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Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou to play in inaugural Australian Open event for hearing impaired

The Greek Herald
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Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou to play in inaugural Australian Open event for hearing impaired

By Bill Roumeliotis.

Greek tennis player, Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou, arrives in Victoria, Australia this week to play in the first ever international Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHoH) tournament at the Australian Open from January 27-29.

Ahead of her arrival, The Greek Herald spoke with Vasiliki about how she feels to be invited to the tournament and what her plans are for the future.

Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou. Photo: Athlete Stories

Vasiliki, first of all congratulations on your participation in the inaugural tournament. Tell us a few words about you and the event.

It is really a great honour for me to be invited to the Australian Open, one of the four Grand Slams of tennis. And of course, it is a great honour that they included Persons who are DHOH from around the world – something that is happening for the first time.

I am an athlete and a member of the national team for the Hellenic Deaf Tennis Federation. I am also a kindergarten teacher. I have been wearing hearing aids since the age of two.

I started playing tennis at the age of 15 and had my first participation in the 2009 Deaf Olympics in Taipei. From then until today I have participated in all the events of the World Tennis Federation such as the Olympiads, World and Pan-European Deaf Tennis Games. In these events, I took fifth place in two Olympiads, two Worlds and one European and third place in 2021 at the Pan-European games in Crete.

Tennis is a sport for the DHOH that is no different from the hearing, just that when we compete, we don’t wear our hearing aids. In tennis we play a lot with our eyes and rely on our senses, the feel of the ball on the racket. The rules are the same, with the only difference that instead of saying/shouting the score, the referee indicates it with signals.

Vasiliki Kalogeropoulou. Photo: Athlete Stories

Last May you won fifth place in the Deaf Olympiad held in Brazil, an important distinction. What is your next goal?

Indeed, it was a very important distinction in Brazil at the Deaf Olympiad. My next goal will now be the World Deaf Championships in Crete in September 2023.

What “sports” moment have you never forgotten?

There are many, but the one that is etched in my memory is 2015 in Nottingham playing against a very good athlete, who was in the top six of the world ranking. I was so ready that I believed in myself a lot. There were very nice phases in the match. I will not forget this feeling, of victory, that I won against a player that was much better than me in ranking. It made me understand that I could and can achieve much more. Nothing is a given and nothing is impossible.

Apart from sports, what else do you do?

Unfortunately, due to limited time and work, I don’t have time to deal with anything else, although I would like to.

What is your biggest dream?

To be healthy and to be able, in my next matches, to reach the final and win.

Finally, what message would you like to send to the Greek expatriates in Australia and to people with disabilities? Would you encourage them to get involved in sports?

What I have learned all these years is that with work, with effort, you can achieve the goals you set. Everything takes its time, as long as you want it. Never put it down. For people with disabilities, of course I would encourage them to engage in a sport that they like. Sport helps the person to socialise, gain self-confidence and learn to overcome the difficulties of life. It will be my pleasure to compete in Australia, in Melbourne in particular which has many Greeks.

Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW’s Paniyiri at Peats Ridge set to return

The Greek Herald
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Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW’s Paniyiri at Peats Ridge set to return

The much-loved Cretan Paniyiri at Peats Ridge in the Central Coast region of New South Wales is set to return this year on Saturday, February 18.

The paniyiri is being organised by the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW and will be held at farmland at 2 Bushells Road, Peats Ridge from 4pm until late.

The annual celebration will mirror a traditional Cretan festival with live music and classic Cretan food and drink.

Guests will also enjoy live music on the night by entertainers all the way from Crete including Nikos Karkanis, Timmoleon Savvakis and Manousos Kounalakis.

Tickets for the Cretan Paniyiri are $90 for adults and $50 for children (aged 3 – 12), with children under 2 years old entering for free. Tickets can be purchased here: https://bit.ly/3D5cf7G

Jason Sotiris announced as Australia Day Ambassador for Camden Council

The Greek Herald
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Jason Sotiris announced as Australia Day Ambassador for Camden Council

Founder of Supertee, Jason Sotiris, has been announced as the 2023 Australia Day Ambassador for Camden Council in Sydney’s south west.

In a Facebook post, Camden Council said they selected Sotiris as this year’s Ambassador due to his inspirational work bringing a little joy to children in hospital with his free superhero garments.

“Jason Sotiris created a medical garment that inspires imagination. It is an updated version of the traditional hospital gown, especially designed for children,” the Camden Council Facebook post reads.

“We are excited to warmly welcome Jason to Camden.”

Mayor of Camden, Therese Fedeli, also said on Facebook that Jason was the perfect choice for Ambassador.

“To me, Australia Day is about celebrating what it means to be Australian and what we love most about our country and the people around us,” Mayor Fedeli said.

“Jason is a symbol of strength, innovation and kindness and is a true hero for ill children and their families.”

Sotiris launched Supertees in 2018, five years after his eldest daughter, Angela, started battling Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

The 41-year-old father-of-three felt “helpless” and “useless” at the time as he was unable to change his daughter’s clothes without a nurse due to the tubes attached to her body.

After witnessing the stress his daughter was enduring during clothing changes, he came up with the idea to create a medical garment that could be easily changed whether the patient was awake or asleep, making life easier for nurses, parents and patients.

Since the launch, over 8,000 Supertees have been delivered to patients and the organisation won the ‘Australian Good Design Award’ for social impact in 2019.

READ MORE: Brie Larson and Chris Hemsworth throw support behind Jason Sotiris’ charity.

‘Incredible athlete’: Philippoussis on Tsitsipas ahead of Australian Open quarter final

The Greek Herald
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‘Incredible athlete’: Philippoussis on Tsitsipas ahead of Australian Open quarter final

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Australian coach, Mark Philippoussis, has told The Sydney Morning Herald he believes the Greek tennis player will have “an advantage” when he plays his Australian Open quarter final tonight against Jiri Lehecka.

“He’s worked very hard in the off-season. He’s put in the work and he’s hitting the ball well, but, look, if guys are in the quarter-finals, everyone’s playing great tennis,” Philippoussis said in the interview.

“Having the experience of being in the semis the last few years here is an advantage, and can help with those big moments – especially spending those times on Rod Laver Arena.”

Philippoussis joined Tsitsipas’ coaching team, alongside his dad Apostolos, in 2022 after the tennis star lost to Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Mark Philippoussis. Photo: UBITennis

He told the SMH he had hoped to help Tsitsipas narrow his focus, and minimise outside distractions from technology input, statistics and “everything going on during matches.”

“I think it’s very easy to get lost in those things,” Philippoussis said.

“They are important, and you could use them in a beneficial way. But, I also believe players can get lost and forget about playing their own game.

“It’s bringing calmness because he’s such an incredible athlete physically, and he is a natural competitor who’s got a big game but a big all-round game.”

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

National committee established to plan centenary events for Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

The Greek Herald
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National committee established to plan centenary events for Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

The Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia held a meeting on Friday, January 20 in the presence of Archbishop Makarios of Australia.

During the meeting, a national committee was established to plan the centenary celebrations for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia next year.

The committee will also undertake preparations for the 2023 visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Archbishop Makarios will chair the committee, while other members will consist of representatives from all Archdiocesan districts.

‘Changed millions of lives’: Tributes flow for Perth neuroscientist Byron Kakulas

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‘Changed millions of lives’: Tributes flow for Perth neuroscientist Byron Kakulas

Tributes are flowing for neuroscientist, Professor Byron Kakulas, from City Beach in Perth, Western Australia who recently passed away aged 90.

Professor Kakulas was the founding director of the Perron Institute (previously the Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute) in 1982 and a ground breaker in the field of muscular dystrophy research.

After graduating in medicine from the University of Adelaide in 1956 and completing his residency training at Royal Perth Hospital where he specialised in clinical neurology, Professor Kakulas became interested in research.

Professor Kakulas gained a second specialist qualification in pathology, breaking new ground in the area of research by discovering a paralytic disease in a small marsupial, the Rottnest Island Quokka, which would become the focus of his doctoral thesis.

Byron Kaklulas. Photo: Perron Institute

This breakthrough demonstrated the potential for all muscle diseases, including muscular dystrophy, to be curable. According to the Perron Institute, this discovery also opened the gateway to worldwide research in the field and a treatment for sufferers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Professor Kakulas also received many honours and awards including Officer of the Order of Australia, an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Athens, the Gaetano Conte Prize of the Naples Conte Academy, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Federation of Neurology, and a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary.

In a statement following Professor Kakulas’ death, Perron Institute Board Chairman Rob McKenzie called him “a leader who changed the landscape of neurology and neuroscience in Western Australia and influenced the direction of international research.”

“His legacy of advancements in the neurosciences field endures and the example he has set for young researchers in the importance of keeping an open, inquiring mind and being prepared to persist will continue to encourage and inspire,” Mr McKenzie added.

Lord Mayor of Perth, Basil Zempilas, also paid tribute to the Professor in The West and called him his hero.

“As a younger man, a group of high achievers I called my ‘Kazzi’ heroes made a huge impression [on me]. They originated from the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo and in this new land they had forged careers of enormous distinction which served as huge inspiration. One of those heroes was Professor Byron Kakulas,” Mayor Zempilas said.

“A brilliant man, a giant of the medical world and a gentleman, he was a regular on Telethon and he was one of a kind.”

In a statement, Muscular Dystrophy WA also paid tribute to Professor Kakulas on Facebook and said he “changed millions of lives across the globe.”

The Funeral Service for Professor Byron Kakulas will be held in Greek Orthodox Cathedral St Constantine and Helene, Parker St, Northbridge commencing on Friday, January 27 at 9.30am. The Burial Service will be held at Karrakatta at 12pm.

EKOME and GNTO sign Memorandum of Understanding to promote Greek tourism abroad

The Greek Herald
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EKOME and GNTO sign Memorandum of Understanding to promote Greek tourism abroad

The National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME) and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) signed on January 12, a Memorandum of Understanding with the purpose to design and implement joint actions that highlight their work, promote Greek tourism and the domestic audiovisual sector abroad through targeted actions in international exhibitions and markets, and develop a specific framework that will establish the country as an attractive destination for investment in the audiovisual production.

President and CEO of EKOME, Mr Panagiotis Kouanis, welcomed the signing of the Memorandum, stressing that “by joining forces and with the exchange of know-how between two predominantly extrovert bodies, we further strengthen the brand name ‘Greece,’ and promote the Greek tourism product in top positions internationally, especially through the audiovisual production process.”

President of GNTO, Mrs Angela Gerekou, during the signing of the Memorandum, stated: “Today it is with great pleasure that GNTO and EKOME co-sign a Memorandum of Understanding aiming at an even more dynamic and qualitative promotion of our country. We join forces to promote tourism, culture, and the domestic audiovisual sector. It is a fact that cinema and especially international productions can be a modern, dynamic tool for the promotion of our country. The Government, the Ministry of Tourism, GNTO and EKOME prove in practice that we remain firm in our initial commitments.”

EKOME, a state company supervised by the Ministry of Digital Governance, works to attract international audiovisual productions in Greece, administers the 40% cash rebate, 30% tax-relief schemes and the National Network of Film Offices to enhance domestic audiovisual production and supports public and private initiatives and businesses in the fields of audiovisual media and digital technology. At the same time, it is responsible for the promotion of Greece abroad as a unique destination for the production of audiovisual works. 

GNTO, as the main competent body for the promotion of Greek tourism domestically and internationally, implements the tourism policy of the Ministry of Tourism, developing actions and synergies with public and private bodies that contribute creatively to the strengthening of Greece’s image as a tourist destination, the promotion of the economic contribution of tourism and its interaction with the local economy.

Marcos Baghdatis says his Australian Open success tied to Melbourne’s Greek community

The Greek Herald
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Marcos Baghdatis says his Australian Open success tied to Melbourne’s Greek community

Former Australian Open finalist, Marcos Baghdatis, is back in Melbourne, Victoria to compete in the Australian Open 2023 Legends competition this week.

As part of his return, the Cypriot tennis player has opened up to The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) about his past successes at the Australian tennis tournament.

Baghdatis won the Australian Open boys’ singles title in 2003 and almost replicated that result in the men’s singles competition three years later, memorably advancing to the Australian Open 2006 final against Roger Federer.

In an interview with the SMH, Baghdatis attributed part of his success to the support of the Greek community in Melbourne.

Marcos Baghdatis. Photo: AP News.

“From the first moment that I came here, something clicked with the city, with the people, with the fans, I just loved it here,” Baghdatis said.

“They have a big community that follows their Greek athletes.

“This is where I had my best emotions, the best success of my career. To be here on an invitation, there is no way I could have said no. It is an honour to be back.”

The 37-year-old, who made his last Australian Open appearance in 2019, is partnering two-time Grand Slam finalist, Mark Phillippoussis, at this year’s Legends competition.

Baghdatis and Philippoussis will next play Tommy Haas and Radek Stepanek this week.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald.

Stefanos Tsitsipas to face Jiri Lehecka in Australian Open quarter final

The Greek Herald
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Stefanos Tsitsipas to face Jiri Lehecka in Australian Open quarter final

Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Czech tennis player Jiri Lehecka in the quarter final of the Australian Open tonight at around 8pm.

The match will be Tsitsipas’ second meeting with Lehecka. The Greek first faced the Czech at Rotterdam last year and narrowly beat him for a place in the semi-finals.

Tsitsipas is the favourite to win the match and he is chasing his third consecutive Australian Open semi-final appearance.

Earlier on Tuesday, Karen Khachanov and Sebastian Korda are in action, with both players appearing in their maiden Australian Open quarter-final.

Religious Communities Advisory Council in NSW convenes for inaugural meeting

The Greek Herald
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Religious Communities Advisory Council in NSW convenes for inaugural meeting

The members of the NSW Government’s newly created Religious Communities Advisory Council met for the first time on Monday, 23 January with safety and security among the key items of discussion. 

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the inaugural meeting brought together the leaders of multicultural and multi-faith communities from across the state to give them a seat at the table to speak directly with the government. 

“This council formalises the relationships and years of work we have already been doing with multi-faith communities. Each of the members of this council are representing the needs of multi-faith communities across the state, and we have given them a seat at the table to speak directly with us on several matters,” Mr Coure said.

“Today, the first order of business was discussing the safety and security of faith-based intuitions, which they have told us is a priority.”

Advisory Council chair Nick Kaldas APM, who is also chair of the Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, said the meeting was an opportunity to establish the framework for working collaboratively with government.

“The latest census data shows just how diverse NSW has become,” Mr Kaldas said.

“Our reputation as the most successful multicultural state in the world was built off the back of government commitment to engage with and capture the voices of all communities.”

The Advisory Council will meet quarterly and report annually through the Community Relations Report.

Fifteen faith and religious leaders from across NSW will serve two-year terms on the Advisory Council, advising on matters relating to religious communities across the state. The Advisory Council’s work is guided by the Multicultural Principles, which are enshrined in the Multicultural NSW Act 2000 as the policy of the State in NSW.

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