Prominent Greek actor, director and politician Kostas Kazakos passed away on Tuesday in Athens at the age of 87.
He had been suffering from a chronic respiratory condition and had been a patient at Evangelismos Hospital in the Greek capital from July this year. His passing on Tuesday was attributed to multi-organ failure.
With great sadness have we learned of the passing of the legendary Kostas Kazakos.
An immense loss to his family, his friends and to the world.
Kazakos was born in 1935 in Pyrgos and at age 18 he moved to Athens with the intention of studying to become a teacher. However, due to his father’s leftist heritage, he was not allowed to.
He attended the Lykourgos Stavrakos School of Cinema and the Karolos Koun Drama School of Art Theater and made his stage debut three years later in 1957.
Throughout his early career, he worked with several theatre companies and booked supporting roles in films before his big break in 1967 when he earned the lead role in the movie “Kontserto gia Polyvola”, starring Tzeni Karezi.
Kostas Kazakos and Tzeni Karezi in Kontserto gia Polyvola (1967).
The pair married the following year and welcomed the birth of their son, Konstantinos, who is also an actor. Kosta and Tzeni were together for 24 years prior to her passing in 1992.
In 1997, Kazakos married the actress Jenny Jolia.
In the 2007 Greek legislative election, he was elected to the Greek Parliament as a candidate of the Communist Party of Greece and was re-elected in 2009.
A minute of silence was observed in Parliament in his memory on Tuesday.
‘An exuberant and dynamic personality‘
In a tweet posted early this morning, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described Kazakos as an “exuberant and dynamic personality, who was constantly present in art, as well as in public life as a member of parliament.”
“Art and public life will miss his imposing appearance and his distinctive voice,” he added.
Με θλίψη πληροφορήθηκα τον θάνατο του Κώστα Καζάκου. Μιας πληθωρικής και δυναμικής προσωπικότητας, που υπήρξε διαρκώς παρούσα στην Τέχνη, όπως και στη δημόσια ζωή ως βουλευτής. Και από τις δύο θα λείψουν, τώρα, τόσο η επιβλητική του εμφάνιση, όσο και η χαρακτηριστική φωνή του.
In a statement, Greece’s Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni said he was a “great actor, director and teacher, totally dedicated to the theatrical art.”
“Together with Tzeni Karezis, they were one of the leading couples of Greek cinema and theatre, starring in some of the biggest film successes and in performances that have remained in the history of the Greek theatre scene,” she said.
“With his theatrical legacy, but also with his intense and lasting political activity, as a member of Parliament and as an active citizen, Kostas Kazakos leaves behind a great legacy. I express my deepest condolences to his family.”
Kosta and Tzeni Karezi with their son Konstantinos.
Despite being picked as one of the tournament’s favourites, Greece was overcome by home team underdog, Germany, who will now be advancing to their first semi-finals at FIBA EuroBasket since 2005.
Germany came out firing, establishing an early 22-11 cushion but through Giannis Antetokounmpo, the tides began to turn for Greece who, at halftime, held a 61-57 advantage.
In his 30 minutes of play, Antetokounmpo finished the game with 31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals and 5 turnovers.
However, momentum completely swung back in favour of the hosts in the third, with a pivotal 20-1 run from Germany allowing them to take back total control. There was no letting up from that point on.
🇬🇷 The Greek Freak (31 PTS, 8 REB) did everything for his country but his efforts were not enough for Greece to pull it off in Berlin.
The images drawn by Thanasis Petrou have the ability to take you to another era. For a few minutes, as you browse Thanasis’ comics, you are gripped by a range of emotions.
Pain and extreme despair but also hope because, as he says in his interview with The Greek Herald, “there is always a note of optimism.”
Thanasis recently completed his comic trilogy focused on the national trauma of the Asia Minor Catastrophe.
In ‘1923: Hostile Homeland‘ (Icarus publications), Thanasis chronicles the extremely turbulent period of the Asia Minor Catastrophe, showing the immediate consequences of the loss of Smyrna and the collapse of the Asia Minor front on the society and economy of Greece.
This trilogy was preceded by ‘1922‘ (Icarus, 2021) and ‘The hostages of Görlitz‘ (Icarus 1920), which focused on World War I and National Division.
In the meantime, he also completed the comic ‘Lives Cut in Two,’ which became the occasion for several presentations-tributes in light of the 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe this year.
In his new comic ‘1923: Hostile Homeland,’ Thanasis is primarily interested in the social vilification of refugees. Exiled, impoverished, homeless and dramatically unpopulated, refugees experienced the heaviest decline of their lives in Piraeus.
And it’s wasn’t just about the unnecessary soldiers roaming the port, or the miserable spaces in which men, women and children were gathered, or the hatred that the locals harboured for the ‘outsiders.’
Our impression was that Thanasis had begun to deal with the Asia Minor Catastrophe long before the 100th anniversary this year.
Thanasis Petrou. Photo: Vangelis Zavos.
“Basically my involvement with this trilogy began in 2019 and the reason was, as strange as it may sound, music,” Thanasis tells The Greek Herald.
“I wanted to make a comic book about rebetika but after doing my research I fell into the history of the Fourth Army Corps, which during World War I was transferred in its entirety in Germany, to Görlitz.
“The story was relatively unknown and exciting, so I changed my course. In Görlitz, however, there were around 200 recordings of spoken language and music organised by German scientists, linguists, etc. so music continued to be present in my comic book as a reference, but now my narrative focused on the historical events of the period of national division.
“The continuation with the story of the Asia Minor campaign that ended in the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the reception of refugees in Greece was, almost, a one-way street that I followed in my next two comics.”
Having dealt so thoroughly with one of the most important historical events of the last century for Greece, we ask Thanasis how he felt after reading the testimonies.
“This whole period, starting from the beginning of the 20th century with the Macedonian struggle, the Balkan Wars, The National Division, the First World War and ending in the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922, essentially shaped Greece, as it is today,” he says.
“Wars, political disputes, persecutions, uprooting, contributed to the end of irredentism and the Great Idea, but also constituted a new beginning, which led to a new, difficult, reality. Innocent people were tortured, distressed, unhappy, orphaned. It destroyed their lives.
“All this leaves you with a feeling of pain and bitterness, but at the same time shows that man retains hope for life, even under the most adverse conditions, so there is, fortunately, a note of optimism.”
The hostile attitude of the Greeks:
In his new work, ‘1923: Hostile Homeland’ Thanasis Petrou deals with the reception of the refugees of the Asia Minor Catastrophe in the motherland.
“It is certain that during the decade 1920-1930 thousands of refugees from Asia Minor ended up in distant Australia. I do not know what was the reception received by the locals in the fifth continent, but I hope, however, that it was better than that faced, in general, by the refugees from Asia Minor in Greece,” Thanasis says.
“The attitude of the local Greeks was from cautious to hostile towards refugees. They did not consider them brothers, compatriots, but interlopers who came to flood and occupy their place, to compete with them in the workplace, in the distribution of arable land. The locals therefore took a defensive attitude towards the refugees.
“Of course, gradually the refugees adapted as much as possible and showed that the cultural wealth they brought with them was priceless. They managed to live with the new Greek reality and eventually prospered.”
Thanasis consciously chooses in his first comics more pessimistic, dull colours while in the last, of the Hostile Homeland, more optimistic.
“Generally in my comics I try with colour to create a feeling and an atmosphere that fits in every time with the narrative. So, in the first two books, my palettes are more limited to create a connection with the place and space, for example the gray atmosphere of Germany or the desert and barren landscapes of the region beyond the Sangarius,” he explains.
“In the third book, my colour palette is adjusted to the new data. I would not say that it is directly related to a feeling of optimism, but I harmonise it, I think, in the topography and climate of bustling Piraeus.”
The political choices that led to the Catastrophe:
We ask Thanasis to tell us the view he formed from his study and research on what led to the Asia Minor Catastrophe.
“Everything was a matter of political choices. King Constantine wanted Greece to remain uninvolved in the First World War, Venizelos, hoping for future benefits for the country, wanted Greece to enter the war on the side of the Anglo-French,” Thanasis explains.
“The issue of the irredentist Christian populations of Asia Minor associated with the Great Idea is a narrative that runs through Hellenism, as early as decades, when, in 1919, Greece led by Venizelos is thrown into the Battle for the realisation of this idea.
“At the same time in the faltering Ottoman Empire there is a civil war between the Sultan and The Young Turks, Venizelos has on his side the Great Powers, and begins in 1919, the plan of landing a Greek army in Smyrna to protect the Christian populations of the region. Gradually, however, the climate will change, Venizelos will lose in the elections of 1920, King Constantine will return, Kemal will prevail in the Civil War, The Great Powers will gradually withdraw their aid to Greece with the well-known results – the defeat in the Asia Minor campaign and the Asia Minor Catastrophe.
“Therefore, in my opinion, all the protagonists of the period, political and military, had a share of responsibility. One cannot directly and exclusively blame one of them.”
Will the trilogy continue?
Thanasis answers: “In the third book my original idea was for my narrative to reach until 1936, when the dictatorship was imposed by Metaxas.”
“Unfortunately, the political-historical reality from September 1922 was so dense and intense that my narrative ends only in 1924 with the establishment of the First Republic in Greece,” he adds.
“So, yes, there will be continuity so that I can implement my original plan, which is to reach 1936.”
The Little Legs Foundation (LLF) held their annual gala event on September 10 and raised $651,000 on the night for children’s brain cancer research.
The event, now in its second year, was held at Doltone House in Sydney’s Pyrmont and was attended by 600 guests.
LLF Ambassador, Ben Fordham, was once again the emcee for the event and was joined by LLF Co-Founder, Sue Ellan Vasiliou, and her husband Marino.
Associate Professor Matt Dun, LLF Ambassadors House of Emmanuele, Sid Tapia and his wife Anna Mei, Tim Mannah from the Parramatta Eels and his wife Stephanie, Former Cronulla Sharks legend Luke Lewis’ wife Sonia – who is also an ambassador for Melanoma Institute of Australia – and Marcella Zemanek, also attended the event.
Sheldon Riley and violinist Sally Cooper put on dazzling performances on the night, and Dr Charlie Teo joined the room on two separate occasions via video message from where he is currently working between Spain and Germany.
The event raised almost $AUD500,000 in 2019 and now in its second year is proudly supporting and raising funds for research for a cure for children’s brain cancer.
Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease, yet it is the least funded and known about.
Little Legs Foundation is grateful for the support and generosity of all its sponsors, ambassadors and everyone that has contributed awareness and hope for the treatment of children’s brain cancer.
From September 23-25, the LLF is holding its annual event ‘Coffee for a Cure’ featuring the Daisy artwork of The Lust Lists Sally Sprat. Over 100 cafes are on board to serve their takeaways in LLF cups. The list of participating cafés can be found here www.llf.org.au/coming-up.
West Adelaide SC secured their return to the RAA National Premier Leagues (NPL) South Australia in 2023 with a historic 4-3 victory over Para Hills Knights on Saturday, September 10 at ServiceFM Stadium.
It was a tense start to the match but West Adelaide broke the deadlock in the 18th minute thanks to striker Joe Gatting.
Para Hills Knights found their equaliser only minutes before the half-time break with the help of Keshav Shrestha.
The 2022 Senior Men's Grand Final weekend did not disappoint 😍 We look back at all the action from the weekend's Grand Finals, including Match Reports for the #StateLeagueOne & #StateLeagueTwo Grand Finals ⚽️⤵️ https://t.co/pH64sEr6do
Coming out from the half-time break, West Adelaide took the lead in the 57th minute as Gatting secured his second of the night after he turned the ball into the net when the ball landed perfectly at his feet in the six-yard box.
Para Hills Knights promotion hopes looked to have faded away in the 76th minute as West Adelaide captain and forward Ricardo Da Silva, pounced on a ball into the box, turning in his first of the night and his team’s third.
Holding a two-goal lead, West Adelaide’s promotion and championship dreams were almost made a reality in the 81st minute as Gatting secured a hat-trick, with his goal increasing the scoreline to 4-1.
West Adelaide takes out the State League 1 Championship along with promotion back to the RAANPLSA.
Para Hills Knights’ fight for a comeback began in the 89th minute with Omid Musawi’s finish taking the score to 4-2, while the team was awarded a penalty which saw William Mitev convert the scoreline to 4-3 in the third minute of injury time.
In the end, West Adelaide came out victorious ending their three-year stay in State League One, and ultimately securing their return into the RAA NPLSA in season 2023.
Australian retail and business groups have joined the medical association in raising concerns about disruptions caused by the public holiday to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II after her death last week.
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, announced on Sunday the “one-off public holiday” would be held on September 22 as a national day of mourning.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) NSW president, Dr Michael Bonning, criticised the decision on Monday and said it would cause further strain on an already stretched health system.
Albanese announced the one-off public holiday on Sunday.
“This has been a year of significant disruption in health care anyway and we have thousands of people around the country who have booked surgery,” Dr Bonning told ABC Radio Sydney.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) also said on Monday it respected the government’s decision, but the holiday would create complications for businesses with store closures and staff scheduling challenges.
Meanwhile, restaurant owners are weighing up whether or not they should open.
Sydney restaurant owner, Bill Drakopoulos.
Bill Drakopoulos, who owns a number of Sydney restaurants including Aqua Dining and Ripples Chowder Bay, said he expected the requirement to pay public holiday penalty rates would mean many businesses would run at a loss.
“Some businesses will make a loss… Public holidays are expensive days to trade,” Mr Drakopoulos told The Daily Telegraph.
The managing director of Market Economics, Stephen Koukoulas, tweeted his “quick calculation” that the memorial public holiday “will cost the economy $1.5 billion.”
My quick calculation suggests this will cost the economy $1.5 billion. https://t.co/5QDejLKvx6
In response, Australia’s PM has defended his decision and said tradition could sometimes be inconvenient but important for people to observe the loss of Queen Elizabeth “in their own way.”
“A one off public holiday and a national day of mourning is an appropriate response that was agreed to by myself and the premiers and chief ministers,” Mr Albanese said.
Mr Albanese said the details of things such as what would happen with scheduled elective surgeries were still being worked out with states and territories.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend, Elias Theodorou, has died from cancer at the age of 34.
Theodorou’s publicist confirmed the news on Instagram this morning and said the UFC fighter died peacefully at his home in Toronto, Canada on Sunday “after a hard-fought fight with colon cancer that metastasised.”
Theodorou had been a five-year fighter in the UFC, entering the promotion after winning The Ultimate Fighter: Nations middleweight tournament in 2014.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend, Elias Theodorou, has died from cancer at the age of 34.
He had a record of 8-3 in the UFC (19-3 in his professional MMA career) before he was cut by the promotion following a unanimous decision loss to Derek Brunson in 2019.
“RIP Elias Theodorou. A great person and a HUGE voice for the more fair and equitable treatment of marijuana use in MMA and sport,” Jeff Novitzky, the UFC’s senior vice-president of athlete health and performance, tweeted.
CBC’s Sanjay Maru wrote: “I’m shocked and gutted. Elias was one of the few high-profile names in MMA who gave me the time of day to chat with him. RIP, Spartan.”
The leaders of Greece and France have met at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday to discuss the current energy crisis in Europe, as well as increasing tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We are stronger together,” Mitsotakis said with reference to the multi-level partnership signed between Greece and France almost a year ago to boost cooperation between both countries in the sectors of defence, geopolitics and economy.
Ευχαριστώ τον Πρόεδρο της Γαλλικής Δημοκρατίας @EmmanuelMacron για την πρόσκληση, για τη θερμή του φιλοξενία, αλλά πρωτίστως για το ευρωπαϊκό όραμά του, για την αφοσίωσή του στη δημοκρατία, αλλά και για τη διαρκή του στήριξη στην Ελλάδα. https://t.co/gefTqCjydgpic.twitter.com/p4jK3BrTLD
The Greek Prime Minister also stressed that Greece and France are coordinating to find a European solution to increasing energy prices internationally due to the current Ukraine-Russia war.
“I think the European Union now has the opportunity to respond in a coordinated manner to Moscow’s attempt to turn energy into a weapon,” Mitsotakis said.
Οι χώρες μας συντονίζονται και στην άμυνα απέναντι στην εκτίναξη των διεθνών τιμών ενέργειας. Η ΕΕ έχει την ευκαιρία να απαντήσει συντονισμένα στην απόπειρα της Μόσχας να μετατρέψει την ενέργεια ουσιαστικά σε όπλο, σε μοχλό αναστάτωσης και πολιτικής αστάθειας σε ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. pic.twitter.com/agToZfUTAy
“We respond to challenges with readiness, and to those who threaten us and who say that they will descend upon our islands suddenly one night, we say that we are waiting for them in the light of day, where it will be visible who has International Law on their side,” the Greek PM said.
For his part, Macron expressed his satisfaction with France and Greece’s cooperation in the fields of defence and security, and called statements and provocations against Greece’s territorial integrity “unacceptable.”
The French President emphasised France’s full support for Greece and said that “the cooperation between the two countries comes from afar – and goes a long way ahead.”
Greece’s air force received the first two upgraded F-16 Viper fighter jets at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAV) grounds in Tanagra, northwest of Athens on Monday.
The Hellenic Air Force has ordered a total of 83 F-16s under a $1.5 billion program to modernise its existing fighter fleet amid increasing tensions with neighbouring Turkey.
According to AP News, the first two Vipers are the first of 83 to be refitted with advanced electronics, radar and weapons capabilities by late 2027 by the EAV, in coordination with US manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Two Greek Fighter Jets F-16 Viper prepare for take-off at Tanagra air force base about 74 kilometres north of Athens, Greece. Photo: AP Photo / Thanassis Stavrakis.
They will be used as training vehicles for the pilots of the Hellenic Air Force, while the EAV is ramping up production to deliver at least six more aircraft by the end of the year.
Speaking at an unveiling ceremony on Monday, the head of Greece’s joint chiefs of staff, General Constantinos Floros, said the program’s successful and timely completion “is an issue of the highest national importance.”
“Any potential aggressor will have to think twice or thrice before trying their luck,” once the upgrade is completed, General Floros said.
Greek Defence Minister, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, was also at the ceremony along with Greece’s Finance Minister Christos Staikouras, Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis, the United States Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis, and representatives from EAV.
This hasn’t stopped Greece though from embarking on a multi-billion dollar spending spree to boost its armed forces and counter the threat from Turkey.
Greece has also bought or ordered French Rafale fighter jets. Photo: Dassault / Twitter.
The F-16s, developed in the 1970s, are the workhorse of Greece’s air force. It acquired a first batch of 40 in 1989, and another 130 over the years. The latest upgrade will bring the 83 planes to the Block 72 variant, which is the most advanced version of the model in service in Europe.
With the scent and smoke of kontosouvli wafting through the air and Greek music booming loudly through the speakers, everyone in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta knew the Let’s Go Greek Festival had returned with a bang on Sunday.
Over 30,000 people flowed onto the grounds of St Ioannis Greek Orthodox Church at Parramatta on the day to take in the sights, smells and sounds of Greek culture and heritage.
People enjoyed live Greek music by Iho Nyx band, Telly and Kosta Benetatos, Nikitas Ellenis, as well as some cool tunes by deejay’s Jimmy V and Georgie D. They also browsed a marketplace of Greek products such as icons, Christmas decorations and jewellery.
One stallholder, Sophie Valiontis, told The Greek Herald on the day she was really happy to be selling candles and “other knick-knacks” at the festival.
“It’s been amazing. As soon as the gates opened you just felt the aura and everyone’s excitement to be here,” Ms Valiontis said with a huge smile.
Next, The Greek Herald was drawn to the scent of the pork and chicken souvlakia for sale, as well as the kontosouvli. Along the way, children could be seen blowing bubbles, chasing after each other with huge smiles on their faces, getting their faces painted, and petting small animals such as a donkey, goat and little ducklings from a visiting ‘Kindy Farm.’
Amusement rides such as a huge slide and jumping castle, as well as carnival games like ‘Balloon Blast’ and ‘Laughing Clowns’ also kept the children entertained.
Of course, there was plenty of things for adults to do as well.
On the day, they could take in four exhibitions which included a display of traditional Greek costumes and textiles, a photographic exhibition by Nick Bourdaniotis, an exhibition showcasing the connection between Hydra and Parramatta, and a display of items from Yiannis Mazmanidis’ collection.
On the main stage, there were also a number of speeches from official guests which could be listened to.
Speeches were given by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Militoupolis representing Archbishop Makarios of Australia; the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras; Federal Member for Parramatta, Andrew Charlton MP, representing Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese; NSW Labor Leader, Chris Minns MP; NSW Minister for Corrective Services, Dr Geoff Lee MP, representing NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet; NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure MP; Member for Rockdale, Steve Kamper MP; the Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Parramatta, Sameer Pandey; the President of the Hellenic Orthodox Community of Parramatta & Districts and the President of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Inter-Communities Council of NSW, Kos Dimitriou; and the Executive Director of Business Western Sydney, David Borger.
In his speech, the NSW Labor Leader spoke about his strong connection to the state’s Greek community and expressed his amazement at how many people were present at the festival.
“There’s a real sense of community here, almost a village-like atmosphere and it’s great to see so many people coming together and celebrating after what’s been a very difficult two years,” Mr Minns said.
This sentiment was echoed by the Greek Consul General who said the festival enabled “Greek Australians and the broader Australian society to have an authentic experience of all things Greek that have creatively enriched multicultural Australian society.”
Next to the stage was the newly-elected Federal Member for Parramatta, Mr Charlton. The MP spoke proudly of the strong Greek links in Parramatta and expressed his hope for the building of the new Greek Orthodox church.
“We are on very special ground here and we’re excited to see the development of the church that will rise up on these very lands and create a wonderful new location for the Greek community in Parramatta,” Mr Charlton said.
Dr Lee MP spoke along similar lines and stressed how far the church and local Greek community has come in his last 12 years as the State Member for Parramatta.
The President of the Hellenic Orthodox Community of Parramatta & Districts, Kos Dimitriou, also spoke as the host of the festival and thanked everyone for attending, as well as the volunteers for dedicating their time to the event.
“It is great to see so many people here today. We invite you to have a great time and enjoy the experience of being Greek for one day. Celebrations like this are not uncommon things for Greeks,” Mr Dimitriou said.
At the conclusion of these official proceedings, which were emceed by Paul Nicolaou, the winner of the four return flight tickets to Greece, donated by the host of My Greek OdysseyPeter Maneas, was announced.
In a surprise twist, the winner was contacted by phone and when it was discovered he had a family of six, Maneas decided to throw in two extra tickets to Greece. Aussie Industries also generously donated $5000 spending money.
Later, people were able to enjoy a number of traditional Greek dancing performances by St Ioannis Parramatta Greek dancing group, Sydney Sizmos, and the Paroula Traditional and Contemporary Greek Dance Group, among many others.
As the day drew to a close, the night really ended with a bang as people enjoyed watching on as a beautiful fireworks display lit up the night sky.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
