’t disappointed by the festive and family-friendly atmosphere, with attendees able to enjoy a stroll among the lemon, avocado and mango trees as the sunshine hit their smiling faces.
Laughter could also be heard floating across the property as children were free to roam, groove away to Cretan music on the dance floor, or swing from a kids playset that was set up nearby.
Elsewhere the adults were gathered around their designated tables, either in the shade or out in the open, mingling and enjoying traditional Greek food such as pilaf and dolmades. The kontosouvli was by Pelopidas Catering. All the food was delivered to the tables by the Association’s dedicated volunteers.
Later, as the sun began to set, musicians from Crete, Nikos Karkanis, Timmoleon Savvakis and Manousos Kounalakis, began to play live music and the Cretan Association’s junior and intermediate dance groups performed.
It was at this moment the skies opened and a severe storm hit the paniyiri but that didn’t stop attendees, volunteers and members of the senior dancing group from running out into the rain and keeping the kefi going with some traditional Cretan dances.
The sight brought a smile to everyone’s face and drew chants of ‘Long Live Crete’ from the crowd.
When we asked one young female dancer what the paniyiri meant to her, she said it was important to get together, dance and celebrate the “unique culture” of Crete.
“I think it’s great just to be able to celebrate being Cretan with everyone,” the dancer said.
President of the Cretan Association, Emmanuel Vitetzakis, added that the severe storm “allowed us to show the world the resilience of the Cretan people.”
“No amount of rain could stop us Cretans from dancing and having a great time. You could not wipe the smile off my face when I was watching, and dancing with, all the youth in the middle of the dance floor whilst the rain was tumbling down,” Mr Vitetzakis told The Greek Herald.
“The Cretan musicians couldn’t believe what they were witnessing and they went to another level with entertaining us.”
Mr Vitetzakis also thanked his executive committee, sub-committee, families and sponsors for making the paniyiri “one of the best events ever hosted” by the Cretan Association.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The Pontian Synapantema event in Melbourne, Victoria this year was more than special. Following the ‘Parakath’ welcoming event on Friday, February 17, a dance workshop for the Pontian youth was held on Saturday, February 18 in the morning.
Dance instructors Samantha and Peter were among the teachers in the morning workshop and guided young dancers who were looking forward to a dance event to be held later on Saturday night.
Dance teachers guided young dancers on Saturday’s workshop. All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Giorgos Psomiadis.
“I think that this Synapantema is a fabulous opportunity for the children of all three states to come together to experience the Pontian culture and get to know their dances, their traditions and build a Pontian family,” Samantha told The Greek Herald.
Peter added: “It’s a great opportunity for the little ones to embrace their heritage and their culture, to really know why we dance some dances, what outfits mean, the colours, even to learn the language.”
Young dancers were excited for the upcoming event
After their rehearsal, the young dancers were joined by adults to form one group of Pontians from all different ages.
Dance teacher, Christina Ioannidou, said that Synapantema for her is something beautiful and holy.
“All different associations are merged and we are under one roof, uniting our energy and thirst for dancing,” she said. “Wherever it had taken place, we would be more than happy to make that trip… We are trying really hard to pass to the next generation our history and our culture.”
The Pontian’s biggest annual gathering peaked with a memorable sold-out Saturday night event, after two years of COVID-19 restrictions. After 7pm, the Stars International venue in Preston was full of happy faces and Pontians from four generations united to celebrate, dance, sing and honour the Pontian culture.
The Synapantema was organised by the Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia and all member associations were present: Pontoxeniteas NSW, Panagia Soumela Sydney, Diogenes Wollongong, Pontian Club Canberra, Akritis tou Pontou, Pontic Foundation of Panagia Soumela of Australia, and the Pontian Brotherhood of South Australia.
The event was hosted by George Donikian who welcomed everyone, highlighting that this year’s Synapantema focused on the youth. “The core of all the tomorrows,” he said.
Pontian dancers in traditional outfits
Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta then blessed the dinner, thanked the Federation for the invitation and spoke about the youth.
“We need the youth, because it is not only the future, it is also what supports the older generation, and what gives the older generation strength, courage and hope,” the Bishop said in his speech.
Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, Federation President, Peter Stefanidis, Host George Donikian
After the dancing groups of the associations, consisting of children and adults, impressed with a special Pontian dancing performance, the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis spoke to the public about the importance of Pontian history.
“I get in the room and I see 28 centuries of history,” he said. “In the last century Pontians were spread, but they were spread carrying everywhere Christ and Panagia, and they carry the cross of the race wherever they go.”
He also talked about Synapantema as a fiesta and a dance, but also as ‘liturgy’ and ‘mnimosino’ – referring to the four generations that were gathered for the event that night and to remembering the distant homes and the sacred bones of those who passed. Before leaving the stage, he called for unity.
“If we want to stand in a society, far from home, unity is the first and the most important value,” he said.
Federation President, Peter Stefanidis, highlighted the evolvement of Synapantema, which first started in 2004.
“After the two years of the pandemic, that we have been away from each other, this year we have all come together in order to be able to celebrate our culture and during that very dark time we were still able to support each other, to conduct group sessions, culture programs to keep things going so that today this would be possible,” he said.
After that, he gave national awards to community members who offered their precious service to the Pontian culture. Later, the two giants of Pontian music Alex Parcharidis and Fanis Kourouklidis performed live.
On Sunday, a special commemorative event by historian Dr Panagiotis Diamadis at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance commemorated the sacrifices made by the women of Greece between 1915 and 1930. This concluded the Pontian Synapantema.
*All photos belong to The Greek Herald / Giorgos Psomiadis
The centre of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory became a kaleidoscope of colour over the weekend as the world’s cultures came together for the National Multicultural Festival.
According to the ACT Government, over 200,000 visitors attended the festival over three days (17 – 19 February), more than 170 cultures were represented, including 250 stalls, 30 cultural showcases and performances on eight stages.
On Sunday, the Greek Glendi returned to the festival with the proud support of the Greek Community of Canberra (GCC), the Hellenic Club of Canberra and the Canberra Olympic Football Club.
Paradise band played for the crowds, whilst the Canberra Hellenic Dancers and the Nassibian Dance Group from Sydney gave rich dancing performances.
The Mandolin Band, who practice at the Hellenic Club, also participated as part of the Greek Glendi and played a number of Greek classics including Zorba the Greek.
Whilst listening to the live music and enjoying some dancing, big crowds also lined up for loukoumades by the Philoptochos of St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Canberra, as well as lamb souvlakia and yeeros by Canberra Olympic, and calamari, chips, spanakopita, tiropites and baklava by the GCC.
Whether it was people’s first time to the festival or a breath of nostalgia, many visitors embraced the festival’s celebration of Canberra’s rich diversity.
Team Giannis ended LeBron James’ hold on All-Star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184-175 in the NBA’s annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night.
Team Giannis started in a strong way with Antetokounmpo getting into the action right away, after dunking the ball in the first posession of the game.
Tatum, the first starter pick by Antetokounmpo broke the All-Star Game-record with 55 points.
This was Lebron’s first loss in six times as captain of an All Star NBA team. Lebron had an injury on his hand in the first half and he missed the remainder of the game.
“That was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone said.
