Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry on Tuesday rebuffed a Turkish push for a two-state peace deal in Cyprus.
He said any talks should adhere to an UN-backed road map reunifying the island as a federation.
He said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart that regional challenges need to be countered based on international law instead of “aggressive activities or expansionist tendencies”.
Turkey is accusing Cyprus of supporting a peace deal that would serve its policy goal of exerting control over the east Mediterranean.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said that he conveyed to Shoukry his government’s “deep concern regarding Turkey’s increasingly revisionist and destabilising foreign policy” in the region.
Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aiming at union with Greece.
Only Turkey recognises a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island’s north where it keeps more than 35,000 troops.
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said a prerequisite to reviving stalled peace talks is the recognition of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state as a legitimate legal entity on par with the internationally recognized Cyprus Republic.
Greek Cypriots fear a two-state deal would entrench Turkish control potentially over the entire island as well as hydrocarbon deposits off its shores.
Turkey doesn’t recognise Cyprus’ statehood and says that much of the sea around the island where the Cypriot government claims exclusive economic rights falls within its own continental shelf.
The Turkish government says a “unilateral” Greek Cypriot bid to carry out drilling off its shores ignores its rights — and those of Turkish Cypriots — to the region’s potential energy reserves.
The Cypriot government says Turkish claims contravene international law and the island’s sovereign rights.
Peace talks have been at a standstill since the last bid to reach a reunification agreement collapsed in the summer of 2017.
Colin Stewart, the new head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission on Cyprus, will host Tatar and the island’s Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades at an informal reception on Tuesday at an abandoned hotel inside a U.N. controlled buffer zone that cuts through the capital Nicosia.
The meeting is billed primarily as a social event geared toward breaking the ice between the two leaders in the absence of formal talks.
In Australia alone, there are over 235,000 children and teenagers who have taken on caring for a family member with a disability. These adult responsibilities mean they often miss out on many of the joys of childhood that most kids take for granted.
This Christmas, Margaret Skagias has decided to take matters into her own hands and bring some festive cheer to these young carers who often miss out.
Margaret Skagias in the toy workshop. All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Margaret’s charity, CaringKids, creates and delivers ‘Joy Boxes’ filled with children’s toys to carers aged 5 to 17 years old year-round. But she tells The Greek Herald that the boxes are extra special this Christmas because of the hardships and lockdowns people have had to endure this year.
“We do make Christmas for kids all year round because children who are young carers are caring every day of the week. There are no holidays. If someone in your family is not well, it doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas, it doesn’t matter if it’s school holidays, the caring role that people have in the family is every day,” Margaret says.
Caring Kids tries to spread Christmas to young carers all year round.
“So, at this time of the year, I think it is really important to celebrate children who give their love and their time and care to somebody else and to recognise them for all their efforts throughout the year.”
Take for example 14-year-old Ben and 11-year-old Annabelle. They have a little three-year-old sister, Cosette, who has been in hospital for most of her life. The siblings play an important role in Cosette’s life, caring for her and supporting their mum.
When they received their Joy Boxes from CaringKids, they couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces and Margaret says that’s the biggest reward of all.
14-year-old Ben and 11-year-old Annabelle care for their little three-year-old sister, Cosette (centre).
“The kids always get shocked and surprised but many of them ask, ‘Why? Why did I get this? Why did this person take the time?’,” Margaret says.
“It’s a good experience for parents to sit with them and explain that they are so proud of them that they helped look after the person in their family who is not well, and that they are really amazing and we’ve noticed them and they should enjoy some time for themselves too.”
The Greek Herald connection:
Of course, it must be noted that none of this is possible without the support of individuals, the local community and corporate groups who collect and donate new toys, games, stationery, art and craft materials and sport equipment to CaringKids to be included in the Joy Boxes.
One such individual was Despina Biniares who read about CaringKids in The Greek Herald recently and was spurred into action to donate hundreds of new children’s toys to the charity.
Despina Biniares with some of the products she donated.
Despina and a friend of hers once had a small business called ‘Cheeky Little Monkey,’ which distributed innovative products and toys to retailers such as Toys R Us. When Toys R Us went into receivership and administration, their final order was cancelled and Despina was left with hundreds of toys in storage for almost two years.
“The stock sort of sat there for a while and you know… we talk about connection and social media and networking platforms, so I follow your newspaper. I religiously buy it for my mum every single day,” Despina tells The Greek Herald.
Despina with Margaret in the toy workshop.
“I follow [The Greek Herald] on Instagram and I was just browsing through and I had seen your article feature about CaringKids and about Margaret and I thought to myself, ‘I can see the synergy. I can see that these products need to go to these guys.’
“I think the timing was all perfect as well because we were getting ready for Christmas.”
Since then, all of Despina’s brand new toys have been packed into Joy Boxes by a team of dedicated volunteers at a new warehouse in Banksmeadow, which is reminiscent of Santa’s workshop.
One of these volunteers is Jo Moses who does a lot of the administration work at Caring Kids. She processes toy orders as they come in and makes sure they’re recorded properly so that when it comes time to pack the Joy Boxes, volunteers know to include toys relevant to the child’s age, gender and any special interests.
Jo Moses preparing the Joy Boxes.
The new toy workshop for Caring Kids.
She tells The Greek Herald she loves volunteering at CaringKids and encourages others to donate more toys and help out.
“I was looking for a volunteer opportunity closer to home but I didn’t want anything that was meaningless. I wanted something that I found I could relate to having had children once,” Ms Moses says.
The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA) have called for the Parthenon Marbles to be returned to their rightful place in Greece.
In a GOCSA press release, the Community said it will be giving its “full and unwavering support towards Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that works tirelessly on this issue until absolute and complete justice is served.”
Full Statement in English:
Two hundred years have passed since the sculptures of the Parthenon were taken away from their rightful place to be carried and placed in the British Museum.
Millions of people visit the Greek treasures in the UK paying an entry fee, which means a lot of money has been collected all these years to end up in the treasuries of Britain.
We believe that we have waited quite long enough for the Greek sculptures to be returned to where they belong.
Photo by Jane Hobson/Shutterstock (4278102a) The Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles The Elgin Marbles at the British Museum, London, Britain – 06 Dec 2014.
A story that has been repeated in history so many times, a story about conquerors – trespassers and looters who did not respect the cultural heritage of a people to whom this is an “ancestral heritage”. Heritage that is not an individual property but the rightful property of an entire people, property that must receive respect and international protection, recognition and preservation and must be returned to where it belongs: To the Greek people!
The Annual General Meeting of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia convened on 28 November 2021, knowing what the historical reality is, insists that the time has come – and out of principal – for Britain to show the required understanding and accept the just request of Greece, of the Greek people and their respective governments to return the sculptures of the Parthenon to their rightful place, in Greece, where they were made and presented to the Greek people by the first highly-skilled sculptors almost three thousand years ago.
At the same time, the members of the Community express their full and unwavering support towards Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that works tirelessly on this issue until absolute and complete justice is served. We are and will remain in solidarity with Greece until final vindication.
Owning just one investment property may not be enough to retire in comfort, The Daily Telegraph reports.
But there are ways to work out what will deliver the property wealth you’ll need.
Property Investment Professionals of Australia chairman, Peter Koulizos, tells the newspaper “it all depends on what ‘retiring comfortably’ means to you.”
Mr Koulizos says people shouldn’t expect to live off one property’s rent because a big chunk of the income goes back into repairs, maintenance and property management fees.
Property Investment Professionals of Australia chairman, Peter Koulizos.
“To earn $100,000 of rental income you need the equivalent of about $2.5 million in property freehold,” he says.
Instead, Mr Koulizos says investors should start early, buy in a good location with strong capital growth potential, pay it off and be patient.
He says most people are wage earners and will also have superannuation at retirement.
“For me, super will pay for the necessities and property will pay for the niceties.”
There has been a massive rise in the number of early round offers being made to students nationally, according to data compiled by the ABC.
In fact, the figures show some universities have more than doubled their number of early offers, with many delivered before final exams have even begun.
Take for example Western Sydney University (WSU), which has seen early offers rising from 7,000 in 2019 to 15,000 in 2020.
Western Sydney University.
Angelo Kourtis from WSU told the national broadcaster that the increase in early offers was an acknowledgement the ATAR could be a “blunt instrument” for measuring student ability.
“We recognise that students are more than just the ATAR,” he said. “We think it actually disadvantages many students, especially students from regions.”
Mr Kourtis said that internal analysis done by the university shows they are actually recruiting better students with these early offers as well.
There has been a rising number of students across Australia given early university entry offers.
“We found their performance is as good, and in some instances better, than students who were admitted solely on the basis of the year 12 result,” Mr Kourtis said.
Early admission selection criteria can include individual subject and exam marks, Year 11 results, or the portfolio work of creative arts students.
However, proponents also point out many early round offers were conditional, meaning students must still complete their final exams.
The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, paid a visit to Shedia Home on Monday to witness the incredible work they do to support vulnerable people in the community.
Shedia Home was founded in 2019 by Greek Australian journalist and former The Greek Herald reporter, Chris Alefantis, as a way to energise, empower, train and create job opportunities for the poorest people in Greece.
Shedia is Greece’s only street magazine, which is sold by and in aid of homeless and jobless people.
Sakellaropoulou met with people from Shedia. Photo: shedia.streetpaper / Twitter.
During her visit to Shedia Home, Sakellaropoulou talked with five vendors of the street magazine from Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as Mr Alefantis and Eleni Gabriel, a worker in the Shedia Home kitchen.
The discussions were around homelessness and its challenges, as well as the additional obstacles posed by the current coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Alefantis also shared with the Greek President the extensive research that has been conducted on the social impact of Shedia, stressing how nine out of ten readers said the magazine changed their lives and made them more socially active.
Mr Alefantis took Sakellaropoulou on a tour of Shedia Home. Photo: shedia.streetpaper / Twitter.
“Essentially, we hope that ‘Shedia’ does not need to exist one day. That is, there should be no vulnerable social groups,” Mr Alefantis said.
For her part, Sakellaropoulou listened attentively and was visibly excited to hear the stories of how Shedia has supported people.
The President left with the promise of return, after receiving a small gift from the people of Shedia for her office.
Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, met with Greek Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, at the Acropolis during her official visit to Greece on December 8.
During the meeting, the female ministers discussed potential cultural synergies between Greece and Australia.
The President of the Acropolis Monuments Conservation Committee, Professor Manolis Korres, also gave a small tour and shared his knowledge of the Acropolis with Minister Payne, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary, Kathryn Campbell, and Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Arthur Spyrou.
Minister Payne visited the Acropolis Museum and was offered a tour by the museum’s Director-General, Professor Nikolaos Stampolidis.
Afterwards, Minister Payne visited the Acropolis Museum and was offered a tour by the museum’s Director-General, pre-eminent archaeologist, Professor Nikolaos Stampolidis.
At the end of her trip, Minister Payne met with staff at Australia’s Embassy in Greece and officially inaugurated the building. Ms Campbell also presented awards to seven of the staff who have been serving for more than 20 years.
So moved when 🇦🇺 Foreign Minister @MarisePayne, our first FM to visit 🇬🇷 Greece in 10 years, met staff and officially opened the Embassy! Especially moved when @dfat Secretary Kathryn Campbell presented awards to 7 of our staff who have been serving 🇦🇺 for more than 20 years! pic.twitter.com/6ugnrTKFS9
This was the first official trip of an Australian Foreign Minister to Greece in 10 years and Minister Payne spent much of her time praising the connection between Greece and Australia.
The Foreign Minister also held a meeting with her Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, at the start of her trip where she highlighted the important role Greek Australians play in advancing bilateral relations between Greece and Australia.
The Board of Directors at St Basil’s Homes NSW/ACT have been re-elected at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on November 30, 2021.
The organisation’s members re-elected James Jordan as Chairman, Dr Theo Penklis, Greg Gav, Spiros Arvanitakis and Kos Dimitriou to the Board of Directors.
James Jordan (left) is the new Chairman of St Basil’s Homes NSW/ACT.
Maria Kokkinakos, who has served the organisation as Director since 2012, retired from her Board position at the AGM.
The new Board will be under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia and will be responsible for implementing the recently released St Basil’s “five-year strategic plan.”
According to a press release, this plan “involves ambitious plans to bring joy and quality care to more ageing Australians as well as to look to continuous improvements across all of its services.”
The Board will also be tasked with establishing the organisation’s vision, mission and values underpinned by the Aged Care Quality Standards.
“Our organisation will continue its mission to deliver quality services that support the individual needs of ageing Australians, including Greek Australians,” Chairman, James Jordan, said at the AGM.
Mr Jordan also thanked Ms Kokkinakis for her selfless dedication and contribution to enhancing the organisation through her expertise in the health sector.
St Basil’s Aged Care NSW/ACT is an activity of the Greek Archdiocese of Australia and cares for ageing Australians across Sydney and the ACT.
Greek Canadian, Constantine Passaris, has received the highest civilian honour from the Government of New Brunswick, Canada. He is the first Greek Canadian in the history of this honour to be named to the Order of New Brunswick.
Every year, ten individuals are inducted in the Order for their demonstrated excellence and achievement, and for having made outstanding contributions to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of New Brunswick and its residents.
Passaris is a Canadian citizen of Greek Kastellorizian descent who came to Canada as an international student and was subsequently appointed a Professor of Economics at the University of New Brunswick (Canada).
The citation read during the November 2021 investiture ceremony for the Order of New Brunswick mentioned that: “During his almost 50-year academic career, he has taught thousands of students and received the highest teaching award from the University of New Brunswick and was also selected twice by Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities as a popular professor.”
Congrats 🎉to Dept of Economics professor Dr. Constantine Passaris on being 🏆awarded the Order of New Brunswick. The award recognizes his visionary work as a champion and advocate for multiculturalism, immigration, inclusion and human rights. Read more 👉https://t.co/zuAFVPPkGYpic.twitter.com/2mqN2Tu5mr
“As a trusted economic advisor, his respected opinions became a backbone of the New Brunswick government’s economic development strategy under Premier Frank McKenna and laid the groundwork for the provincial immigration strategy,” the citation continued.
“Passaris has received numerous honours and awards, including the Government of Canada Citation for Citizenship Award, the national award from the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education, the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his exceptional contributions to New Brunswick and Canada.
“The New Brunswick Multicultural Council presented him its inaugural Legacy Award to recognise his visionary accomplishment in informing and guiding the provincial and national public policy process.
“Passaris is receiving the Order of New Brunswick for his visionary work as a fervent champion and strong advocate for multiculturalism, immigration, inclusion, and human rights.”
Constantine Passaris.
Passaris has maintained close ties with his homeland. He has advised several Greek governments and the Canadian Embassy in Greece.
In addition, he has chaired many external evaluation committees and external accreditation panels at the request the Greek Ministry of Education. In 2020, he was included in the inaugural edition of “Who’s Who in Greece” for his long and distinguished service to Greece.
The Professor of Economics is also one of only a handful of international recipients to receive the prestigious Greece-based Onassis Foundation Fellowship — twice. The recipients of this award are selected from an international competition from leading academics and scholars who have achieved an international reputation through their publications.
In addition, he has served for several years as a visiting professor at the International Writer’s Center in Rhodes, Greece. As a noted expert in many fields, Passaris has delivered keynote addresses and academic papers at international conferences organised by Greek universities and Greek government institutions and has authored numerous opinion and editorial articles for Greek newspapers and the electronic media.
A day after he was elected to the leadership of the Movement for Change (KINAL) coalition, Nikos Androulakis has pledged to “reconstruct the center left” in Greece.
Speaking at the offices of PASOK, Androulakis said that Greece “needs a strong voice of progress and pragmatism; a strong social democratic voice.”
“We have a lot of work to do, starting today,” the EU lawmaker said. “We must move to an era where citizens believe that parties can give solutions [to their problems].”
Androulakis defeated former prime minister George Papandreou in Sunday’s runoff vote, with partial vote showing Androulakis won 68.4% of the vote compared to 31.6% for Papandreou.
Leftist opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, called Androulakis on Monday to congratulate him on his victory.
According to sources within SYRIZA, the ex-prime minister informed Androulakis of his plans to meet with mainstream party leaders to discuss the conservative government’s handling of the pandemic and the pressure on the national health system.
Greece’s President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, also congratulated Androulakis on his win on Monday. Androulakis thanked Sakellaropoulou, adding that Greece can only benefit from a strong social democratic party.
