Volkswagen delivered eight electric cars to Astypalea on Wednesday in a first step towards turning the Greek island’s transport green, a model the government hopes to expand to the rest of the country.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has made green energy a central plank of Greece’s post-pandemic recovery drive, attended the delivery ceremony along with Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess.
“Astypalea will be a test bed for the green transition: energy autonomous, and entirely powered by nature,” Mitsotakis said.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, listens to Volkswagen Group CEO, Herbert Diess, center, during the official launch of a project to introduce and test electric vehicles and sustainable energy systems on the Aegean Sea island of Astypalea, Greece, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Photo: Alexandros Vlachos/Pool via AP.
The cars will be used by the police, coastguard and at the local airport, the beginnings of a larger fleet aimed at replacing about 1,500 combustion-engine cars with electric models and reducing vehicles on the island, a popular tourist destination, by a third.
The island’s bus service will be replaced with a ride-sharing scheme, 200 electric cars will be available for locals and tourists to rent, while there will be subsidies for the island’s 1,300 inhabitants to buy electric vehicles, bikes and chargers.
Some 12 chargers have already been installed across the island and 16 more will follow.
Financial terms of the deal with Volkswagen were not disclosed.
Some 12 chargers have already been installed across the island and 16 more will follow.
Astypalea, which extends over 100 square kilometres in the Aegean Sea, currently meets its energy demand almost entirely by diesel generators but is expected to replace a big part of that through a solar plant by 2023.
“Astypalea can become a blue print for a rapid transformation, fostered by the close collaboration of governments and businesses,” Diess said.
Greece, which has relied on coal for decades, aims to close all but one of its coal-fired plants by 2023, as part of its drive to boost renewables and cut carbon emissions by 55% by 2030.
In recent months, the Greek government has re-asserted its longstanding demand for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum. This demand was explicitly ruled out by UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in March this year when he reiterated the government’s “firm longstanding position” that the sculptures “were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time.”
This provocative statement caused outrage across Europe and the world, with many international committees coming together in one voice to renew their passionate support for the case of the return of the Sculptures.
Ultimately, these expressions of support became a crescendo of neo-Philhellenism and one of the strongest voices among the crescendo was David Hill, who is the Chairman of an Australian committee known as Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
Mr Hill, who is also the former chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, tells The Greek Herald exclusively that his passion for the Parthenon Sculptures and Greece began over 45 years ago when he first visited the country.
David Hill is the Chairman of an Australian committee known as Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
“I first went to Greece in 1973… and it was like a magnet, it was the beginning of a love affair. The relationship became deeper and richer over the years and I became absorbed in the history, spirit and culture of Greece,” Mr Hill explains.
“I visited the Acropolis on my first trip to Greece and after that… I went on to London and an old English friend took me to see the Elgin collection in the British Museum and I think I was struck by the injustice of the marbles being in London.”
From ‘cultural diplomacy’ to litigation:
Ever since then, Mr Hill has been working tirelessly to persuade the UK government to return the Parthenon Sculptures to their rightful place in Greece.
For four years from 1999, Mr Hill was the Executive Director of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles in London. Later, from 2006 to 2016, he was the President of the International Association which encompasses all the committees, and he is now in his current position.
“Over the years I’ve worked with the Chairman of the Board of the British Museum, various arts and culture ministers in the UK government, and I’ve worked with, I think, 11 Greek culture ministers and six Prime Ministers. I also give… my views to the Greek government on a regular basis,” Mr Hill explains.
The British Museum has refused to return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece.
“Most of my work is trying to persuade the British to give the sculptures back and trying to generate more public opinion and support for the return of the sculptures.
“You’ve got the situation now where, particularly over the last 20 years, most of the public opinion polls around the world strongly support the marbles going back… the problem is we haven’t changed the mind of the British.”
To do this, Mr Hill says, “the Greek government ought to litigate or to sue” because the strategy that has been employed since Melina Mercouri has been “cultural diplomacy,” but it has produced “no results.”
“I think it’s a Greek cultural thing. In Australia, America, Britain, if you can’t agree on an important issue, seeking the decision of an independent court or tribunal… is considered a civilised thing to do,” Mr Hill describes.
“But there are a lot of people in Greece who think it is almost a declaration of war, they feel uncomfortable, they feel it’s an aggressive thing to do. So trying to persuade the Greeks they should explore their legal options is proving very difficult.”
The role of Philhellenes in facilitating reunification:
One way Mr Hill desperately tried to persuade the Greeks to pursue litigation was in 2014 when he took three of the best international lawyers to Athens to advise then-Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, of the Greek government’s legal options. These three people were Geoffrey Robertson QC, fellow barrister, Amal Clooney, and the late Professor Norman Palmer.
Mr Hill says that at the time, Mrs Clooney had just married famous actor, George Clooney, and this star factor ensured the spotlight was firmly focused on the reunification of the sculptures.
“I’ve never seen anything like it… but what it did was it made the marbles the news story around the world,” Mr Hill explains to The Greek Herald.
Of course, it must be mentioned though that to this day the UK government and British Museum are still no closer to returning the Sculptures, and Mr Hill says Philhellenes and the Greek diaspora need to keep pushing and building public support.
This could involve supporting Greece through organisations such as the Hellenic Initiative, or even attending events such as the upcoming Australian book launch of Geoffrey Robertson QC’s new book, ‘Who Owns History,’ at The Governors Centre in Moore Park on June 5.
Every little bit helps and as Mr Hill stresses, it’s only a matter of time before the sculptures are rightfully returned to their homeland.
“It’s not often in history that a great wrong can’t be righted. In this case, it can be. They can be returned where they belong – to Greece. At the end of the day, it’s wrong for the British to keep them there… and I’m confident… that eventually right will prevail,” Mr Hill passionately concludes.
*NOTE:If you’d like to attend Geoffrey Robertson QC’s book launch, which is organised by the Athenian Association of NSW in collaboration with the Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures, it will be held on Saturday, June 5 at 6pm at The Governors Centre (558 Cleveland Street, Moore Park, NSW, 2021).
On May 27th 2021 in the Boardroom of Jackson McDonald the Battle of Crete Memorial Committee of WA (BCMC) unveiled their concept design for a memorial to the 1941 Battle of Crete.
The memorial, to be located within the Saw Avenue precinct at Perth’s King’s Park, will commemorate the courage, sacrifice and commitment of those who served and endured the battle. In particular, Australian service personnel with direct links to Western Australia and the people of Crete, who on so many occasions risked their lives to assist them.
The proposed memorial has received support from the Federal and State Governments as well as the RSL WA. In principle support for the project has also been received from the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) who are responsible for Kings Park.
Prominent WA artists Smith Sculptors have been chosen to develop the design. The BCMC has also partnered with the National Trust (WA) who have acknowledged the project as a worthy one and have set up a donations section under the heading ‘Battle of Crete Memorial Fund’ on their website. Donations made through this avenue are fully tax deductible. This was an important partnership to help make this memorial a reality.
Basil Georgiou, senior partner with Jackson McDonald, welcomed the invited guests before Mr Bill Evangel, the President of the Greek Australian RSL WA and Chair of the BCMC said a few words about the origins of the Committee and its achievements to date.
Major (retired) Mike McDonald then gave an informative overview of the Battle of Crete before unveiling the preferred design. A design that was well received by those in attendance, which included special guests the Hon Colin deGrussa MLC Shadow Min for Veterans Affairs, His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyaneon, The Chief Justice of WA Peter Quinlan SC, Judge Stephen Lemonis, the Consul of Greece Ms Karasiotou, former Governor of WA and BCMC member, Dr Ken Michael AC, Battle of Crete veteran Arthur Leggett (aged 102), representatives of the armed services as well as many leaders of Hellenic organisations.
Bishop Elpidios then addressed the gathering reading a message from His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of Australia, one of the patrons of the BCMC. The final speaker was Mr Richard Sandover, the other BCMC patron. His uncle was Major Ray Sandover, the Commanding Officer of the 2nd/11thBattalion on Crete.
The elements of the proposed memorial
The proposed memorial design, developed by SmithSculptors, is based on a ‘broken column’ made of polished marble, a symbol from the Greek tradition that signifies a young life cut short, often in battle. At the base of the column is to be backed by polished granite and will feature four bronze figures in relief.
Three of the figures are military, one civilian. At the front of the memorial facing North, the direction that the enemy had come from in the battle is the relief based on the image of an Australian ‘Digger’ of the 2nd / 11th Battalion circa 1941. To his left, is a relief based on the image of a Greek soldier.
Facing to the west, this image symbolises the enduring bonds of friendship between the Greek and Australian people. Facing to the south, is an image in relief of a Royal Australian Navy Rating (sailor). This Sailor will be depicted wearing a cap tab for HMAS PERTH. The location of this relief, symbolises the fact that the British Naval forces operating around Crete, including the HMAS PERTH, HMAS NAPIER and HMAS NIZAM, ‘covered the backs’ of the soldiers fighting on land.
To the right of the Digger, facing east, will be a relief depicting a Cretan female civilian. This image acknowledges the role played and the price paid by the civilians of Crete during the battle and subsequent German occupation. It recognizes that women experience some of the worst aspects of war, but they are often the glue that holds families together.
The relief faces east and greets the dawn with hope of better days to come. The circular stepped base of the memorial will be of non-slip polished granite and the colour is envisaged to depict the light of the Cretan daytime sky.
Around the edge of the base will be an inlaid wreath of inter-twined eucalyptus leaves in green and brown. The word ‘eucalypt’ also has a Greek origin. The base of the memorial will also contain a map of the island of Crete and an information podium clad in polished granite, capable of containing several A3 sized bronze plaques to carry information about the battle.
The evening was a success with all those present leaving the event in a very enthusiastic frame of mind with positive messages of support for the project.
To learn more about the project visit battleofcrete.org.au and nationaltrust.org.au or follow the Battle of Crete Memorial Committee WA on Facebook.
Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Christos Karras, met recently with the new Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Mr Darren Bark.
At the meeting, held on May 25 at the Consulate-General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Karras warmly congratulated Mr Bark on the commencement of his role on May 17 and wished him every success in his new position.
Mr Karras and Mr Bark discussed a number of topics of common interest, focusing closely on the Jewish-Australian and Greek-Australian communities of NSW.
A special mention was made to Mr Bark’s predecessor at the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Mr Vic Alhadeff, for his outstanding contribution to the harmonious multicultural society of NSW during his many years of service.
Mr Karras and Mr Bark reconfirmed the willingness of Greek-Australian and Jewish-Australian communities of NSW to continue their close cooperation in worthy causes, to the benefit of Australian society and look forward to continuing the long and fruitful relationship between the two communities.
A Greek Australian is among three women who brought paedophile Dimitrios Patsantzopolous, known as Jimmy Patsan, to justice.
In a bid to help other victims, Nina Kiriakidis, Naomi Gwyn, and Lauren Burrows, shared their story with the Daily Telegraph.
Kyriakidis, now aged 53, was just eight when the abuse started in 1976 and continued for four years.
Patsan, a local barber and church member, was a neighbour and father of her best friend. She was abused at Patsan’s house which her mother thought was a refuge for her children as she worked late.
Child abuse survivors Nina Kiriakidis, 53, Naomi Gwyn, 39, and Lauren Burrows, 36, are telling their story in a bid to help other victims. Picture: The Daily Telegraph/Peter Lorimer.
Naomi, now 39, and Lauren, now 36, were preyed on by Patsan between 1990 and 1992 after he started a relationship with their mother. Naomi was aged nine when it began, Lauren was just six.
It took eight years of a police investigation and court proceedings, where Patsan’s lawyers had argued his medical condition left him unable to properly advise them before a judge found nine counts of child abuse proven.
Patsan, now in his 80s, will be formally sentenced next month.
“I will describe it as eight years of sheer spiritual, emotional, mental and physical terror,’’ Nina tells the publication.
“I’ve often thought would I do this again.
“I owe it to humanity to prevent and potentially reduce this criminal behaviour for future generations and, of course, I owe it to my little self.”
Adelaide High students, among them some of Greek background, walked out of class on Tuesday, to protest sexist behaviour at their school – including claims nude pictures of a girl were being sold for $5 a text, the Advertiser reports.
Up to 100 students outside the West Tce campus aired their disgust over the school’s alleged “toxic sexist culture” and an alleged lack of appropriate leadership response to it.
Call4Action school group member Sophia, 17, said students were upset by what they perceived as the school’s poor response to student allegations of sexual harassment and assault first raised to leadership last month and publicly on social media.
Picture: The Advertiser
The students are demanding an apology to both pupils and caregivers over lack of action and misleading information, a whole-school approach to sexual education and respectful relationships, and accountability of perpetrators.
A Change.org student petition calling for an end to sexism and sexual assault at Adelaide High School has attracted more than 6000 signatures.
Adelaide High School principal Cez Green said Tuesday’s events were an opportunity for students to speak about a pressing social issue.
It is understood Ms Green has offered to meet with the students organising the protest – an offer which has not yet been taken up.
Ms Green last week said in a letter addressed to students that they could contact her directly to discuss any unresolved issues, as well as provide feedback on the school’s delivery of the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum.
The Adelaide High School walkout follows a national student movement calling for earlier and improved sexual consent through a petition.
A new steel wall, similar to recent construction on the U.S.-Mexico border, blocks commonly-used crossing points along the Evros River that separates Greece and Turkey.
Nearby observation towers are being fitted with long-range cameras, night vision, and multiple sensors. The data will be sent to control centers to flag suspicious movement using artificial intelligence analysis.
“We will have a clear ‘pre-border’ picture of what’s happening,” Police Maj. Dimonsthenis Kamargios, head of the region’s border guard authority, told the Associated Press.
The EU has poured 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion) into security tech research following the refugee crisis in 2015-16, when more than 1 million people — many escaping wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan — fled to Greece and on to other EU countries.
A police officer works inside the operation center at the village of Nea Vyssa near the Greek – Turkish border, Greece, Friday, May 21, 2021. An automated hi-tech surveillance network being built on the Greek-Turkish border aiming at detecting migrants early and deterring them from crossing, with river and land patrols using searchlights and long-range acoustic devices. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
The automated surveillance network being built on the Greek-Turkish border is aimed at detecting migrants early and deterring them from crossing, with river and land patrols using searchlights and long-range acoustic devices.
Key elements of the network will be launched by the end of the year, Kamargios said. “Our task is to prevent migrants from entering the country illegally. We need modern equipment and tools to do that.”
Researchers at universities around Europe, working with private firms, have developed futuristic surveillance and verification technology, and tested more than a dozen projects at Greek borders.
AI-powered lie detectors and virtual border-guard interview bots have been piloted, as well as efforts to integrate satellite data with footage from drones on land, air, sea and underwater. Palm scanners record the unique vein pattern in a person’s hand to use as a biometric identifier, and the makers of live camera reconstruction technology promise to erase foliage virtually, exposing people hiding near border areas.
Testing has also been conducted in Hungary, Latvia and elsewhere along the eastern EU perimeter.
The European Commission approved an €800 million Greek program for businesses in the tourism industry that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU said on Tuesday.
The scheme was approved under the EU state aid rules and based on the temporary framework for the EU member states’ support, a press release said.
“This €800 million Greek scheme will facilitate access to liquidity for companies active in the tourism sector. They have been hit hard by the pandemic and this scheme will help ensure the continuity of their economic activity in these difficult times,” said EU Vice President Margrethe Vestager, who is responsible for the competition policy.
Tourism is Greece’s most important sector counting more than 20% of its gross domestic product and after months of lockdown restrictions, the government is eager to rejuvenate it following a plunge of 8% in the last year due to the pandemic.
Last month, Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis announced a multimillion-euro promotional campaign aiming to attract more visitors with the slogan “All you want is Greece”.
Travel requirements
According to the latest travel update, all visitors arriving from the EU and Schengen area countries, the US, the UK, Israel, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, Russia, North Macedonia, Canada, Belarus, Bahrain, Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Saudi Arabia are allowed entry into Greece without the need to quarantine.
Travelers, however, would need to provide a proof of either a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before their arrival or a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 issued by a public authority or a certified laboratory or a proof that the traveler tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two to nine months.
In addition, visitors may also be subject to random, rapid tests at the country’s entry points and anyone with a positive result will be required to quarantine at designated isolation hotels covered by the Greek state.
Meanwhile, Greek cases continue to show a decline as 1,007 new cases were recorded on Monday, with the total number of infections counting to 402,306 since the start of the pandemic. Also 41 fatalities were recorded, pushing the total tally to 12,095.
The finalists of the 2021 Archibald Prize have been announced by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and among them is renowned Greek Australian artist, Nick Stathopoulos.
This is the seventh time Nick has been a finalist in the Prize, having won People’s choice in 2016 with his painting of Sudanese refugee lawyer, Deng Adult, and being nominated last year with his painting of singer, Ngaiire Joseph.
“It’s always an angst-ridden wait for the email from the AGNSW, so when it comes and you definitely know you’re a finalist, it’s a massive relief. It’s exciting to be part of the exhibition, particularly since this is the centennial year of the prize,” Nick tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
Nick Stathopoulos, The white shirt – portrait of Tané Andrews’, acrylic and oil on poly-cotton, 153 x 80.1 cm, Copyright- the artist.
This year, Nick’s potentially prize-winning painting, ‘The White Shirt – portrait of Tané Andrews,’ is a little bit out of the box. His subject is artist, Tané Andrews, who uses his art to explore the transience and transformations in the natural world. The composition itself is acrylic and oil on poly-cotton, measuring 153 x 80.1 cm.
Nick says he wanted to try something different, even though he knew it would be a challenge.
“I always try and do something different with each Archibald entry. It’s insanely difficult to come up with a totally original portrait… it’s a challenge,” Nick explains.
Nick Stathopoulos. Photo by Adrian Robinson.
“This time I wanted to paint a subject that wasn’t a celebrity, but someone who had their own highly distinctive look.”
What about the deeper message behind the painting? Nick says his painting is all about “mood and disquiet” this time around.
“There’s no intended message, other than perhaps there are many fascinating faces that would make wonderful portraits out there,” he concludes.
The winning paintings will be announced on June 4, with the $100,000 Archibald Prize finalists and winner chosen by the AGNSW trustees, including artists Tony Albert and Quilty.
The Kytherian Youth Association (KYA) held its first-ever ‘Brushstrokes, Burgers and Beer’ night on May 24 and it was a huge hit with all the young people who attended.
Over 20 members of the association were spotted getting creative by painting their own versions of flowers in a vase, followed up by burgers and beer at the WellCo cafe in Leichhardt.
President of the KYA, Georgia Galanos, tells The Greek Herald that everyone had fun on the night as the mingled with friends and fellow Kytherians.
“I received many compliments about the event such as how it was very social and people mingled while achieving a creative outcome. Many had not attended a painting night and seemed to enjoy the atmosphere as well,” Georgia says.
The Youth President goes on to say that the association has a ‘Big Fat Greek Event’ coming up on July 4 as well and she encourages everyone to attend.
“I think it’s important to hold events like these as these smaller events encourage people to challenge themselves at a new type of activity, as well as enjoy each other’s company. These smaller events can be great to have a chat to new people,” Georgia concludes.
