The Hellenic Museum in Melbourne is set to benefit from Victorian Labor’s announcement that it will deliver a new $2.5 million Multicultural Museums Program if re-elected.
Mr Dimopoulos said the proposed funding will go towards supporting the Hellenic Museum, as well as the Chinese Museum, Jewish Museum and Museo Italiano.
The new Multicultural Museums Program will also include $500,000 for multicultural communities to explore ways to establish new cultural Museums.
“We’re backing Victoria’s multicultural communities – not just with words, but with action,” Mr Dimopoulos said about the election pledge.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you look like, what you believe or what language you speak – in Victoria, we’re proud of our cultural diversity.”
This announcement comes as on Wednesday the Victorian Liberal’s committed $4 million over four years to help Victoria’s multicultural communities acquire cultural heritage objects, initially targeting Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian projects.
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) welcomes the announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews that a re-elected Labor Government will invest $3.5 million to support and strengthen the work of ECCV.
Mr Andrews acknowledged the critical role ECCV plays as the peak body representing Victoria’s multicultural communities and said the $3.5 million investment will support ECCV to continue our work.
“Victoria’s cultural diversity is what makes our state great – and the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria is an integral voice that supports and strengthens communities across Victoria,” Mr Andrew said, in a media release issued yesterday.
ECCV chairperson Eddie Micallef welcomed the commitment to increase ECCV’s core funding, which he said would help meet increased demand for advocacy and support for multicultural communities.
“This will help us continue and build on the work we’ve been doing to support migrant and refugee communities for almost 50 years,” Mr Micallef said.
“This is an important step in the right direction for a more sustainable multicultural sector. Multicultural organisations have been providing critical support to our communities, particularly during the pandemic, and we need greater investment across the underfunded multicultural sector.” Mr Micallef said.
Mr Micallef reiterated ECCV’s call for a new multicultural strategy for Victoria to address the needs of multicultural communities and the systemic gaps exposed by the pandemic.
“Our Election Platform highlights the need to build long-term capacity through a centralised, responsive and equitable funding model for the multicultural sector,” he said.
Greece’s shipping ministry has announced that two Greek-flagged vessels seized by Tehran in May have been released following months of negotiations between the two sides.
According to the ministry, the vessels Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon have already left Iran.
Two people with knowledge of the situation had informed Reuters that Greece and Iran had struck an agreement for the return of the two Greek-flagged tankers that Tehran had captured in the Gulf in May.
In retaliation for the United States seizing oil from an Iranian-flagged vessel in Greece, Iran arrested them in May.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have scored their first round-robin win at the season-ending ATP Finals at Turin.
After a slow start in the Green Group clash, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis prevailed to clinch a 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 win against Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.
The Special Ks made the most of their chances against Dodig and Krajicek in today’s showdown, winning the only break point they earned in the 80-minute clash.
The Aussies fell behind 1-5 in the match tiebreak, but then reeled off nine of the next 10 points to secure a memorable victory.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis. Photo: tennis.com.au.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘If we lose today, we [would be] out of the whole event, so I am going to go out and there and do what I can do’,” Kyrgios said after the win.
“We are the pair that is able to do that pretty much every time we play, so why don’t we use that to our advantage. The crowd was amazing and they got us over the line.”
The win was crucial for Kokkinakis and Kyrgios’ chances of reaching the semi-finals on tournament debut in Turin. The pair now holds a 1-1 record in Green Group and will meet Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic on Friday in their final round-robin match.
Emergency Services in New South Wales are facing the largest flood operation in the state’s history, with thousands of people displaced and hundreds rescued from inundated homes and communities, ABC News has reported.
This comes as the clean up continues in South Australia and Victoria.
New South Wales:
The Lachlan River near the NSW town of Forbes is nearing a predicted peak of about 10.8 metres, similar to record levels set in 1952.
#FLOODS@Westpac Lifesaver 21 & 23 Rescue Helicopters were deployed to #Eugowra supporting @NSWSES & @slsnsw to assist with rescue, evacuation & support to those impacted by floods.
— Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters (@Lifesaverhelo) November 16, 2022
With the flood peak yet to arrive, Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller estimated two-thirds of the town was already inundated.
A team from Fire Emergency New Zealand has touched down to provide relief to exhausted SES crews who have been dealing with flooding in the Forbes district for months.
In Eugowra, the NSW SES says at least 225 buildings have been damaged in the floods.
We continue to respond to major flooding & assist with recovery in NSW Central West. Yesterday, our members conducted 284 damage assessments at #Eugowra, with 225 buildings deemed 'damaged' Follow advice & evacuate if you are asked. https://t.co/oHzJ5xEDYY 📷 Eugowra flood damage pic.twitter.com/l7dlR4vpTN
Meanwhile, rescue workers are continuing their search for 85-year-old Les Vugec, who was reported missing as floodwaters swept through Eugowra. He last spoke to a relative from a car about 9.30am on Monday.
The search resumes after a body believed to be that of another Eugowra resident, Dianne Smith, was recovered yesterday.
Victoria:
As the clean-up from the floods in Victoria continues, King Charles has sent a letter of support to the Victorian governor.
The king said he and his wife had been following the “terrible” floods in Victoria and sent words of support to Victorians affected.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with all those affected and for the losses that have been suffered,” he said.
Flooding in the state began in early October, with northern Victoria the hardest hit.
Volunteers with a floating flotilla full of sandbags to be transported to homes under threat in Echuca, Victoria. Picture: David Caird.
Two men were found dead in floodwater in northeast Victoria in separate incidents in mid-October, while hundreds of homes across the state were inundated with water and towns such as Echuca and Kerang advised to evacuate.
Debris is still being cleared in many areas and the wettest October on record inflicted extensive damage on the state’s roads.
Department of Education chief executive, Martin Westwall, said hundreds of SACE students were meant to sit exams today.
“The SACE board’s got a process, just as if it was a bushfire or the student was ill or something like that, to make sure that no student is disadvantaged by not sitting the exam today,” he said.
The intense thunderstorms generated more than 100,000 lightning strikes along with winds of up to 106km/h.
We are looking at a massive rebuilding effort in parts of Blackwood, Upper Sturt, Crafers West, Belair and Stirling. This includes replacing about 2kms of line along Upper Sturt Road. Keep an eye out for trucks with our crews working alongside Essential Energy.
Parents at St Spyridon College in Sydney’s south east have expressed their concerns that proposed changes to the Parish’s constitution will affect the educational standards for students.
Governed by the Board of registered charity, the Greek Orthodox Parish of South East Sydney ‘St Spyridon’ Kingsford, and under the auspices of The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, the College currently has about 800 students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
On October 24, the Board announced it will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Monday, November 21, for members to vote on: (1) Change of company name from ‘The Greek Orthodox Parish of South East Sydney’ to ‘The Greek Orthodox Parish of St Spyridon Sydney,’ and (2) the repeal of existing Constitution and adoption of a new Constitution.
According to a document circulated among College parents and obtained by The Greek Herald, the new Constitution introduces control measures in relation to: Parish membership; the composition of the Parish Council (or the Parish Board); and the ability of members to amend the constitution.
“These fundamental decisions will now be vetted and ultimately approved by Australia’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop. Previously, they were left to the Parish Council and/or the Parish Membership,” the document reads.
The proposed constitutional changes:
With regards to membership under the proposed constitution, the Archbishop is given ultimate deciding power to approve Parish membership (clause 13.2) and unrestricted power to remove a member at his own discretion and without needing to provide reasons (clauses 15 (d) & 16(5)).
This differs from the current constitution, whereby a member can only be removed by the Parish committee in specified circumstances and only after the member has been given the “particulars of the charges” and “an opportunity of appearing personally before the committee” (clause 27).
Additionally, under the proposals, Archbishop Makarios holds the power to appoint and remove directors, including: Presidents, Vice Presidents and Treasurers (clauses 36.1 and 38(d)).
Whilst the constitution requires directors to retire after three years (clause 37.4), they may be re-elected upon the written approval of the Archbishop (clause 37.5).
If passed, members will not be permitted to make or even consider making any future amendments to the constitution without the prior written approval of the Archbishop (Clause 9.2)
Impacts on College:
While speaking with The Greek Herald, one parent expressed they are “worried if the Constitution is adopted, the Archbishop will have control as an individual, not the Archdiocese.”
“It is undemocratic. You can’t give one person the power over so much – a whole church and a College, one of the best schools in the state…” the parent added.
According to the NSW Department of Education, schools should allow the sharing of school facilities but only when this does not interfere with school operations, is in the school community’s best interest and does not result in a financial burden on the school or the department.
“The T Wing is not an ideal setting as it is above the canteen and can be noisy,” the parent said.
Concerns have also been raised over the teacher turnover rate at the College. One parent said that “since the Parish Board was voted in 16 months ago… [the school] has lost 22 staff members, 12 teachers in the high school.”
Parent Catherine Eliopoulos said that when she voiced her thoughts to College executives about the staff retention and impact on students, she was unable to get a clear response and was directed to “complain to the Archbishop.”
After consequent emails with the College’s Executive Team, Mrs Eliopoulos received a letter via email from Head of College Mrs Amelia Katsogiannis on November 4 which stated that the enrolment of her three children would be terminated at the end of the school year and places will not be offered to them for 2023.
“Given that our values do not align with yours, we believe that it is best for the College community and your children that they continue their education elsewhere,” the letter reads.
Governance and Transparency:
The parents community have also been vocal about the qualifications of the Board, its governance and transparency.
“They don’t have the qualifications,” a parent told The Greek Herald about the Board.
Issues surrounding governance of private school boards and councils have received media attention recently following the introduction of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) training program.
The AICD will provide governance training to more than 250 independent school board members across the state, with plans for the program to be expanded to boards at almost 500 independent schools.
“Governance in independent schools in 2022 isn’t anywhere where it needs to be… Parents need to demand more from governing councils and boards should be much more open to questions,” John Simpson, a specialist in education governance and a member of council at Monash University, said in a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
Parish member George Savoulis said that the College has been “running under the spiritual guidance of the Archdiocese and the Patriarch of Constantinople since the very beginning.”
“So we’re not asking for a shift in religious governance, what we’re saying is… we, as a community, have built this school, our parents, our grandparents have built this school and parish. Why do we now want to gift it to the Archdiocese?” the parish member said.
According to the EGM notice, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the Parish Council (Board of Directors), which includes Elia Economou (President), Peter Souleles (Vice President), Alexander Nicolaou-Yules (Secretary), John Georgopoulos (Treasurer), Nicholas George Pappas, Sue Mayson, Dr Peter Bletsas and Jim Sfinas, “unanimously recommend that the members vote in favour of the proposed resolutions.”
Mr Savoulis said he “will not be supporting the proposed changed constitution in its current form.”
“The constitution needs to be revised. We’re not against it. None of us in the community are against a revision of the Constitution because it is old and it is outdated. Our issue is that it’s being done without any consultation to the Parish and Community itself,” he said.
“What we want to try and achieve is to preserve the legacy of what was built before us and that we, as a parish and as a community, we should have a say in what we need for our community and not have an external remote governance to step in and tell us what is good for us.”
Comment from St Spyridon Parish President:
In a statement to The Greek Herald, Parish President Elia Economou said that “the changes will better align the constitution with federal and state laws and the Holy Canons of the Greek Orthodox Church.”
“The proposed changes to the name and constitution of the Parish are important in modernising the governance of the Parish and are consistent with the governance of a modern denominational school,” Mr Economou added.
Commenting on how the proposed changes will impact the College, Mr Economou said they “will have no noticeable impact upon the day-to-day management and operations of the College.”
“The College’s talented and dedicated teaching staff led by Head of College, Mrs Katsogiannis, will continue the important day-today running of the College,” he said.
“Most importantly, they will continue to deliver high-quality educational outcomes, instilling in our students Greek Orthodox values and celebrating our cherished Hellenic traditions.”
Keep us updated: If you have more information you would like to share, please contact our editorial team via email info@foreignlanguage.com.au or call 02 9566 0500.
As part of the 2022 Dimitria Festival that took place on Sunday at the Panarcadian Club in the Sydney suburb of Ashbury, lectures were given by Dimitrios Kametopoulos and Costas Vertzayias on the Macedonian issue.
The lectures were part of a series of talks organised by the Pan-Macedonian Association of New South Wales and focused on the March 1, 1992, Sydney protests in response to the Macedonia name dispute.
During the event, the President of the Brotherhood of Chalkidiki “Aristotelis” of NSW, Costa Dantos spoke and thanked Mr Kametopoulos and Mr Vertzayias for delivering “such important lectures” throughout this year’s Macedonian events.
Speaking first was Mr Kametopoulos, whose speech was based on eyewitness accounts and memories, primary sources and the articles of the Greek print media of the time.
Mr Kametopoulos said the protest of 1992 against the state of Skopje or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was the catalyst to unite the then-divided Hellenes, and especially the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia with the Greek Orthodox Community of Sydney and NSW.
Unity arose from the Greek rejection of the former Yugoslav state appropriating and monopolising the Greek name of Macedonia, he said.
He then gave a brief historical analysis of the dissolution of Yugoslavia, which he said was instigated by foreign hands, in the midst of the ethnic rifts and conflicts between the people of this Balkan country from 1990 onwards.
Mr Kametopoulos then presented the headlines of the Greek media at the time, amongst which The Greek Herald featured prominently, displaying the 80,000 Greeks who took to the streets in the centre of Sydney’s CBD.
Next to speak was Mr Vertzayias. He spoke to his experience of leading the Pan-Australian Community Committee, which discussed the Macedonian issue with the then-Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating.
In his speech, Mr Vertzayias explained how the rally was organised, the successes, consequences and problems that arose.
He also pointed out the tensions between the Greek and the Macedonian communities, and the threats received by several organisers of the Greek rally and the damage suffered by several shops or small businesses for simply being Greek-owned. The same fate befell some Greek Orthodox churches that were the target of fires and damage by fanatics.
Mr Vertzayias also took the time to thank the special guests in attendance, which included the President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of NSW, Anastasia Karakominakis; and the Vice President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of NSW, Peter Papoulidis, among many others representatives of Greek community organisations.
The Head of the International Institute of Kytheraismos Symposium, Elias Marsellos, is returning to Australia for the International Symposium of Kytheraismos, which will be held in Sydney from November 17-20.
The Greek Herald speaks to Mr Marsellos prior to his visit.
Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Kythera, grew up in Kythera, studied at the Athens University of Economics and Business, went to Athens Law, Columbia University, New York University, New School University, was a Professor of Economics at the University of West Attica… and for 32 consecutive years was Head of the Department of European and International Relations – which I first founded – of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
What is your relationship with Kythera? What are your feelings that this year’s conference in Sydney coincides with the centenary of the Kytherian Association of Australia?
Throughout the years, my relationship with Kythera was intense, continuous and very warm and interesting. I became interested scientifically with the island, with studies of an economic-technical nature, while I published the first book on historical research. Also, I was the editor of the newspaper ‘Kythiraiki Idea’ in 1980, which was later renamed ‘Kytheraismos’ and in 2002 I founded the Institute of Kytheraismos in order to bring closer the Kytherians abroad with their island and the expatriates.
However, this contact also helped the University of Athens because through the connections I had developed, the Dean and I went to Sydney in 1993 and signed three Educational Exchange Agreements between the Universities of Athens and the University of Sydney, the University of NSW and the University of Technology Sydney. Today, there are 13 agreements for the exchange of teachers, students, material, etc. The same thing happened in the United States.
Tell us a few words about the International Symposium of Kytheraismos.
The symposium in Kythera was opened in 2008 by the Ambassador of Australia. In 2010 in Alimos, Attica, it was opened by the President of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad. In 2012, it was postponed due to the economic crisis. In 2014, it was held in Sydney, Australia and opened by former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott MP. In 2016 in Kythera, in 2018-2019 in Brisbane. Parallel annual events are held in Kythera entitled Kytheraismos Reunion.
What does Kytheraismosmean? What is the relationship with third and fourth generation Kytherians?
Regarding the term Kytheraismos, this is a neologism that I considered to be able to bind more closely, to connect but also to interconnect, the Kytherians but also the pro-Kytherians of the world. Apart from political beliefs, religious beliefs or anything else. It is a word that in it includes customs, traditions. Not only the birthplace -Kythera – but especially the experiences of people. Kytherians and pro-Kytherians, diachronic and diatopic.
Wherever they are, in the depths of time, before and after, regardless of the existence of those who invented it. It was, after all, an amalgam of the word Kythera with history, mythology, traditions, allegory, arts, poetry, etc. and the word Tsirigo, which is the common name of the island. It is up to future generations to cultivate it.
Who were the Kytherians who inspired you on your great journey?
The Kytherians who have inspired me are many overseas but also in Kythera. Among them, Arki Kalokerinos, who saved thousands of Aborigines with his life-saving work, George Sklavos with the bequest that helped to complete the Kythera nursing home, and many more.
Do you have a message for the Kytherian community in Australia?
My message is that I will continue to fight, for as long as I live, for greater connection and interconnection of Kytherians abroad with their birthplace, but also with each other interplanetary.
The winners of the 2022 bilingual Literary Competition, held by the Greek Australian Cultural League (GACL), were announced over the weekend.
The ceremony took place at The Steps Gallery, in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Carlton, on Sunday in front of many friends of the literary world and the noble arts.
According to the terms of the Competition, those who were first in each language (Greek and English) and in each category (poetry and prose) received their prizes, award money and their work was registered in the 68th issue of the Antipodes magazine.
Runners-up, along with the recognition of their participation, were given various books.
Whilst addressing attendees, the President of the GACL, Cathy Alexopoulos, said the organisation has been organising the Literary Competition since 1980 and they remain committed to its continuation for years to come.
The winners and their award-winning works are as follows:
Poetry Greek language
Credit: Dimitrakis Ioannou – The voice of nature
Prose Greek language
1st Prize: Niki Farfara Paschou – Every photo and one story
2nd Prize: Heidi Serafimidou – The lace curtains
3rd Prize: Christina Iatrou-Soitaridi – The big secret
Byzanfest is pleased to announce films made by Greek-American and Greek-Australians have won several prizes at this year’s Byzanfest Intentional Film Festival.
BLESSINGS AND VOWS, by director Katerina Zacharia is about an octogenarian villager, Mrs. Metaxia Anaplioti, who kept her vow for 49 years of lighting a candle daily at the 11th century Byzantine church of Hagioi Theodoroi in Vamvaka, Mani. This short-film explored the connection between identity – both personal and collective – place, tradition and ancestors. It won BEST documentary, best director and best short-film and close to $1,500 USD of cash and prizes.
Still from Blessings and Vows film. Photo supplied. ‘Concrete’ filmmakers, Ari Kwasner-Catsi & Renee Kypriotis. Photo supplied.
A Greek-Australian duo won BEST SCREENPLAY-IN-DEVELOPMENT AWARD – Renee Kypriotis & Ari Kwasner-Catsi – for their screenplay, CONCRETE. The story is about a young Greek-Australian caught between two worlds during Holy Week.
There were also several Greek themed/filmmaker finalists, including SEEKING FOR AGOUSA, ZEIBEKIKO IN BEIRUT, HIDDEN VOICE and LOUIE 5POINTZ.
Byzanfest was also honoured to have Yiannis Stravolaimos, Ana Matsis and Manos Triantafillakis on the international judging panel.
Byzanfest is scheduling several re-screenings across Australia. For more information or to host: byzanfest@gmail.com.
