Greek Australians as young as five years old are among Australia’s best young artists to be featured at the Archibald’s Young Archie exhibition.
The Young Archie exhibition showcases the works of budding artists between the ages of five and 18 at the Art Gallery of NSW from June 5.
Gideon Baker, aged 8, was selected as a finalist for his self-portrait drawing ‘Gideon the Great’ in which he draws himself as an Ancient Greek warrior.
‘Gideon the Great’ (left) is inspired by Ancient Greek warriors like Achilles (right) (Source: Wikipedia)
“I have drawn myself as an Ancient Greek warrior because I love Greek history. History is my favourite subject. I also like Greek mythology, but it’s a bit weird,” he says.
Baker’s artwork is presented in the Young Archie’s five-to-eight year-old category, alongside fellow runner-up Micaela Psomadelis.
Micaela Psomadelis’ ‘Fires and Flames’ (left) and Lucas Dimopoulos’ ‘Spa’s world – self portrait’ (right)
Psomadelis, aged 7, was selected for her drawing ‘Fires and flames’.
“I have chosen myself because if I paint myself then I know I am focusing. I chose fire because fire reminds me of hearts, and hearts remind me of love that is shared all around the world,” she says.
Lucas Dimopoulos, aged 7, was given an honourable mention for ’Spa’s world – self-portrait’
“I am floating in the spa and I am scared because I am close to the sun.”
*The ten finalists from each age category are displayed at the Art Gallery of NSW from 5 June to 26 September 2021 and the honourable mentions at the SH Ervin Gallery.
South Australia’s 40 Under 40 were announced in front of a crowd of more than 300 at the Adelaide Convention Centre last night, and there were two Greek Australians among the award recipients.
They are: CEO of Lumin Sports / Hoap, Ben Tripodi, and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Never Never Distilling Co., George Georgiadis.
Tripodi and Georgiadis were both recognised in the 40 Under 40 list, which celebrates the state’s young business leaders and entrepreneurs.
(L-R) Never Never Distillery owners and founders Sean Baxter, Tim Boast and George Georgiadis at their West Thebarton distillery with their award-winning gin Southern Strength. Picture: Bianca De Marchi / The Advertiser.
Georgiadis also received the Creative Thinker Awardwhich was presented by KWP!
The night itself was a huge success, with a number of special guests in attendance including South Australia Governor, Hieu Van Le AC, and the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Malinauskas MP.
In a speech, the chair of the judging panel, David Rohrsheim, told the award winners and guests that he was impressed with the quality of the more than 230 applicants to the awards and how much each one of them had achieved.
CEO of Lumin Sports / Hoap, Ben Tripodi.
In a speech, the chair of the judging panel, David Rohrsheim, told the award winners and guests that he was impressed with the quality of the more than 230 applicants to the awards and how much each one of them had achieved.
Source: InDaily.
“Adelaide sometimes can be a ‘wait your turn’ sort of place,” said the manager of the SA Venture Capital Fund Portfolio, who is also young enough to qualify for the awards.
“This is a room that knows that tomorrow will not be a better time to pursue their dreams.”
A fundraising page set up to help Natalie Tsokas buy a headstone for her eight-year-old son, Oliver Tiainen, after his grave was cleared by a Queensland council, has been inundated with donations from across the country.
Just yesterday, the final $8000 portion of the fundraising goal was donated by an “anonymous veteran” and Ms Tsokas told ABC News she will now finally be able to give Ollie the memorial he deserves.
‘I’m just so overwhelmed’:
The anonymous veteran told ABC News that “no member of the Australian community should be made to suffer as Ms Tsokas has.”
“As a veteran, (myself) and other ADF ex and serving members sacrifice their time and sometimes their lives to protect the Australian community,” he told the media outlet.
“No member of the Australian community should be made to suffer as Ms Tsokas has, and mental health and well-being is just as important for the civilian community as it is in defence.
Scenic Rim residents Natalie Tsokas, Lucy Syme, Julia Davenport-Free, Kyle Davenport-Free and Kate French-McClean at Tamborine Mouintain Cemetery. Photo: ABC Gold Coast, Tara Cassidy.
“Trauma such as losing a son is enough without being further punished by a government agency when you are just trying to mourn their passing and heal your pain.”
The anonymous veteran said he hoped the donation and resulting permanent head stone would allow Ms Tsokas and the community to “mourn and grieve in peace.”
Hearing the news, Ms Tsokas said her family were shocked and overjoyed at the veteran and wider community’s generosity.
“It’s just amazing, I just jumped up and down with my whole family… I had no idea it was happening, my friend just said someone has just donated the rest of the funds. I’m just so overwhelmed, it’s been such a rollercoaster,” Ms Tsokas told ABC News.
So far the fundraising page has raised over $15,000 in total, which Ms Tsokas said would cover the cost of the headstone and grave cover.
“I wanted to be able to afford this for my son, and give him the best I could, the best possible resting place… I didn’t want to ask anyone, but the truth is I really did need it,” she concluded.
Ollie’s grave before and after it was tidied up by Ms Tsokas. The council later cleared the entire site. Photo supplied: Natalie Tsokas / ABC.
Council, family dispute:
Last week, Ollie’s grave was stripped bare by the Scenic Rim Regional Council, who removed everything including a border, candle and his name-bearing cross.
According to ABC News, the council said items at the grave were unauthorised and left it as just gravel and dirt, devastating Ms Tsokas, who said it had been all she could afford to honour her son’s memory.
The Council also said Ollie’s grave was stripped of items only after being in “regular contact” with Ms Tsokas. She denies this claim, saying while they had been communicating about the issue, she felt she had completed what was asked of her.
Ollie’s grave site was entirely cleared by Scenic Rim Council last week, with his mother since placing petals and a small candle where he’s buried. Photo: ABC Gold Coast, Tara Cassidy.
“Everything they asked me to do, I did it, but they just kept changing their minds about what they needed me to do,” she told ABC News.
“September last year was our last correspondence … after that a person in the community contacted them telling them to leave me alone as I was grieving and also in isolation so couldn’t attend the grave.
“I mean, this is all within months, in my mind, my time has stood still, my son just died.”
When questioned about whether it would consider reviewing its cemetery policies, following public backlash to Ms Tsokas’ experience, Scenic Rim Regional Council said it would “in due course.”
The Greek Herald has received this open letter from Kyriakos (Kerry) Koliadis regarding his thoughts on AHEPA in New South Wales. Mr Koliadis is from the AHEPA Chapter Ippokratis and also considers himself a prayer reader and community current affairs activist.
Read his full piece below.
***
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am writing to you as an 80 years old AHEPAN MAN that strongly believes in peace and brotherly love.
I understand that A.H.E.P.A. in NSW started on 15/8/1934 in the small town of Werris Creek north of NSW.
The philosophy of those first AHEPANs was peace, solidarity, brotherly love and strong feelings about our Christian Orthodox religion.
I have AHEPAN relatives in four States in the USA: Florida, Merylands, Mishigan and Connecticut. My nephew Mr Emmanuel Stergakis is President of Chapter ELPIDA in Hartford Connecticu USA.
Two years ago Emmanuel came to visit us. I took him to Greek Radio 2MM and he spoke on air so passionately about the work AHEPANs are doing in the United States. He also mentioned about the fund raising for the re-construction of St Nicholas Church that was destroyed in the 9/11 attack.
Today, here in NSW, I understand that certain AHEPANs, brothers and sisters, have opted to resolve their differences through the courts of law, instead in a peaceful manner according to A.H.E.P.A.’s philosophy and tradition. The result so far is that a lot of money has been wasted that could have been used for the Good of A.H.E.P.A. and the Community.
I wish to see that from now on, all of us unite as good AHEPANs, good Orthodox Christians and good Hellene-Australians, to work for the good of the Order of A.H.E.P.A. and the Community.
Admiral Andreas Miaoulis is a well-known politician and commander of the Greek fleet during the 1821 Revolution.
On this day in 1835, Admiral Miaoulis passed away. To mark the occasion, we list our top five facts about the important naval commander.
1. His real last name:
Miaoulis’ real last name was Vokos or Bokos. People say he was nicknamed Miaoulis for two reasons. One is that his sailors gave it to him when he gave them the order “One gum!” to paddle at the same time. The second is that it came from a Turkish kettle he bought called “Miaul.”
2. Involvement in shipping companies:
From his teenage years, Miaoulis was involved in shipping companies. He made a fortune during the Napoleonic Wars, when he broke the English naval blockade under Admiral Nelson and supplied the Spanish cities.
In 1816, Miaoulis handed over the shipping companies to his son Dimitrios and he himself engaged in trade.
3. Role in the Greek Revolution:
During the proclamation of the Revolution in Hydra, on April 28, 1821, Miaoulis signed, together with other shipowners, a document that they would bear the expenses for the naval operations of the Struggle.
In autumn of the same year, he took over as admiral of the Hydra fleet and on September 28, he was confronted for the first time with a Turkish naval squadron in Pylos. In February 1822, he destroys a Turkish frigate and damaged other ships in the port of Patras. In October 1823, Miaoulis defeated the Turks at Artemisio and Oreos.
On August 29, 1824, Miaoulis defeated the Turkish-Egyptian in Gerontas. The losses of the enemy amounted to 27 ships, among them the imposing frigate “Asia.”
During the second siege of Messolonghi in 1826, Greek ships under his command assisted the besieged by providing supplies. On the eve of the exodus, Miaoulis repeatedly failed to break the siege of the city and told residents that no help from the sea was possible.
Triumphant welcome to Andreas Miaoulis in Hydra by Aimilios Prosalentis.
In 1827, by decision of the Third National Assembly, the command of the fleet was assigned to Lord Cochran and Miaoulis was demoted to captain.
4. Friendship with Ioannis Kapodistrias:
When Ioannis Kapodistrias took over as Governor of Greece, he assigns Miaoulis to be Commander of the Aegean Fleet. The Miaouli-Kapodistrias cooperation lasted until August 1829, when the two men came into conflict over Kapodistrias’ policy towards the Hydra shipowners, who demanded preferential treatment in exchange for their contribution to the Struggle.
5. Death and Legacy:
Miaoulis died in Athens on June 11, 1835. He was buried in Piraeus, on the right coast of the port, which was named Akti Miaoulis. Later, his bones were recovered in a grave at the entrance of the School of Naval Trials.
A big festival, called Miaoulia, takes place in Hydra every year on the weekend closest to June 21, to honour Miaoulis.
The Cypriot parliament elected its first female speaker on Thursday, handing the role to 35-year-old Annita Demetriou, a member of the governing conservative Democratic Rally party.
According to a Facebook post from the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Ms Demetriou is also the youngest person ever to be elected to the role.
Demetriou received backing from the centrist Democratic Front and from ELAM, a far-right party which almost doubled its standing in a parliamentary election last month.
As speaker of the House of Representatives, Demetriou is second in the state hierarchy after the national president.
A political scientist by training, she is considered one of her party’s most successful politicians.
Demetriou’s first attempt to be elected a lawmaker almost failed in 2016 when she was removed from a list of potential parliamentary election candidates, and one senior member said the party was contesting an election, “not a beauty pageant.”
New House President, Annita Demetriou. Photo: CNA / Cyprus Mail.
She was later reinstated after pressure from grassroot party members and went on to win her first term in parliament. She was re-elected to parliament last month.
Cyprus, a member of the European Union, has an executive system of government but parliamentary elections are an important gauge of how alliances may shift for presidential elections.
Seven parties are represented in parliament. None has an outright majority.
Ange Postecoglou has been officially confirmed as the new manager of Celtic, a role he has described as one of the greatest honours in world football.
The former Socceroos boss was first linked with the position two weeks ago and on Thursday was finally unveiled via Zoom from Japan, where he will leave in the coming days for his new home in Glasgow.
It is easily the highest-profile coaching move ever made by an Australian and throws Postecoglou into the middle of one of sport’s greatest rivalries – the Old Firm derby against Rangers.
Postecoglou has signed a 12-month rolling contract with the 51-time Scottish Premiership winners, and was hailed by the club in a statement as a “modern, progressive coach with exciting, attacking football as his philosophy.”
“He is someone I believe has the coaching and managerial credentials to be a real success at Celtic and we are already working closely together on our plans for the season and seasons ahead,” incoming Celtic Chief Executive, Dominic McKay, said in a media release.
For his part, Postecoglou vowed in a statement to return Celtic to the top of Scottish football.
“The opportunity that has been given to me is one of the greatest honours in football and the responsibility to lead our magnificent football club into the future is one that I will cherish dearly,” Postecoglou said.
“I’m a big believer that, if you can produce homegrown talent & players who have come through the club, there’s extra meaning to represent that football club for the player"
“Celtic is one of THE names in world football, of that there is no doubt – a giant of a club, a proper footballing institution and so much more – real history, real substance, real authenticity and real soul.
“I will be doing everything I can to get our great club back on top and, at the same time, deliver the kind of football which our fans appreciate. We want to entertain our fans and we want to win, these are the objectives which I always set myself and which I now begin work on.”
Postecoglou is easily Australia’s most decorated football coach, having won two titles in the old National Soccer League with South Melbourne, two in the A-League with Brisbane Roar – including a record 36-match unbeaten streak – another crown in Japan’s J.League with Yokohama F. Marinos, and famously guided Australia to the 2015 Asian Cup.
A new concrete pathway to facilitate wheelchair access to the Acropolis in Athens has continued to fuel a row between authorities aiming to broaden access to Greece’s most famous ancient monuments and critics who say it ruins the classical harmony of the site.
Greek opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, demanded recently that the conservative government “stop abusing our cultural heritage,” saying the changes would amount to “changing the landscape” of a world heritage site.
But Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni, defended the development, which was approved by the Central Archaeological Council (KAS), the body which oversees the Acropolis complex that includes the Parthenon, a 5th century BC temple to the goddess Athena.
People walk on a new cement walkway to improve access for people with disabilities as they visit the Parthenon temple. Photo: Reuters / Alkis Konstantinidis.
“I have seen people in wheelchairs who came up for the first time and felt happy,” Mendoni told reporters during a visit to the site on Tuesday.
“I think this is something that should also make us particularly happy because to give joy to people is perhaps just as significant as the protection of our cultural goods.”
Prior to the pandemic, about 3.5 million tourists made the ascent to see the Acropolis, the country’s most visited site.
In the six months that the temples were closed to the public on account of COVID-19, a new lift capable of carrying two wheelchairs at a time was also installed on the rock’s northern flank, replacing an older elevator that had ceased to operate years ago. That, too, has been criticised as a modernist eyesore.
A new cement walkway next to the Parthenon temple is built to facilitate wheelchair access. Photo: Reuters / Alkis Konstantinidis.
Architect and current head of the Acropolis Monuments Conservation committee, Manolis Korres, even has plans to overhaul the ancient citadel’s majestic gateway, or Propylaia.
According to The Guardian, Korres hopes to reinstate a Roman staircase that would both broaden the entrance, correct previous erroneous interventions and return it to some of its original form.
In response to these alterations, more than 3,500 signatories have endorsed an open letter on the online activist network Avaaz calling for the pathways to be removed and other projected changes to be cancelled.
A man steps off a new cement walkway next to the Parthenon temple, built to improve access for people with disabilities atop the Acropolis hill, in Athens, Greece, June 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters / Alkis Konstantinidis.
Dr Tasos Tanoulas, until recently director of restorations at the Propylaia, also deplored the decision to cover so much of the rock’s face with reinforced concrete. He told The Guardian the move would lead inexorably to “degradation of the natural landscape and a devaluation of the rock as a natural monument in its own right, as a natural fort.”
But the changes have also won praise, and according to Korres, have the added advantage of being ‘reversible.’ The new walkway, a grey concrete track, is laid over a synthetic membrane that protects the ancient stones underneath and permits easy removal.
Tour guides also gathered around the monument’s ticket booths on Wednesday and agreed the new pathways were overdue.
A woman poses for a photo on a new cement walkway next to the Parthenon temple in Athens, Greece, June 8, 2021. Photo: Reuters / Alkis Konstantinidis.
“There are ambulances up here at least four times a week,” Athina Pitaki, who has been guiding visitors around the site since 1978, told The Guardian.
“I’ve been up here long enough to see all the changes and in reality it’s much better now. It hasn’t affected the monuments. They’re still as impressive as ever and for the first time people can enjoy them without always fearing they’re about to fall.”
Only time will tell what the final outcome of this raging debate will be.
Unseeded Czech, Barbora Krejcikova, pulled off a titanic victory to reach her first Grand Slam singles final at Roland Garros on Thursday, outlasting No.17 seed Maria Sakkari 7-5, 4-6, 9-7 in a three-hour and 18-minute epic.
Krejcikova, now on an 11-match winning streak, saved a match point at 5-3 in the third set with a flying backhand winner, then needed five match points spanning two games before quelling the challenge from the Greek player and improving to 3-0 in their head-to-head rivalry.
Against Sakkari, Krejcikova used a variety of speeds on her groundstrokes to pull her through the challenging tilt, from off-speed slices to blistering backhands down the line. When all was said and done, very little separated the pairing, with Krejcikova the overall aggressor by a hair, having four more winners and five more unforced errors than Sakkari.
After falling behind a break two times in the opening three games of the match, Krejcikova used her mettle to turn around the opening frame. From 1-3 down, Krejcikova won four games in a row, ending that run with a stellar lob on break point for a 5-3 lead.
Sakkari pressured the Czech’s serve to break at love in the next game, pulling back on serve. But Krejcikova came through with aplomb in the final stretch of the set, using her forehand and serve to power to a love hold for 6-5, then breaking an error-prone Sakkari to grasp the one-set lead.
A streaky second set started with Sakkari reeling off four games in a row, using her exceptional speed and tenacity to force errors from Krejcikova. The Czech made a late charge to 4-3, and slammed two aces at 5-3 to hold on and force Sakkari to serve for the set.
Sakkari had to steel herself in a tough game, missing chances on her first two set points. But a long Krejcikova miscue gave Sakkari a third opportunity, and that one was the charm when the Greek pulled Krejcikova into the net, then blasted a crosscourt backhand to force an errant volley.
In the decider, an early break at 1-1 went Sakkari’s way, and she held onto that advantage for quite some time, using down-the-line backhand winners of her own to hold for 5-3. In that very game, Sakkari reached match point after a forehand miscue by Krejcikova, but Krejcikova charged forward to knock a backhand winner out of the air, and the Czech held on from there.
That would prove to be Sakkari’s sole match point as she was unable to hold while serving for the match at 5-4, and rallies became lengthier and more angular as the pair went deeper into the third set, with no tiebreak in sight.
At 7-6, Krejcikova garnered her first three match points, but strong serving and determined speed bailed Sakkari out on each occasion. But Krejcikova grasped two more match points in a scintillating 8-7 game, and after a number of back-and-forth rallies where each woman went for the lines with gusto, it would be the Czech who closed out the match with one final backhand winner.
25-year-old Krejcikova will next play fellow first-time major finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, after the No.31 seed from Russia defeated Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in the earlier semifinal.
The Darwin GleNTi is set to kick off this weekend at Bicentennial Park, Darwin Esplanade, and to mark the occasion, the Northern Territory Government held an official launch event on Wednesday night.
Held at the NT Parliament House, there were over 150 people in attendance including NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia, Nicholas Poniris, the Honorary Consul General of Greece in Darwin, John Anictomatis, and many other prominent members of the local Greek community.
NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner (left), with President of GOCNA, Nicholas Poniris. Photo: Georgia Politis Photography / Republished with permission.
The GOCNA Committee and Volunteers. Photo: Georgia Politis Photography / Republished with permission.
Mr Poniris, who was emcee on the night, gave a small speech on the significance of Darwin’s Greek community and the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution this year. This was followed by short yet informative speeches from both Mr Gunner and Mr Anictomatis.
After attendees had enjoyed some canapes and free drinks, they moved on to the Darwin Entertainment Centre for a special concert by Dimitris Basis.
