So you have decided to allow your child to continue Greek lessons with their class teachers online.
Congratulations, you are a dedicated parent.
Very young students, however, need parental support to be able to do this successfully. Unfortunately for many, the helpful grandparents are just not available to help, especially with the Covid restrictions. That means that mum or dad needs to take control of the situation.
Firstly, talk to your child before the lesson and explain what is happening and why. Tell them what is expected of them and that you will be there to help.
Secondly, make sure everything works. The computer, the internet, the sound and the video.
Thirdly, it is a good idea, if you can get some indication of what the lesson will be about from the teacher or the school, as children need to know the purpose of their lesson otherwise they will feel lost and lose interest.
With this information a parent can be the best support for their chid and a great help to the teacher, allowing him or her to concentrate on the lesson rather than wasting time with technical issues that are bound to come up during the lesson.
Lastly, be there to help your child share his/ her screen of necessary, annotate when asked to, mute when they have to and unmute when they need to talk.
Technical issues are the biggest reasons children give up on the lesson and stop taking part.
If you have more than one child, it is very difficult to do. You may have to spend some time with one child and some with the other.
Make sure each child has their own study space away from younger siblings, who may distract them.
If you value what they are doing by making sure they have peace and quite to do their work, they will value what they are doing too.
I hope the advice on these columns has been useful to some of you and wish you all the best as we look forward to a future out of this Covid nightmare.
*Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis is a teacher of Modern Greek and University lecturer.
The year was 1956 in Melbourne and the streets were filled with a festive atmosphere as people prepared for the arrival of athletes from across the world to perform in the Olympic Games.
Greek migrant, Nina Kondelos, was one of these people and as she became excited for the Games, she also began to imagine what her wedding dress would look like when she married the man of her dreams, Nicholaos, early the next year at the age of 22.
In the end, she wore a flowing white wedding dress from a bridal shop in Collins Street, Melbourne, with long sleeves and a cheeky twist – the Olympic rings embroidered around the bodice and waist.
Nina with her Olympics inspired wedding dress. Photo supplied.
“The Olympics were such a big thing here in Melbourne at the time and the Greeks would have been really proud that it started in Greece,” Debbie Argyropoulos, Nina’s daughter, tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
“Mum would usually make her own clothes but in this particular case she was lucky enough to have her wedding dress done at a beautiful bridal shop.”
Love at first sight:
Such a beautifully inspired dress was fit for a young girl like Nina who first migrated to Melbourne from Ithaca, Greece in 1953 after an earthquake devastated the island.
Her later-husband, Nicholaos, also migrated to the city in 1954 from the Greek island of Lesvos and Debbie says when he first laid eyes on Nina, it was love at first sight.
“My dad spotted her at some Greek dances and he said to his friend, ‘If I could, I would marry her straight away’,” Debbie says.
It was love at first fight for Nina and Nicholaos. Photo supplied.
A second chance meeting at a Greek cinema a few days later and then again at Nicholaos’ workplace at the Astor Radio Company sealed the deal.
“At work one day, lo and behold, dad looked up and she was coming in to get a job,” Debbie says with a laugh.
The rest, as they say, was history.
Nicholaos and Nina enjoyed their Olympics inspired wedding, had their first born son Foti (Philip) and when he was two years old in 1960, bought a fruit shop in Brighton called ‘Fresh Connection.’ Later, they had two other children, Debbie and Theo.
Finding the dress:
Although Nina has sadly passed away, her legacy lives on through her husband and children.
Debbie with her mum’s wedding dress. Photo supplied.
In fact, after 61 years, Debbie and Theo are still running their parent’s fruit shop and in a nice turn of events, it was at this shop where Debbie found her mother’s wedding dress again after many years.
“I didn’t think mum had the dress anymore and then when she passed away, I found it and I found it the same year as the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004,” Debbie says.
“I found it that year in a cupboard at our shop upstairs and I was really thrilled. I felt like it was sort of meant to be.
“It’s quite delicate now given so many years but it’s all in one piece.”
A special memento of a mother who clearly had a flair for fashion.
When people hear the name Tassos Lambrou, they instantly connect it to the bouzouki legend himself – Tassos Bouzouki.
For years now, Tassos has been entertaining Sydney’s Greek community with his bouzouki playing at venues such as The Cyprus Club and The Lemnos Club.
Just last month in July, Tassos also added The Greek Herald to that list when he performed on our Facebook live to lift the spirits of our followers during lockdown.
He was so well-received we just had to find out more about the live Greek music specialist and bouzouki teacher. Here’s what he had to say.
1.Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My father George is from the island of Lemnos, a beachside village called Platy. My mother Helen is from a village called Anglisides about 15km southwest of Larnaca in Cyprus.
Tassos playing the bouzouki. Photo supplied.
Growing up, I was exposed to Greek music from birth since my father (also a Greek musician) played the keyboard and accordion and sang in a Greek band. My late grandfather, Anastasios (whom I was named after), was also a Greek musician that played the clarinet. My eldest sister Penny completed up to 7th Grade piano at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney.
Greek music was embedded in me from a very young age, growing up in a musical family. My mother Helen and other sister Patricia, even though not musicians, always loved listening to a range of Greek music, from traditional to modern.
I have learnt to appreciate and love all styles of our Greek music from Classical, Nisiotika, Dimotika, Kritika, Kypriaka, Makedonitika, Ipirotika, Thrakiotika, Palia Laika & Modern Laika.
I studied 3-Unit Music in Year 12 for my HSC back in 1997 and received full marks for both Assessment and Examination components, majoring in Performance. I was selected by the Board of Studies of NSW to perform at The Sydney Opera House, as part of the ENCORE 97 concert on February 22, 1998.
Tassos is a favourite at Greek events. Photo supplied.
Encore is an annual concert of outstanding music performances from HSC Music students and is presented in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. I performed one of my six HSC performance pieces, an instrumental called “Bouzouki & Whiskey” composed by bouzouki extraordinaire, Giannis Stamatiou.
2. When did you first start playing the bouzouki?
At the age of around four years old, my late grandfather had bought me a bouzouki and baglama as a gift from Greece. This was great inspiration for me to get into learning the bouzouki but it was even before this, just hearing my father and grandfather practising at home with various band members at the time and even on their own. I would approach my father at family gatherings whilst he played away at his accordion and loved to sing along to the Greek songs he played.
People say I had it in me to become a musician, due to my passion for Greek music at such a young age, listening to a range of styles and genres. I owed it to my father George and grandfather Anastasios for their enormous inspiration.
A few years later at around seven years old, my father started taking me to a professional bouzouki player, “Chris Olympios” aka “Christaki” for bouzouki lessons. This is where I began to learn all the technical and theoretical aspects of the bouzouki. I’m extremely grateful my father had chosen one of the leading bouzouki players in the world to be my one and only teacher of this beloved instrument, the bouzouki.
Tassos is now teaching his own students. Photo supplied.
Chris and my father had me performing, doing floor shows from around nine years of age and various Greek clubs and dances. I clearly remember Chris inviting me to perform, not even a year after starting lessons, at his sister Helen’s engagement reception and then he invited my father’s whole band for his sister’s wedding reception not long after. I can also remember my first full night with my father’s band “Morias” was at a NYE Greek Dance in Newcastle 1990/91 at just 10 years old.
3. Do you have any musical highlights which made an impact on you?
In 1995, performing at a tribute concert for the great Greek composer, Manos Hatzidakis, under the instruction of maestro, Themos Mexis. In 1997, I started performing at The Cyprus Club in Sydney on my 17th birthday and was the resident bouzouki player there for the following four years, performing every Friday & Saturday night, throughout my year 12 and Bachelor’s Degree thereafter.
In 2007, performing at Sydney’s elite bouzoukia venue “NΟΤΕΣ LIVE.” In 2015, performing alongside my teacher Chris at the City Recital Hall in Sydney. This was the AXION ESTI concert held in celebration of Mikis Theodorakis’ 90th birthday. And in 2016, performing for Greek singer, Dimitris Basis, at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.
4. You were the first Greek bouzouki player ever to perform at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall as part of ENCORE 97. How did that feel?
Tassos Bouzouki.
An amazing achievement and experience to be up on stage at the Concert Hall inside Sydney’s Opera House. Felt on top of this world, and also met popular Greek-Australian singer Maria Maroulis backstage for the very first time, who also qualified for ENCORE 97. We ended up working together a decade later at “NΟΤΕΣ LIVE” bouzoukia.
5. What do you love the most about playing the bouzouki and singing?
I love sharing and promoting Hellenism through my bouzouki playing and singing, and it gives me great pleasure to entertain and be able to provide lots of “kefi” to people of all ages and ethnicities, at various functions & events.
6. What would you say to someone else who wants to start playing the bouzouki?
Don’t hesitate to contact me on 0404 035 715 or info@tassosbouzouki.com, 1st trial lesson free. Online lessons via Zoom also provided during times of lockdown. Music is life and the bouzouki is a traditional Greek instrument that gives lots of joy with both playing it as either a hobby or professionally.
Acclaimed actor, comedian and Philhellene, Stephen Fry, addressed Greek Australians during a special ‘In Conversation’ webinar on Friday, August 6 hosted by The Hellenic Initiative of Australia.
During the webinar, Fry was interviewed by fellow Philhellene and former ABC Managing Director, David Hill, and spoke openly about his love of Greek history and mythology, as well as his strong views on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
The conversation kicked off with Fry describing how his love for Greece ‘goes a long way back’ to when he was a child and wasn’t very good at anything at school.
“But then I realised there was one thing I loved but nobody else seemed interested in and that was language itself and storytelling,” Fry explained.
“And then I discovered Greek myths, I was about 7 or 8, so I would tell these stories because I thought they were the best stories imaginable and better than I could ever make up… and people loved me for it.”
Stephen Fry and David Hill in conversation.
From there, the actor then described how he began to learn the Greek language at boarding school, immersed himself in the work of other Philhellenes such as Oscar Wilde and eventually ended up taking his first trip to Greece when he was at university.
“It was worth waiting for because it was everything I’d hoped. For the first time, to see Athens and Delphi and Olympia… this was beyond anything I could have possibly imagined and it still gives me a thrill,” Fry said.
‘We can never repay Greece’:
It’s this love for Greece which has seen Fry become one of the most prominent critics of the British Museum and their failure to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
When asked by Mr Hill about his thoughts on the topic, Fry said the fact they were stolen from the Parthenon was a “monstrous crime” because the archaeological site “is a fundamental element of Greece.”
He later added that they have not yet been returned to their rightful place because there are people in museums who are almost “genetically programmed to hate the idea of de-acquisition.”
“They believe that it’s a slippery slope. You give away one thing to one country and you’ll have to give away your entire collection and then it’ll have to be dispersed around the world,” Fry said.
Parthenon Marbles.
In response, Mr Hill prompted Fry to answer the question: Is there another solution?
“There is a way of returning it which would solve so many problems. That is, we live in a world where it is technically possible to create a fantastic, let’s call it ‘Parthenon Experience’ in the British Museum,” the actor said.
“Because they’re marbles, a cast can be made of them so the British Museum can keep an almost identical cast of everything they’ve had for the last 200 years and then pack up and send the originals by lorry and train and boat… and we’d watch them be placed in the magnificent new Acropolis Museum in Athens.
“So with that ‘Parthenon Experience’ in the British Museum, you would get everything you get now plus you would see this magical moment in which the marbles were restored to their rightful place. It would be such a classy act and Britain frankly needs the world to see it do something classy.”
Having said this, Fry concluded his lecture and stressed the value of the Greek culture and history and how people “can never repay Greece” for what the country has given society.
Greece is once again the midst of one of the most terrible disasters in recent years. Over 150 fires were burning on Sunday, August 8 2021 fuelled by one of the worst heatwaves in recent times. Devastating and uncontrollable fires ravaged the whole country seeing people displaced, properties and livestock destroyed and cities, villages and outlying settlements consumed by wildfires.
Once again Greek firefighters have been grappling with this unprecedented disaster. They have not only battled the fires but also ensuring residents and animals are evacuated from the areas affected. The magnitude of the disaster had mobilised neighbouring countries, including France, Spain, Serbia, Croatia, Sweden, Israel, Romania Switzerland and Poland, to lend support to the firefighting efforts.
As Australians we understand the devastation of natural disasters, including the recent bushfires which ravaged our eastern States in 2020. We are aware of the fear, anxiety and loss which the people of Greece are now feeling. We comprehend the incredible sense of loss of those who have lost their family homes and properties. We appreciate the terror of the Greek people as they face the uncertainty of the blazes, which have ravaged their homeland.
In 2018 during the devastating fires in Attiki, Melbourne’s Greek community came together and raised funds to support the Hellenic Volunteer Fire Fighting Association (HVFFA). Every cent of the money that was raised in 2018 was spent by the HVFFA on the purchase of much needed protective equipment for the firefighters.
As has become very obvious in this disaster, there is still a great need to support these heroes who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way.
As such we once again call on all of Melbourne’s Greek community to rally as one and alongside its collective heartfelt wishes and prayers, to also dig deep and donate funds that will once again be directed to the HVFFA where they will in no doubt be put to lifesaving good use.
Flames rise near houses as a wildfire burns in the village of Gouves, on the island of Evia, Greece, August 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters / Stringer.
Community organisations, businesses and individuals can all contribute to this drive simply by making a donation via either:
2. By direct deposit into the dedicated Greek Community – (Greek Fires) account:
BSB: 063 023
ACT: 1042 1568
Supported and endorsed by:
The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne & Victoria
The Greek Precinct Association
The Hellenic Medical Society of Australia
The Greek Herald
The Panepirotic Federation of Australia
The Australian Federation of Pontian Associations
AHEPA Victoria
The Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria
The Thessaloniki Association “White Tower”
The Greek Youth Generator
The Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation
A man holding a hose is helped to climb a slope, as a wildfire burns in the village of Gouves, on the island of Evia, Greece, August 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters / Stringer.
The Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Vic)
The Pancretan Association of Melbourne
The Society of Kalamata 23 March
The Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria
The Lefkadian Brotherhood
The Pantrifilian Association of Melbourne and Victoria
The Federation of Messinian Organisation of Melbourne and Victoria
Hellenic RSL Sub-Branch
National Union of Greek Australian Students (Vic)
The Pontian Coordianting Committee for the Commemoration of the Greek Genocide
Greek Australian coach, Ange Postecoglou, has recorded his first Scottish Premiership win as Celtic manager, with the Glasgow side thrashing Dundee 6-0.
Postecoglou’s Parkhead tenure had got off to a rocky start, with Celtic crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers and being beaten by Hearts in the opening round of the Premiership.
But the Hoops got back on track overnight as a hat-trick to Japanese forward, Kyogo Furuhashi, led the rout of Dundee.
Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates after scoring his third goal. Photo: Getty / Steve Welsh.
The Hoops dominated across the full 90 minutes as they completed four times as many passes as their opponents and ended the match with 75 per cent possession.
Socceroos star Tom Rogic, right-back Anthony Ralston and substitute Odsonne Edouard also scored in front of their home crowd.
Edouard’s goal came from the penalty spot after a foul which saw Dundee reduced to 10 men in the 90th minute.
Postecoglou himself was pleased with the application of his side as they embraced his attacking style of play.
“We played some good football and worked awfully hard. We started the game really well and sort of set the tone,” Postecoglou said.
“It was a good performance by the players and they got their rewards for their hard work.”
Though still early days in the Aussie’s tenure, fans have quickly been won over and were in awe of how Celtic have already changed under their new manager.
Celtic, who have jumped up to fourth in the league with the win, will now face Jablonec at home in the second leg of their Europa League qualifier having claimed a 4-2 victory last week.
NSW recorded 283 new locally acquired COVID-19 infections in the 24 hours to 8:00pm yesterday. At least 64 were infectious while in the community.
A woman in her 90s who was in palliative care has died after testing positive to COVID-19. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the woman had not been vaccinated.
A record 133,000 tests were taken in the reporting period.
The NSW city of Tamworth will go into lockdown for one week after a COVID-positive woman from Newcastle travelled to the area.
Berejiklian says there are no other cases in the Tamworth area, but there are several exposure sites – which has prompted health advice for a one-week lockdown. It starts at 5pm today.
NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian.
The Premier has also called for increased testing in the Byron Bay area, after a man in his 50s tested positive to COVID there.
The Canterbury-Bankstown local government area (LGA) remains the epicentre of the outbreak with the Premier urging people in adjoining suburbs to remain alert.
These latest case figures come as reports emerged on Sunday that Alevri cafe in Roselands was incorrectly placed on the NSW Health COVID-19 exposure list. The cafe was listed as being visited by a COVID-19 positive case between 7.20am and 7.45am on Thursday, July 29.
As the cafe does not open until 8am, NSW Health has apologised to the cafe for the mistake and it remains open for takeaway, adhering to safety protocols.
South Australia, Queensland and Victoria:
Queensland has recorded four new cases of COVID-19 in the community as the south-east enjoys its first day of freedom and Cairns enters a three-day lockdown.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said all the cases were detected in home quarantine and linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“It’s the sort of news we want to wake up to,” she said.
A fifth case was recorded in hotel quarantine.
Meanwhile in Victoria, regional residents will be released from the state’s lockdown from 11:59pm today.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the regions would snap back to the settings that were in place before the lockdown began last Thursday.
He said the decision had been made after no cases had been detected in the regions during the first four days of lockdown.
Australia’s first drive-through vaccination hub, which opened at Melton in Melbourne’s west this morning. Photo: ABC News: Tahlia Aualiitia.
Victoria has recorded 11 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, but health authorities fear there are more cases in Melbourne’s north-west who have not yet come forward for testing.
All of the new cases are linked to known outbreaks, but only one of them was in quarantine while infectious.
The state has also opened Australia’s first drive-through vaccination clinic at Melton in Melbourne’s west this morning. There has been a huge demand already.
In South Australia, the two Greek venues listed as exposure sites, during the state’s recent COVID-19 outbreak which saw the state placed into lockdown last month, have reopened.
Gaganis Bros reopened on Sunday, July 31 after a 14 day quarantine period, while The Greek on Halifax opened again on Friday, August 6.
Markos Botsaris is known as a Greek General and hero of the Greek Revolution from Souli.
Early and Personal Life:
Markos Botsaris was born in Souli in 1790 and was the second son of Kitsos Botsaris (1754-1813), a leading figure of the Botsara lighthouse.
After the occupation of Souli by Ali Pasha in 1803 and the persecutions of the Souliotes that followed, he took refuge with his father and other compatriots first in Parga and then in Corfu. There he joined the ‘Albanian Regiment,’ formed by the French, and became one the regiment’s officers.
Despite his limited education, in 1809 he wrote a Greek-Albanian dictionary, the original of which is in the Library of Paris.
In 1810, he divorced his first wife due to infidelity and married for the second time, Chrysoula Kalogirou, daughter of the boatman of Preveza, Christakis Kalogirou, who gave him two children, Dimitrios Botsaris (1814-1871) and Katerina-Roza Botsari (1820-1872).
Katerina-Roza Botsaris, the daughter of Markos Botsaris.
In 1813, Botsaris returned to Epirus and after the assassination of his father by the gunsmith, Gogos Bacolas, he settled with his family in Kakkolakos Pogoniou, where he was appointed leader of the region by Ali Pasha.
The same year, Botsaris became a member of the ‘Filiki Etaireia.’ In 1820, together with his uncle Notis and other Souliotes, he fought on the side of the sultan forces, which besieged the disobedient Ali Pasha in Ioannina, having received the promise that they would return to their homeland.
Seeing that the Turks were breaking their promise, Botsaris came to an agreement with Ali Pasha and asked him to repatriate the Souliotes, in exchange for their help in his fight against the Sultan’s troops. The relevant agreement was signed on January 15, 1821. His first success was the victory at Kampsades and Pente Pigadia and the occupation of the fortresses of Rigiasa and Riniassa.
Actions during the Greek Revolution:
After the outbreak of the Greek Revolution, Botsaris took part in the victorious battles in Kompoti Arta (3 July, 1821), Plaka (September 1821) and Dervizana (12 October, 1822). On November 12, 1821 he participated in the siege and the fall of Arta (November 17, 1821).
In the meantime, the Ottomans had captured his family, who remained in Kakkolakos. In March 1822, when Botsaris went with other Souli chiefs to the Peloponnese to ask for help from the provisional government, he succeeded in freeing his family, exchanging them with the harems of Khurshid Pasha who had been captured during the fall of Tripoli.
He sent the family to Ancona, Italy and he himself remained in the Peloponnese with Alexandros Mavrokordatos, whom he followed to Western Central Greece.
In May 1822, Botsaris persuaded Mavrokordatos to undertake a campaign in Epirus, with the aim of helping the people of Souli. At the end of June, with 1200 fighters, he headed from Kompoti to Souli.
Markos Botsaris, painting by Theofilos.
On June 29, near Plaka, they confronted the superior forces of Kioutachis and fled. On July 4, with 32 companions, he took part in the devastating battle of Peta, which marked the final surrender of Souli to the Ottomans.
On October 12, 1822, with the help of Alexandros Mavrokordatos, Botsaris was promoted to General, provoking the reaction of the other chiefs. Their attitude infuriated him and he tore the paper of his appointment in front of them, saying: “Whoever is worthy gets the diploma the day after tomorrow in front of the enemy.” This majestic act proves his selflessness and love for his homeland.
Botsaris then made a decisive contribution to the successful outcome of the first siege of Messolonghi (October 25 – December 31, 1822). With his ingenuity and cunning he lured the Turks into fake talks, giving the besieged time to strengthen their fortifications.
Death and Legacy:
In the summer of 1823, Markos Botsaris tried to block the way for the Turkish troops that were attacking from Trikala to the western mainland.
On the night of August 8-9, a group of 350 Souliotes attacked the 4,000 Turks of Mustai Pasha, who had encamped at Karpenisi. The surprise succeeded and Botsaris, although slightly wounded in the abdomen, proceeded towards Mustai Pasha, in order to capture him. But a bullet from an African pasha servant hit him in the eye and seriously injured him.
The death of Markos Botsaris. Painting by Ludovico Liparini.
Botsaris passed away a few hours later. Then, his men, although victorious, stopped the battle to receive the body of their leader and the spoils.
Botsaris’ body was transported to Messolonghi on August 10, 1823 in a triumphant procession. His coffin was covered with a blue cloak. This was followed by the loot which were animals, weapons, tents, ammunition and the treasury of the enemies. The funeral ceremony took place in the church of Agios Nikolaos of the bastions.
The death of Markos Botsaris was praised by all. Dionysios Solomos wrote the poem “In Markos Botsari,” which likens the large influx of Greeks at the funeral of the hero with the influx of the Trojans in the burial of Hector.
Poems dedicated to Botsaris were written by the American poet Fitzgreen Halek, the Swiss poet and journalist Zist Olivier, and the French author Victor Hugo.
Devastating and uncontrollable fires have ravaged Greece over the last week due to the worst heatwave experienced in the country since 1987.
Thousands of people have been displaced, properties and livestock have been destroyed and cities, villages and outlying settlements have been consumed by wildfires.
So far there has been one death of a 38-year-old firefighter after he sustained a head injury from a falling utility pole in Ippokrateios Politeia, one of the neighbourhoods north of Athens affected by fire.
On Sunday, a firefighting plane also crashed during an emergency landing on Zakynthos island. Early police reports say the pilot escaped without serious injury.
Residents have been forced to flee their homes.
It’s clear the danger is far from over and in response, Greek diaspora in Australia and across the world have united to raise funds to help those fighting fires in their homeland.
Here are just a few of the fundraising initiatives you can look into:
Melbourne’s Greek Community:
In 2018, during the devastating fires in Attiki, Melbourne’s Greek community came together and raised funds to support the Hellenic Volunteer Fire Fighting Association (HVFFA). Every cent of the money that was raised in 2018 was spent by the HVFFA on the purchase of much needed protective equipment for the firefighters.
This year, Melbourne’s Greek community has once again called on people to rally as one and alongside its collective heartfelt wishes and prayers, to also dig deep and donate funds that will once again be directed to the HVFFA.
Community organisations, businesses and individuals can all contribute to this drive simply by making a donation via either:
Smoke from wildfire spreads over the statue of Poseidon, ancient Greek God of the sea, at Pefki village on Evia island. Photo: AP Photo/Petros Karadjias.
2. By direct deposit into the dedicated Greek Community – (Greek Fires) account.
BSB: 063 023.
ACT: 1042 1568.
This initiative has been supported and endorsed by various Greek community organisations around Australia including The Greek Herald.
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia:
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has also initiated a fundraiser to collect money to send to Greece to financially support those affected by the fires.
The fundraising initiative will be undertaken either by directly depositing into a bank account or going through gofundme.com with the following details:
1. Bank Account: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia consolidated trust Western Australia. BSB: 082 – 057. Acc: 12 693 2006.
In his message announcing the fundraiser, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia stressed that his thoughts are with everyone suffering in Greece at the moment and he encouraged his flock in Australia to offer support if possible.
“I am fully aware that our people, like almost everyone in Australia, are currently experiencing another difficult trial, that of the pandemic and the adverse economic effects as a result of the restrictions,” Archbishop Makarios said in his message.
“However, inspired by the example of our forebears who always offered a place at their table to a person in need, both when it was richly laden with goods and when meagre, I am convinced that we will be able to rise to the sacred challenge of helping our fire-affected brethren, by each one of us contributing either from their surplus or privation.”
The Hellenic Initiative’s Wildfire Relief Fund:
The Hellenic Initiative (THI) is a global, nonprofit, secular institution mobilising the Greek diaspora and Philhellenes to invest in the future of Greece together.
In response to the raging wildfires in the country at the moment, THI launched its Wildfire Relief Campaign to help firefighters, first responders and their vetted non-profit organisations working to save Greece.
So far, THI has already raised over $100,000 with 100% of the funds raised going towards the relief effort.
— The Hellenic Initiative (@THI_OneGreece) August 6, 2021
Hellenic Red Cross:
Following the huge mobilization of the Hellenic Red Cross (HRC) for the extensive destruction caused by the large-scale fires in Greece, they decided to open a bank account to support the fire victims and the homeless animals, in order to raise as much money as possible.
Those who wish to contribute financially are kindly requested to deposit their donations in the following bank account:
Bank: EUROBANK
Beneficiary: HELLENIC RED CROSS
Account Number: 0026.0240.30.0201205013
IBAN: GR2602602400000300201205013.
All deposits must be marked “Wildfires.” For more information you can call: 210 36 09 825 or visit the website of the Hellenic Red Cross www.redcross.gr.
They are also collecting food at two warehouses in Greece.
Friends of the Strays of Greece:
As evident by many of the photos coming out of Greece, animals have also been significantly impacted by the current bushfires raging across the country.
The donations can be made direct to them by referencing FIRE, and these will be distributed to those most in need as soon as the damage assessments are available.
If you log into PayPal and look them up via email info@straysofgreece.org or name ‘Friends of the Strays of Greece,’ you are able to reference FIRE when donating.
It was one of the most uncertain, unprecedented and unlikely-to-go-ahead Games ever — but hard-working volunteers, determined organisers and resilient athletes managed to put on an Olympics that gave the world hope after a pretty hopeless 18 months.
If you missed the closing ceremony, here are some of the key moments:
Australian and Greek athletes enter ceremony with pride:
Not all of the athletes from Greece and Australia stayed long enough after their competitions to attend the Olympic closing ceremony but those who did looked like they had a good time. There was dancing, singing and plenty of smiling.
Members of the Australian team, and the obligatory mascot, at the closing ceremony in Tokyo. Photo: Getty Images.
The Australian flag was carried into the stadium by sailing gold medalist, Mathew Belcher, the country’s most successful Australian sailor in Olympic history.
The Greek flag was carried by the captain of the men’s national water polo team, Giannis Fountoulis. Later in the evening, the water polo teammates, who had won an Olympic silver medal just two hours before, can be heard proudly singing the Greek National Anthem.
Photo: Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Greek flag is raised and theGreek National Anthem is played:
As is tradition, the Greek flag was flying proudly at the closing ceremony alongside the host country’s. The Greek National Anthem was also played loudly.
This is done as a way of honouring the ancient origins of the Olympic Games. The tournament dates back to 776BC, when the games were held every four years in Greece out of respect for the god Zeus.
They ran until 393AD, and then took quite the hiatus before they took part again. The next Games, and the first modern Olympic Games, was held in Athens, Greece in 1896 – some 1503 years later!
Six lucky athletes get their medals in front of a real crowd:
Most of the Tokyo 2020 medal ceremonies were conducted in front of a handful of fellow competitors and coaches.
But the men’s and women’s marathon medallists were presented with gold, silver and bronze in front of hundreds — the stands were still empty, but all their fellow closing ceremony athletes and performers were there to cheer them on.
Bashir Adbi of Belgium, Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands and Eliud Kipchoge were awarded bronze, silver and gold respectively, as were the USA’s Molly Seidel, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei and fellow Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Not everyone gets to receive their medals from IOC president Thomas Bach — the marathon runners did. Photo: AP / David Goldman.
Powerful words from the IOC President:
The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, reminded us that there were so many times these Games very nearly didn’t go ahead at all — but the hard work of so many made it happen.
He thanked everyone from the athletes to “the national Olympic committees, the international federations, our top partners, sponsors, and rights-holding broadcasters for their truly outstanding show of unity and support.”
“In these difficult times you gave to the world the most precious of gifts — hope,” Mr Bach said to the athletes.
“For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire world came together. Sport returned to centre stage. Billions of people around the globe were united by emotion, sharing moments of joy and inspiration.
“This gives us hope. This gives us faith in the future. The Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020 are the Olympic Games of hope, solidarity and peace… On behalf of all the athletes, we say thank you, Tokyo. Thank you, Japan.”
Thomas Bach. Photo: Getty Images / Dan Mullan.
France and the Paralympics to look forward to:
Near the end of the closing ceremony, viewers were raced through the iconic city of Paris in a preview of what’s to come in 2024, before throwing to a party in the streets below the Eiffel Tower — featuring none other than some of France’s most recent Olympic medallists who had already arrived home.
The Patrouille de France – France’s version of the RAAF’s Roulettes — also painted the sky red, white and blue in a stunning aerobatics.
The 2020 Summer Paralympics are also on everyone’s must-watch list when they begin on Tuesday, August 24 this year.
