The 41st Greek Festival of Sydney have released their official program of events for 2023. The festival is an initiative of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW).
From cultural exhibitions to book launches and music concerts, the program definitely doesn’t disappoint.
The 41st Greek Festival of Sydney was officially launched on Thursday, February 16 with a formal dinner at The Grand Roxy in Brighton-Le-Sands, Sydney.
This year’s program involves over 25 scheduled events such as festivals, book launches and concerts which are set to showcase Greek history, culture and music. It is being presented by the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOCNSW).
All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
On the launch night, over 100 officials and prominent members of the Greek community were given an insight into these upcoming events.
This included, but is not limited to, Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis MP; Courtney Houssos MLC; Press Counsellor at the Consulate of Greece in Sydney, Costas Giannakodimos; Bayside Council Mayor Christina Curry; Randwick City Council Mayor Dylan Parker; Georges River Council Mayor Nick Katris; Waverley Council Mayor Paula Masselos; Randwick City Councillor Alexandra Luxford; and Inner West Councillor Zoi Tsardoulias, as well as many representatives from local Greek associations.
After everyone was seated, emcee Artemis Theodoris Papoutsis introduced a number of speakers.
These were the President of GOCNSW, Harry Danalis; the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; the NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure MP; Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper MP; Mayor Curry; the Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris; and Ms Protopsalti.
In his speech, Mr Danalis welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about the Greek Festival of Sydney’s 41 years of history and purpose.
Harry Danalis.Mayor Curry.Ioannis Mallikourtis.
“The purpose of the festival is not just for us to entertain ourselves and the public. The purpose of the festival is for us to be able to retain our Greek identity, to retain our language, to promote our language and culture to the wider Australian audience and I think we are having success as time goes by,” Mr Danalis said.
The Consul General of Greece spoke next and said he’s looking forward to attending events organised by the Greek Festival of Sydney. He also shared a personal anecdote of his connection to Alkistis and her songs.
The NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mr Coure, also gave a speech on the night and announced a re-elected NSW Liberal and National Government will invest $800,000 over the next four years to continue supporting the Greek Festival of Sydney.
“The Greek community has played a special role in helping build our rich multicultural society, and I am so proud to say we will be helping continue taking this event to even bigger heights,” Mr Coure said.
Mark Coure.Steve Kamper.
Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Mr Kamper, matched this commitment and said the NSW Labor Party would invest $220,000 a year over the next four years to support the Greek Festival of Sydney if elected at the upcoming state election.
“We’re so proud of our Greek community. NSW Labor, under the leadership of Chris Minns, will continue to support the Greek Festival, anything Greek. It’s in our DNA,” Mr Kamper said on the night.
The Greek Festival of Sydney Chair, Ms Karteris, finished off the official speeches with one of her own, thanking the two politicians for their commitments and encouraging everyone to enjoy the program of events scheduled for this year. She also thanked the festival’s sponsors.
At the conclusion of these speeches, awards were given to Ms Protopsalti, festival and media sponsors as a thank you for their support.
Ms Protopsalti also gave a small message to everyone in attendance ahead of her performance at the Greek Fest Darling Harbour on Sunday – “I can’t wait.”
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has this afternoon accepted Mr Poulos’ resignation but said he remained a member of parliament.
“He obviously has made a mistake he has apologised for, that I think he gave a heartfelt apology for, not just to the people of the state but particularly to the Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston. She’s accepted that apology,” Mr Perrottet said.
“As well he doesn’t want to be a distraction for me for the campaign. I’ve accepted his resignation from his parliamentary secretary duties.”
Earlier this week it was revealed Mr Poulos leaked explicit photos of Ms Preston to a Liberal Party member during a pre-selection battle five years ago.
The photos were from the 1980s when Ms Preston modelled for Penthouse magazine.
Mr Poulos last week apologised for the “regrettable mistake” and Ms Preston urged the media to “move on.”
Viglakis is the President and head dance instructor of the Viglatores Dance Academy in Hania, Crete and he has travelled to Australia with Manioudakis on a national tour under the auspices of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, with the financial support of the Region of Crete.
There were two workshops – one for the Cretan Association’s three dancing groups on Wednesday, and one for the general public on Thursday. All the workshops were held at the Pontian House in Earlwood and had huge turnouts.
Students were able to ask questions, learn new techniques and also learn about the origins and history of their favourite Cretan dances.
Following the dance workshops on Wednesday, a celebratory dinner was held at the Cretan House in Marrickville where the dance teachers were presented with commemorative plaques to thank them for their time in Sydney.
Viglakis and Manioudakis expressed how proud they are that there are such strong Cretan communities in the diaspora, far away from Crete and are excited for the remainder of their tour.
Their tour commenced with Wellington, New Zealand, and after Sydney they will travel to Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin.
The Melbourne University Baseball Club (MUBC) has recently awarded Greek Australian Tom Andronas with a life membership.
The baseball club voted unanimously to award Mr Andronas with the life membership during the Club’s recent Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Mr Andronas, having joined the baseball club in the first week of university during the early 2000s, is a former President of the Club.
Tom Andronas and Melbourne University Baseball Club team members. Photo: Melbourne University Sport
The enthusiastic baseball player told Melbourne University Sport in an interview: “My advice to any student or alumni looking for like-minded people to hang out with, a team environment, a community, or a professional development opportunity is to get involved with one of the University’s sporting clubs – it can be a life-changing experience.”
During and post-pandemic, Mr Andronas maintained a high membership status and as president, he led initiatives to strengthen the Club’s alumni network.
“I’m proud of the opportunity we’ve provided for hundreds of people, from beginners to elite athletes, to participate in baseball at their own level,” Mr Andronas said.
“During my time as President, the Club grew from five teams to nine, and watching people learn the game and enjoy playing it with their mates is what community sport is all about.”
Georgios Papanicolaou is remembered as the Greek inventor of the ‘Pap Smear’ test. The Greek Herald looks back at his life.
Early life and education:
Georgios Papanikolaou was born May 13, 1883 in Kymi, Evia – a town on the Greek island of Euboea.
He was the son of the doctor and politician Nikolaos Papanicolaou, who served as mayor of Kymi and member of parliament of Evia.
He spent his childhood years on the island and after finishing primary education, his parents sent him to Athens to complete encyclical studies.
In 1898, at the age of 15, Papanicolaou attended the University of Athens Medical School. He graduated in 1904 with honours.
The young academic went on to study philosophy and learnt music, poetry and the French and German languages.
In 1907, he wrote a thesis, “On the conditions of the differentiation of the sex of Daphnids” for the Doctor of Natural Sciences at the University of Munich.
Work:
Papanikolaou’s thesis findings were used by the then-famous geneticist T. Morgan who helped him get a job in the pathological anatomy laboratory of a New York Hospital in 1913.
After immigrating to America with his wife, Maria-Andromachi Mavrogenous, he worked in the anatomical laboratory of the renowned Cornell University and devoted himself to his research work.
In 1917, Papanicolaou studied the vaginal smear of lower mammals and related its morphology to the hormonal cycle and corresponding changes in the uterus and ovaries of animals. Following laboratory studies, his research was later extended to women at the Women’s Hospital in New York.
By 1928, he made his first announcement titled, A New Diagnosis of Cancer, which was initially met with disbelief by the US medical world.
However, the Greek doctor and researcher was extremely confident that it would eventually become the worldwide method of early diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Accolades:
Papanikolaou was nominated twice for a Nobel Prize but never won. However, he was awarded several American medical awards and posthumously the UN Award.
In 1932, he became the first honorary member of the Academy of Athens and in 1949, the Medical School of the University of Athens named him an honorary doctorate.
The Miami Cancer Institute renamed themselves to ‘Georgios Papanikolaou’ Cancer Institute after his death.
Death:
Georgios Papanicolaou died on February 19, 1962 of a fatal heart attack. It happened three months after he settled in Miami to take over the Cancer Institute.
Australians, Americans and New Zealanders unanimously voted the Greek island of Paros as “one of the most desirable places to stay,” according to a report by theNew Zealand Herald.
The island won the vote from the team of Australian, American and New Zealand travellers despite spending a couple of nights on the renowned Greek island of Santorini.
“The team’s view was that picturesque Santorini was definitely a ‘turn to the stars’, but Paros won out because of its almost indefinable, suggestive appeal,” the report stated.
Paros island.
The voters said Paros appears relatively unspoilt with its beautifully balanced mix of sandy beaches and water sports.
There were also “tempting food options, vibrant nightlife, traditional whitewashed buildings and magnificent natural scenery.”
Panagia Soumela Sydney have received a $19,000 government grant to soundproof their building in the Sydney suburb of Hurlstone Park.
Labor Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis MP, delivered a cheque with the funds to the Association during their Vasilopita cutting event on Sunday, February 12.
President of Panagia Soumela Sydney, Peter Papoulidis, told The Greek Herald he was “ecstatic” when he heard the Association had received the grant.
“Grants are not as easy to apply for as people think. A lot of times you’re not successful so we were very happy,” Mr Papoulidis said.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Chris Klazidis, Hellena Flame, Rita Armanious and Harry Tsipidis.”
Mr Papoulidis said the funds would go towards insulating the Pontian club’s roof, as well as for soundproofing bats and interior wall lining.
Over 100 Minoan artifacts have gone on display in the Labyrinth – Knossos, Myth and Reality exhibition at the Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum in the United Kingdom on February 10.
The exhibition has Minoan artefacts which have never-been-seen-before and have never left Crete and Greece.
“The amazing Ashmolean has done it again.” @stephenfry
📣 Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality is officially open 📣
The selected Minoan artefacts have been lent by the Archaeological Museum and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Heraklion, Crete, and will be exhibited until July 30, 2023.
Curator of the exhibition, Dr Andrew Shapland, said the purpose of the exhibition is “to look at the myths of Crete but also at the archaeological reality which might lie behind them. How the traditions developed in Crete which led to these myths being created.”
The Poros Ewer. Credit: Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, Heraklion Archaeological Museum. A Minoan artifact.A Minoan artifact.
The Minoan civilisation occurred during the Bronze Age period of Crete and flourished from about 3000 BCE to about 1100 BCE.
The civilisations artefacts were discovered after WWII by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans in the early 20th century.
Greece will build a new naval tradition park named Odysseus – The Greeks and the Sea at Flisvos in Palaio Faliro on the southern coast of Athens.
According to Ekathimerini, the new park will feature the Averof battleship, the Olympias trireme, the Hellas Liberty merchant and the submarine Proteus.
The WWI Battleship Georgios Averof currently operates as a floating museum and will be featured in the new park.
Built on 2.6 hectares of public land, the park holds a concession of a 1km sea area.
Shipowner Aris Theodorides is donating $35 million euro to Theodorides, a non-profit company, who will be constructing the entire facility.
