La Trobe University’s Greek Studies program hosted a Twilight Event at Bundoora’s Moat Theatre, to celebrate 40 years of Greek language teaching at the Melbourne University and to announce the program’s continuation.
The event, which took place earlier this month, was opened with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, and greetings by the Vice-Chancellor and the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences.
In a Facebook post, the Greek Studies program wrote: “It was a magical night of celebration. Here’s to another forty years of Greek at La Trobe!”
Following brief remarks by the instructors of the program, Dr Nikoloudis and Dr Gonis, the focus turned to the current and former students, with eleven of them of diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds, generously sharing with the audience their thoughts on the value of Greek in their lives.
The students included: Anthea Banousis, Margarita Smith, Konnor Terzakis, Ellenie Vasilopoulos, Andrew Vagias, Amanda Roff, Catherine Edwards, Kayla Careri, Notis Karidakis, Theodoula Vorenas, Evanthia Katsoulis.
A group of fifth-grade actors or “the future’ students of La Trobe” as the program referred to them, from the Bentleigh campus of the Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) Language and Culture Schools, also took part in the celebrations by performing in Greek their unique rendition of Aesop’s Fable ‘The tortoise and the hare’.
The evening was capped off with a mesmerising Greek musical performance by students of the program, including an illustrated journey of Greek history through the 20th and 21st centuries from Greece to Australia, coordinated by doctoral student Panagiotis Pantazis, with the invaluable input of friend of the program, Nikos Kapralos, and students Notis Karidakis, Synesios Frangos and George Stavros.
Following approval of a $4.9 million expense in the Federal budget, a delegation from Australia’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs has visited Lemnos to finalise the technical details and kick off the implementation of the Remembrance Trail in recognition of the Australian doctors, nurses and other service personnel who served there during WWI.
The Australian delegation met with Greece’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Nikos Hardalias as well as local authorities, Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Arthur Spyrou, said.
Wonderful news! Following approval of a $4.9m expense in the federal budget, a @DVAAus delegation visited #Lemnos to kick off the implementation of the Lemnos Remembrance Trail honouring the ANZACS, together with the 🇬🇷 Deputy Minister of Defence @nhardalias & local authorities. pic.twitter.com/V9Np4Jn323
The creation of the Remembrance Trail was first announced back in April 2018 by Melbourne’s Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee and the Prefecture of the Northern Aegean, with hopes that it will commemorate and immortalise the service and sacrifice of those who came to Lemnos in the Gallipoli campaign, which included an estimated 50,000 Australians.
The project, which will further enhance the close ties between Australia and Greece will be delivered by the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs and maintained by the Greek Government upon its completion, as agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries.
Speaking with The Greek Herald earlier in the year, the then Australian Veterans’ Affairs Minister, Andrew Gee said: “Lemnos played a key role in the Gallipoli campaign for Australia and New Zealand, and our allies.”
“It was a staging and support base, as well as a place of care for our sick and wounded. An estimated 50,000 Anzacs passed through Lemnos over the course of the campaign. It’s a story of friendship between Greece and Australia that needs to be told,” he said.
The Remembrance Trail will help visitors tour the sites of the island where their Australian ancestors went, while at the same time explaining in detail the historical significance of specific areas of the island.
“Sweet papa… John Anthony Aniston. You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew. I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace – and without pain,” she wrote.
John was born Yannis Anastassakis in Crete, Greece, and emigrated with his family to Pennsylvania when he was a child.
He was a theatre major at Pennsylvania State University and before beginning his professional acting career in the 1960s, John served in the US Navy.
John Aniston as Victor Kiriakis in Days of Our Lives. Photo: Frank Carroll / NBC Universal via Getty Images.
With early break-out roles on the small screen in ‘Combat!’, ‘I Spy’ and ‘The Virginian,’ his acting credits went on to include ‘Search for Tomorrow,’ as well as ‘The Gilmore Girls’.
John was most known for his long-running role on ‘Days of Our Lives’ where he played family patriarch Victor Kiriakis, the former drug lord who goes on to found the powerful Titan Industries.
The rainy weather didn’t dampen the spirits of locals in the Sydney suburb of Burwood on Sunday, November 14 as they flocked to the annual Greek Street Fair for some Hellenic culture, food, dancing and music.
The Greek Street Fair is organised by The Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Burwood and District to celebrate and share the Greek cultural heritage and spirit with the local community.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
At this year’s event, plenty of young children and families were mingling along Burleigh Street and the adjoining carpark enjoying Greek souvlakia and loukoumades.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
People could also be seen with huge smiles on their faces as they browsed a number of Greek stalls and bought a variety of products such as homemade jewellery, clothing and candles.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
One festival attendee, Berry, told The Greek Herald on the day she decided to come down to the Greek Street Fair after her 4-year-old daughter heard Greek music and wanted to check it out.
“This is the first time we’ve come to this festival because we’ve just come from Hong Kong for two months only and we wanted to explore more because we know Australia has different kinds of culture,” Berry said.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
“We’ve enjoyed it so much. We’ve had some Greek food and even visited St Nectarios church.”
When The Greek Herald spoke with Berry about her time at the Greek Street Fair, she was sitting with her daughter in front of the main stage.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Hundreds of attendees flocked to the stage throughout the day to listen to a number of official speeches from VIPs guests such as the Mayor of Burwood, Councillor John Faker; NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure MP; St Nectarios parish priest, Father George Liangas; and Member for Reid, Sally Sitou. Also present was the President of the St Nectarios Parish and Community, Penelopy Kioussis, and Secretary of the Parish Board Christina Efthymiades AM.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Emcees, Kathryn Efthymiades and Dimitrios Kametopoulos, introduced the Mayor of Burwood to speak first and he promised the Greek Street Fair would become even bigger and better next year.
“We want to work with St Nectarios and the committee to make this festival, not a fair but a festival, the major premier Greek festival in Sydney – right here in Burwood,” Cr Faker said.
Minister Coure spoke next and congratulated the St Nectarios parish and board for organising the Greek Street Fair and “showing off all things Greek.”
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Father George thanked everyone for attending the Greek Street Fair and stressed the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to make the event possible.
“For today to happen a lot of work has gone into it… and they [the St Nectarios board and volunteers] do it out of love and community and wanting to give back,” Father George said.
Minister Sitou was last to speak and said she was very excited to be at the Greek Street Fair and witness the “Greek airplane dance” (the zeibekiko) in action.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
She definitely wasn’t disappointed as throughout the remainder of the day a number of Greek dancing groups, including The Nassibian Dancers, Pontoxeniteas Sydney, the Cyprus Community of NSW dancers and Sydney Sizmos, all put on spectacular performances that had people up and dancing.
Tassos Bouzouki also played live music on the day. It was a great event enjoyed by all.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Students, parents, grandparents and friends of All Saints Grammar (ASG) in Belmore in Sydney’s inner south west came together on Saturday, November 12 for the school’s annual taverna night celebrating Greek culture and traditions.
There were over 1,000 people in attendance. Guests enjoyed a range of dancing performances by ASG students from PreKinder to Year 12 dressed in traditional costumes. They danced the Kalamatiano, Syrtos, Sousta, Tik Monon, Kotsari, Hasapikos/Zembekikos, Ikariotikos, Tsirigotikos, Pentozali, Tsamikos and Sfarlis.
Secondary students also gave a bouzouki and vocal performance, whilst deejay Tas Vardakas provided some Greek musical tunes that had everyone on the dance floor.
In between all the dancing and entertainment, people enjoyed the Greek food on offer as well, including the souvlakia, loukouma, frappes and gelato.
It was truly a community event organised by the All Saints Parent Association (ASPA) with the support of the ASG Board of Directors, volunteers, teachers and official sponsors, contributing to the success of the event.
Official sponsors included: ACK IT Services, All Char Trading PTY LTD, Budget Petrol, Carrillo Family, Compass Building Certification, Danas Deli Café, Dimitriou Family, Enmore Theatre, Galanos-Stellios Family, CWS Refrigeration Australia, Jeffrey Bros Funeral Services, Karadimas Family, Karteris Family, Ladies Auxiliary, Loupis Family, Marinos Family, Maroubra Charcoal Chicken, Mousas Family, Santellis Family, Savvas Family, Souvlaki Boys,Spathis Family, Stix & Pita, The Boatshed Pyrmont, The Fresh Fruit Team, Torres Family, Trescon Construction Group, Tzimoulas Family, Vardakis Family.
“The ASG Taverna Night was a truly special evening. It demonstrated how connected we are as school community and our commitment to celebrating our Hellenic culture,” Head of School, Mrs Elfa Lillis, told The Greek Herald after the event.
All Saints Grammar has been helping shape the lives of students and partnering with families since 1990. Founded by the Parish and Community of Belmore and District, the School was established to support families in their quest to introduce and instil Hellenic values and the Orthodox Christian faith to the next generation of Greek Australians. Today, our School attracts students from many different faiths and backgrounds.
ASG is now accepting enrolments for all entry years for 2023.
St George Greek Orthodox Church in Rose Bay in the eastern suburbs of Sydney celebrated its 60th anniversary on Saturday, November 12 with a black tie ball at The Fullerton Hotel.
On the night, the ballroom was filled with families, friends and parishioners from the parish, as well as a number of special guests. This included Archbishop Makarios of Australia; Her Excellency The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of New South Wales; the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; St George Rose Bay parish priest, Father Gerasimos Koutsouras; and the President of the Parish Committee, Spero Raissis; among many others.
All attendees were treated to a three course meal on the night as they listened to a number of speeches highlighting the 60-year history of St George Rose Bay.
Event emcee, Mary Coustas, started the official proceedings with a video by students from the parish’s Sunday School singing the national anthems of Greece and Australia.
Next, Archbishop Makarios, Ms Beazley, Mr Mallikourtis and Mr Raissis all took to the stage to speak.
In his speech, Archbishop Makarios thanked parishioners, benefactors and donors for their support of St George Rose Bay over the years.
“I have no doubt that he [Saint George] is well-pleased with your noble endeavours to see this parish flourish as you bring God’s light to this corner of Sydney,” the Archbishop said.
Ms Beazley spoke next about her “proxy connection” to the parish and stressed that whilst St George Rose Bay is not a legend, “it is legendary.”
“When I was thinking about you as a parish, your church as a place in our community, it did seem to me that three things were of particular importance. The first is community – that’s your heart. It is your devotion at your church and as part of that community which binds you,” Ms Beazley said.
“Also at the heart of this parish of St George is commemoration because it is a church which has been dedicated to service people, to Greeks, Greek Australians who have served in the Australian Defence Services… that is an extraordinary dedication.”
The Consul General was next to the stage and shared his observations about the Greek community in Australia since his arrival in Sydney last month. Mr Mallikourtis stressed that whilst Greeks have flourished in Australia, there needs to be an increased focus on how to preserve the Greek language for future generations.
Last to speak was Parish President, Mr Raissis. He spoke about the accomplishments of the parish, including its fellowship programs, and announced that a portion of the funds raised on the night would be donated towards the St Andrews Theological College in Sydney.
At the conclusion of these official speeches, Archbishop Makarios presented a small gift to volunteers at St George Rose Bay in recognition of their dedication and long-term service.
Young Greek dancers from the parish’s dancing school then came out to perform a number of Greek dances. Everyone was then encouraged to get onto the dancefloor and enjoy some live Greek music.
The NSW Police Force now has access to one of the country’s most extensive translating and interpreting services, capable of offering round the clock assistance in more than 100 different languages.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole said the new Memorandum of Understanding between the NSW Police Force and Multicultural NSW would give Police access to more translators and interpreters statewide.
“This is a big win for police, local communities and those visiting our great state who may come in contact with police, but struggle with English,” Mr Toole said.
“When an incident arises it’s crucial that police have the tools they need to break down language barriers so they can communicate effectively and achieve positive outcomes.
“Police currently have access to more than 25 Multicultural Liaison Officers spread across the State to engage with communities at a grass roots level. The new, updated MOU will give police officers access to more translators and interpreters in more locations across NSW in person, virtually or via phone.
“These kinds of language services are more important than ever with more overseas travellers choosing to visit our regions and a record number of new arrivals and refugees choosing to work and settle in areas like Albury and Wagga Wagga. These regional communities can now be assured that they will have stronger communications support whenever they come into contact with their local police.”
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the MOU offers the country’s largest Police Force improved access to the full suite of NSW Government language services, which will help them overcome language barriers and help improve relationship within communities.
“The NSW Government has invested heavily in building up our translating and interpreting workforce. Through the latest budget, a $16 million package has been secured to improve our whole-of-government language services,” Mr Coure said.
“We have more than 1,400 language professionals that can be called on by Police around the clock to support face-to-face, online or even over the phone interpreting and translating so they can better serve the people of NSW.
“This MOU is also a major job creator for interpreters and translators—with a greater demand for our language services comes more job opportunities and new career pathways.
“We know there are people right across NSW who are eager to use their language skills to become translators and interpreters. We have seen 400 people successfully complete our scholarships program to become fully qualified interpreters—the more opportunities there are for people to use their skills, the more we will see this number grow.
“The scholarships program has expanded to include translators, giving even more residents jobs and career opportunities.”
NSW Police Force Corporate Sponsor for Multiculturalism, Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said greater access to translators and interpreters will be a huge asset to police officers across the State.
“Our job as police officers is to keep everyone safe, whatever language they speak,” Assistant Commissioner Cooke said.
“This Memorandum will strengthen the interactions we have with linguistically diverse communities, as well as foreign visitors, to ultimately make NSW a safer place for everyone.”
Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta said the enhanced partnership will help ensure NSW has a sustainable and thriving Language Services industry.
“As we welcome more and more people from all corners of the globe, the demand for language experts increases,” Mr La Posta said.
As part of the MOU, NSW Police Force will have access to Multicultural NSW’s full suite of language services at all local area commands across the state.
The winner of the Martin-Lysicrates Play Competition was selected by young students from schools across Sydney during a special event at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta on Tuesday, November 8.
The Martin-Lysicrates Play Competition is proudly supported by The Lysicrates Foundation, which has been co-founded by John Azarias and Dr Patricia Azarias.
The event kick-started on the day with a musical performance by Russell Dawson from Koomurri (Didgeridoo) and the Bell Bird Bush Band.
Event emcee, Lily Hayman, then introduced Mr Azarias and the Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Councillor Donna Davis, to the stage for small speeches.
From there, students enjoyed a performance by three finalist first acts written by accomplished playwrights. They were: Gamers For Life – The Return to Golden Castle by Brendan Hogan; Mars Bars and Beyond by Madelaine Nunn; and Click To Undo by Donna Hughes.
After these performances, students were asked to mark their favourite play on their voting token and then cast their vote into one of three urns.
As the votes were being counted, Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley performed The Ballad of Lysicrates.
Mrs Hurley then announced Donna Hughes’ Click To Undo as the winner of the 2022 Martin-Lysicrates Prize. The announcement was met with loud applause from students.
Dr Azarias concluded the event with a vote of thanks to everyone in attendance.
Greek Australian Anastasia Marinakou set a personal best record in the 10,000 km OPAP Marathon held on Saturday in Athens, Greece.
Marinakou finished the race in 33 minutes and 38 seconds compared to her 2021 record of 34 minutes and 32 seconds.
“The people gave me wings. Finishing in this stadium is a unique moment. To be honest, I didn’t expect to score this performance as I had an injury over the past few days. But during the race I realised that I was in very good condition. I’m very happy,” Marinakou said after the race.
Marinakou, a Panathinaikos athlete, was followed by Ismini Panagiotopoulou (OKA Kavala) with 35 minutes, while Irini Tsoupaki came third with 35 minutes and 16 seconds.
The Greek team are through to the final of the All Nations Cup after defeating Italy 2-0 in the semi-final on Saturday, November 12.
Greece took control from the start of the match and dominated the first half. They were rewarded in the 44th minute with a brilliant goal by George Mells, taking a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
The Greek team continued their dominance in the second half and in the 75th minutes Dennis Menelaou rose from the pack to header the ball into the right-hand corner, giving Greece an unassailable victory.
Greece will next play South Sudan in the All Nations Cup final on Saturday, November 19.
The President of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), Bill Papastergiadis OAM, was ecstatic after the win.
“I entered the rooms pre-match and addressed the boys. I explained to them how proud they’ve made us feel with all their performances so far and how they’ve all played as a team and represented the Hellenic spirit in the best possible way,” Mr Papastergiadis said.
“Having gone down to 10 men against Somalia in the quarter final, they never gave up and showed what can be achieved if they all stayed united. I expressed to them that whatever the result against Italy, we have all gained enormously in this journey as one. Against Italy, they didn’t let us down and produced a dominant performance and were deserved winners.
“The final will be a must-attend event for all, especially us Greek Australians. This tournament has brought all of us together and the GCM is so proud of this team and all the coaches.”
Team Manager, Kon Kyranakis, also couldn’t praise the boys highly enough.
“What an amazing display of team football and I believe it’s all about peaking at the right time of the tournament. Come the final, I’m confident we can go to another level and lift the All Nations Cup. Ζήτω η Ελλάς,” Mr Kyranakis said.
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Bill Roumeliotis.
Con Tangalakis also said: “The team has developed a great spirit and culture and definitely has the ability to go all the way and win the tournament. Considering the team was put together so quickly and in such a short period of time, they have already won over the hearts of all Greek Australians.”
George Katsakis, who has managed the boys together with Tangalakis, was overwhelmed at the end of the match.
“I knew I had something special on my hands with this group of players from the very first wintry night when we all came together and trained with a sense of passion that really caught my eye,” Mr Katsakis said.
“The performance against Italy was incredible and I cannot wait until next Saturday’s final against South Sudan, when our team has the opportunity to achieve something that will be very special for our community.”
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Bill Roumeliotis.
The Vice President of the GCM, Michael Karamitos, had this to say following the win.
“Having been there from day one at training to experiencing a euphoric semi-final win, I cannot express how proud I am watching these group of young men, wearing the Greek jumper, playing for their country of origin,” Mr Karamitos said.
“It has galvanised the GCM by creating an amazing atmosphere and I encourage as many Greek Australians as possible to come and support the boys in next week’s final. The GCM cannot speak highly enough of this team and what it has achieved so far and is so proud to be associated with such an event as sports brings people together from all ages.
“I would like to thank all our coaches and players as well as our sponsors Steve Tsalikidis from Windsor Management Insurance Brokers and Chris Pavlidis from Athletes Foot Camberwell.”
