The Greek Orthodox Community of North Australia (GOCNA) has issued a statement condemning the behaviour of members of Darwin’s Greek community at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on October 31.
About 30 people used OXI Day celebrations at the church to push anti-vaccine mandate rhetoric, calling out ‘shame, shame, shame.’
NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro, who was at the event, was also addressed in a “very confronting and intimidating manner.”
NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro was also approached at the event.
In response, GOCNA said that although they “acknowledge the importance for individuals to be free to express their views,” the OXI Day celebrations “should not have been used as a platform to express those views.”
“This indifference shown on the 31st of October disrespects the ethos of this most solemn of Greek National days and the people who feel strongly enough to commemorate it,” the GOCNA statement reads.
“We must be mindful in the future to remain civil and respectful to each other to accord the proper due respect to days such as OXI Day.”
This statement came the same afternoon St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was told by Bishop Silouan of Sinopen not to provide its regular Sunday service due to the current NT lockdown, the NT Newsreports.
Pope Francis will travel to Greece and the eastern Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus on a five-day trip next month, the Vatican has confirmed.
According to AP News, the pope will visit Larnaca, Cyprus, from December 2-4, before travelling to Greece, with stops in Athens and on the island of Lesvos, from December 4-6.
The Vatican released no further details of the trip.
Pope Francis has visited the Greek island of Lesvos previously in 2016.
The Cyprus leg had already been confirmed by Cypriot officials, who said that the pontiff will hold talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades. Francis will be the second Roman Catholic pontiff ever to travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation.
Francis had also previously travelled to Lesvos in 2016 to highlight the plight of refugees.
Cyprus has signed a deal for Israel’s military to build an electronic surveillance system to monitor activity along the UN-patrolled Green Line across the divided Mediterranean island.
The 180 kilometre Green Line has split the island from east to west since 1974. It divides the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union’s most easterly member, from the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Ankara.
Cyprus plans on spending 27.5 million euros on the project, which will be constructed over the course of the next three years.
A woman walks her dog on the Turkish side of the green line, a UN controlled buffer zone separating the divided Cypriot capital Nicosia. Photo: AFP.
The surveillance system will be used to monitor activity such as smuggling and illegal migration, as well as provide military intelligence, officials said.
“It is an electronic surveillance system that will provide us with images 24 hours a day,” Cypriot Defence Ministry spokesperson, Christos Pieris, told the Cyprus News Agency.
In May, Cyprus said it was in a “state of emergency” because of an inflow of Syrian migrants overwhelming reception centers.
Walking along Homer Street in Earlwood, you’re guaranteed to come across elderly Greek migrants sitting at the local café sipping their coffee and catching up with friends. But nothing can prepare you for the group of people gathered around a newly launched Street Library right outside Greek-owned tutoring business, First Education.
Street Libraries are a relatively new movement across Australia which encourage people to “share the joys of reading” with their local community. They can do this by giving, taking or sharing free books from Street Libraries set up on local Sydney streets.
Harry Mavrolefteros, who owns First Education, was so inspired by this idea that he decided to launch four Street Libraries outside his tutoring centres in Earlwood, Bondi, Maroubra and Mascot.
The Street Libraries have been a huge hit with the locals.
“The idea was born out of COVID because I wanted to have more communication and more contact with parents to support them in any way we could,” Harry tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
“We thought that if we can have books available for parents to take and give to their kids and support them, that’d be great.”
Typically, Harry fills the Street Libraries with free school books in subjects such as Maths, English and Science, but he says that over time this has evolved into people donating home appliances and Greek textbooks as well.
Harry’s Street Library in Earlwood. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
“It started off as a school book type of thing but it’s evolved… We had four tomes of some Greek very hard-core looking text that I was worried wouldn’t go, but somebody took them,” Harry says with a laugh.
“In reality, it doesn’t really matter and the good thing is that the turnover is quick. I was worried that books would just sit there forever but that really hasn’t happened. The books disappear after a few days.”
‘We believe in building our students’ passion’:
This clear passion for the Street Libraries is not surprising as Harry has always advocated for community initiatives within the Greek community which foster the sharing of knowledge and information.
In fact, that’s why he started his own tutoring business back in October 2010 in a small room on top of his parent’s optometry shop in Maroubra.
Harry at First Education Earlwood. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
“I always had this feeling as a kid where I never understood why people didn’t like maths and I found other people that were like that about English and History and Science as well,” Harry explains.
“I think if you find the right teacher, the right mentor, the right guide, then learning becomes the privilege and honour that it’s meant to be rather than something that you’re meant to do. You can just think more clearly because you understand things on a deeper level. So I wanted to share that with kids.”
It’s this realisation which saw Harry expand First Education from its Maroubra home-base to tutoring centres in the aforementioned Sydney suburbs of Earlwood, Bondi and Mascot as well.
First Education offers one-on-one tuition. Photo: Facebook.
At these centres, students from Kindergarten to Year 12 are given one-on-one tuition by dedicated tutors in a range of school subjects, and there are also group debating classes and study sessions for the Year 12 Higher School Certificate exams.
Harry says he’s incredibly proud of what his team has achieved so far.
“We really believe in building our students’ passion and confidence. There’s a big focus in everything we do on getting the students to enjoy the learning, to see the value in it and to believe in themselves,” he concludes.
A worthwhile goal for a Greek Australian who’s tutoring centres and Street Libraries are leaving their mark on the lives of students and parents across Greater Sydney.
Greek athlete Marios Giannakou is an ultra-marathoner.
The first-year university student is raising awareness of crucial environmental and social issues.
He says his view of the North Cape during the ‘Up In The Arctic’ expedition gave him new insight into the effects of climate change.
“We were on deck when we saw a massive section of a glacier, as tall as a six-story apartment building, come unstuck and collapse into the sea. It’s a scene I will never forget,” Giannakou tells Ekathimerini.
“The changes being brought about by climate change are more intense and more visible at the poles compared to areas closer to the equator. They occur three times as fast, according to scientists.”
In October last year, Giannakou carried Eleftheriou Tosiou, a quadriplegic university student with a dream to scale Mount Olympus, up to its summit.
“Eleftheria was so happy! As soon as we reached the top, she asked me to do a 360-degree turn so she could see the view. I don’t think anything is more wonderful than this. No medal from any race can give you so much joy.”
“There is nothing more real than a dream,” Marios Giannakou writes on his Facebook (Photo: Marios Giannakou)
His most recent excursion?
“The trip to Norway was about recording some of the problems stemming from climate change and marine pollution,” he said.
“The trip was a revelation about what is happening to the Arctic Circle and how rising temperatures impact the landscape, flora, and fauna.”
He says it showed him the “toughest” side of climate change, with “glaciers shrinking or disappearing altogether.”
“That’s where you realise that if we don’t take drastic action, our children will face situations we can barely imagine right now.”
“I feel that as humans we have done more harm than good to our planet.”
“On the other hand, I see a ray of light in the awareness my generation seems to have about the climate and pollution.”
Sleepless nights, full of thoughts, nothing to eat and with ghosts flickering lights in the dark. The uncertainty conquering the mind from the first light of each dawn. These were the days of the Greeks during the occupation by the Axis Powers, when nobody knew if they would live to see another day.
Greek American motion picture pioneer and film executive, Spyros Skouras, had a keen eye for these kinds of screenplays when he was choosing which one to bring to the big screen.
During the occupation, together with the Greek War Relief Association (GWRA), an organisation of Greek Americans who were willing to offer a helping hand to their motherland, he managed to save 3 million Greeks from death. Keep in mind that back then, the total population of Greece was roughly 7 million.
Skouras was one of the founding members of the GWRA. He had his own filming company when he realised there were so many things that needed to be done in Greece and he could extend a helping hand together with leading American figures such as the wife of US President Roosevelt, Eleanor.
Greek American motion picture pioneer and film executive, Spyros Skouras.
With Hollywood as the starting point, the organisation succeeded in getting the American public opinion in favour of defending the Greek fighters. By mid-April 1941, the GWRA had raised $5 million for the cause. Every week they were transferring to Athens between $250,000 to $500,000. After Greece’s collapse due to the German invasion, Skouras kept the organisation alive and he continued collecting money for humanitarian aid to save the Greeks from starving.
These are just a few of the ‘gems’ Ilias Chrissochoidis found when he decided to study the life of Skouras. The research associate at Stanford’s Department of Music was kind enough to talk to The Greek Herald about his research work on the unknown benefactor who saved 3 million Greek lives from starvation during the occupation.
Mr Chrissochoidis had the opportunity to study countless hours of Skouras’ private recordings about his life, his career and his thoughts and worries on Greece’s ordeal.
“From the first second I opened up the first box with Mr Skouras’ memoirs, I came to realise I had on my hands Mr Skouras’ autobiographical notes. Until that day, I knew very few things about him,” Mr Chrissochoidis tells The Greek Herald.
Skouras with Marilyn Monroe.
“I immediately began to read the notes and very soon I was really impressed with the work of the Greek War Relief Association, for which I knew nothing about, and his initiatives for the relief of our compatriots.”
Churchill, Alexander the Great and Skouras:
If you wonder which was the starting point of Skouras’ efforts to help his compatriots who were in great need, Mr Chrissochoidis explains: “it all began through private correspondence and afterwards he received some shocking, initially classified, photos of people who had lost their lives from famish. That was when the Greek community in the USA began to understand the magnitude of the national catastrophe in their homeland.”
With Skouras and other pioneers, like Archbishop Athenagoras, the GWRA reached out to all of the Greeks in the USA and in Canada and they were able to collect food and medical supplies for the Greeks.
“When the Allies imposed the naval blockade, Skouras put pressure on the American government and he, personally, persuaded Winston Churchill… to agree on a partial lift and allow for the refuelling of ships to save the Greeks,” Mr Chrissochoidis says.
Skouras never forgot his Greek roots.
“The help approached Greek ports under the International Red Cross flag since the occupying forces didn’t want the mission to be received as a propaganda from the Allies. Even to this day there are millions of Greeks who are unaware they were saved from their brothers and their sisters in America. Before the end of the war Skouras had started already his mission to get the American government to help with the rebuilding of our country.”
How much help was given to the Greeks?
“The total sum was astronomical. We are talking about food and medical supplies for the total weight of one and a half tone, worth $250 million. If you put in the equation the reduction of the administrative expenses to 5 percent, you can understand we are talking about the most successful international assistance fund campaign of World War II. After Alexander the Great, I consider Mr Skouras the most influential man in the world. As the president of 20th Century-Fox he had access to a quarter of the planet.”
An assessment of Skouras’ contribution:
A few years ago, Mr Chrissochoidis discovered the archives of 15 different meetings the GWRA’s Board of Directors had during the 40s. That was the time Skouras was in charge and was head of the Board. This revelation opened the path for one more thorough assessment of Skouras’ contribution to the salvation of millions of Greeks from famish during the occupation. How exactly was he able to help?
Letter from former US President Richard Nixon to Skouras.
“If we set aside his profound generosity to everybody (from his compatriots to Onassis, Karamanlis and the British Royal Family), his great achievement was persuading the British navy to lift the blockade they had imposed in Greece in 1942,” Mr Chrissochoidis says.
“Thus our country gained access to much-needed medical supplies and food in the middle of the occupation. At least one in 3 Greeks was saved from starvation and the epidemics, thanks to Skouras’ heroic campaign: for three months he put pressure on Churchill and Eden to let the ships sail. At the same time, he single-handedly worked on convincing the Swedish ships to accept the money and take over the precarious operation.”
Onassis’ refusal to allocate his fleet for the cause damaged their friendship. Nevertheless, Skouras’ help wasn’t just about the difficult times of the occupation.
“He continued providing assistance after the war, through his networking and by attracting foreign funds and capitals for purposes and businesses like an oil refinery, a TV station, housing estates and canned agricultural products.”
Skouras.
The ‘Esso Pappas’ might be the biggest industrial investment Greece ever had (its worth is $100 million). It was one of Skouras’ achievements together with his good friend, Tom Pappas, who eventually took over the project by himself.
But Skouras didn’t do just that. He has behind the production of film “The child and the dolphin” in Hydra (1957) with scenes at the Acropolis, Epidaurus and Meteora – the first global advertising campaign of Greece. Same goes for “The 300 of Spartans” and “It Happened in Athens,” in 1962.
With that being said, we can understand that every time we honour the day of our freedom from the occupation the least we can do is illuminate unknown stories of our great expatriate benefactors, like Skouras’ one.
The former house of 18th century Souliote general Lambros Tzavelas has officially opened its doors to the public.
Tzavelas’ son of the same name began renovating the “Tzeveleiko”, as it’s known, in Mount Voutsi 36 years ago.
“This was a desire that my father had from a young age, ever since his grandfather … told him about the achievements of our great grandparents in Souli,” Tzavelas’ grandson Konstantinos Tzavelas said.
Tzavelas was a hero of the Balkan wars who died three years after the Battle of Kiafa.
He was a leading figure in the Souliote resistance against the Ottomans in the late 18th century, particularly against European ruler Ali Pasha.
“Lambros Tzavelas was the patriarch of the legendary Souliote family, many of whose members fought for the supreme goals of freedom and independence, making the Tzavelas name synonymous with courage and patriotism,” Deputy Minister of Defense Alkiviadis Stefanis said.
The restored fireplace was lit for the first time 218 years after Pasha cursed that Souliote fireplaces would never smoke again.
The museum features historic relics, including paintings of Tzavelas’ descendants, costumes, manuscripts, and weapons.
Busts of Tzavelas and his wife Moschos stand outside.
Greece is looking to make tourism more sustainable.
Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias pushed this interest this week at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London.
“We want to be leaders in tourism, to lead the effort for a sustainable tourism model and to formulate it into practices compatible with those practiced in the rest of the world that will always be applied,” Kikilias said.
(Photo via Real.gr)
He says Greece is looking to reduce its environmental footprint and announced the country will host a tourism conference.
He met with key figures at the event, including UN World Tourism Organisation Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, responsible for issues of Greek emigration, Andreas Katsaniotis, expressed his pride for the efforts and the valuable work of the Greek community in Australia.
In his first interview with an expatriate newspaper since his first day of office last August, Mr Katsaniotis refers to a number of issues concerning our community and offers us news.
As he tells us, he is looking forward to his first visit to Australia while thanking The Greek Herald, which as he says, “is a mainstay of journalism something which clearly emerges from its 95 years of existence.”
“First I would like to emphasise that it is a special honour for me to assume the duties of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for expatriate Greeks. It is also a huge national responsibility.
“I believe that Greeks abroad are a leading national asset for our country, they give growth to our homeland and increase the level of our influence. Therefore, the government’s priority is to tighten the ties of the diaspora with the mother country. In this context fall our efforts for the maximum possible digitisation of the consular services of Greeks abroad.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Andreas Katsaniotis.
“The digital transformation of the services of the authorities abroad is proceeding at an unabated pace, while the process of direct registration of documents by our consular officials is expected to operate at the beginning of the new year and greatly facilitate our compatriots,” said the Deputy Minister, who also spoke about the vote of the Diaspora.
“New Democracy over time as a political party and today as a government, supports the diaspora which is for all of us an extension of Hellenism that develops our nation.
“Diaspora is a pillar of preservation of tradition and a “bridge” of development prospects for our economy. Especially on the issue of expatriate voting, the government has attempted twice in the last 2.5 years to implement its strong pre-election commitment that is simple and clear: the possibility for all Greeks abroad, who are registered in the electoral rolls, of voting from their place of residence without any restrictions whatsoever.
“So instead of getting on the plane and coming to our country to vote, we want to give them the opportunity to exercise this inalienable right from their place of residence.
“Unfortunately, the Left has made unfounded obstacles to our willingness to institute an electoral process that would enable more Greeks to take part in it, which has led us to today’s compromised result.
“Look, the government has proven in practice that it will do everything to make it easier for all expatriate Greeks to participate in national elections from their permanent place of residence. But we have to be clear. A cross-party consensus is needed to fulfil this all-out demand. A majority of 200 MPs is required.
Andreas Katsaniotis.
“But now the struggle is turning to the full implementation of the existing law, exhausting the many possibilities it offers. I have to inform you that last month I met with the Minister of Interior, Makis Voridis, in order to intensify the procedures for the information campaign of expatriates and for their better service through our consular authorities. But we also call on our compatriots abroad to make the appropriate mobilisation.”
An important issue for the diaspora is the agreement between Australia and Greece on the Avoidance of Double Taxation.
“The planning of negotiations for the conclusion of a double taxation agreement between Greece and Australia is a particularly positive development that will bring economic benefits and promote our country’s economic relations with Australia,” Mr Katsaniotis said.
“Negotiations are expected to begin within the next year. Of course, it will take time to complete them, but already through our Embassy in Canberra, we are working with the Australian authorities to ensure that this is done in the shortest possible time.”
Mr Katsaniotis also referred to his conversation with Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
“During my conversation with the Archbishop of Australia, Makarios, I conveyed to him the personal interest of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. I also conveyed my grief over the fire at the Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady in Sydney. We were also given the opportunity to talk about the Archdiocese of Australia, but also about the dynamic part of Hellenism, which lives in this friendly country.
Mr Katsaniotis had a telephone call with His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
“His Eminence’s words moved me, since he spoke to me of his flock in Australia with much love and fervour.
“Here I should also mention the meeting I recently had with the Australian Ambassador in Athens, Athanasios Spyrou, who – himself a scion of Australian Greeks – exemplifies the special dynamics of the Greek element in Australia. After all, we are talking about a solid number of expatriates who are now reaching their fourth if not the fifth generation of their presence in Oceania. With the image of this Hellenism at heart I look forward to being given the opportunity to visit Australia, as soon as conditions permit. Of course, modern technology offers us other ways of communication, which we will have to use until then.”
Mr Katsaniotis also referred to the challenges facing Greece. “Greece’s position is geopolitically upgraded, the economy and businesses are on a growth trajectory while households see the realistic hope of further improving their income.
“At the same time, the government secured perhaps the bravest support package from the E Recovery Fund while the national plan “Greece 2.0” guarantees the growth leap that our country will make in the coming years.
“At the level of foreign policy and security, we respond decisively to every challenge from Turkey. At the same time, with coordinated actions we mobilised the international community by strengthening the diplomatic power of the country. We signed historic agreements that will help Greece grow, such as the demarcation of Exclusive Economic Zones with Italy and Egypt.
Mr Katsaniotis with Australian Ambassador in Athens, Athanasios Spyrou.
“We are building new alliances and strengthening relations with France with which we recently signed the establishment of a strategic partnership for cooperation in defense and security.”
Finally, he sent a message to the Greeks of Australia through The Greek Herald.
“First of all I would like to express to the Greeks of Australia through The Greek Herald the feelings of pride that I feel as a Greek and as an official of the Greek government for their action and work.
“Their ancestors travelled to this end of the world more than a century ago under extremely difficult conditions. Working hard both those of the first generation and their descendants, they not only managed to be a part of Australia’s social and working fabric, but also distinguished themselves at all levels by contributing powerfully to the country’s progress. All these people never forgot their homeland. Their country of birth. The land of their ancestors. Their connection with the church proves it.
“This is confirmed by their will to preserve the Greek language. Their inclusion in the communities and their presence in all events are evident. All of these are elements which are an example to follow. Let us all draw strength from the strength they have shown in difficult times to overcome the problems created by the pandemic and to be able to mingle soon, with new/renewed dreams for the future.
“On this occasion I would like to congratulate and thank you as a representative of the press and through you and all your colleagues who make communication between Greece in Australia easier. The Greek Herald is a mainstay of journalism as it emerges from its 95 years of existence.
“Warm congratulations and thanks for the opportunity to communicate with this precious part of Hellenism.
A man in his 80s has died after contracting COVID-19 at the Greek Orthodox Community Home for the Aged in Earlwood in southwest Sydney.
The aged care home is managed by the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW.
The man was one of four deaths recorded by NSW Health on Thursday. He passed away at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
According to WA Today, the man had received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and had underlying health conditions.
A man in his 80s died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was a resident of the Greek Orthodox Community Home for the Aged in Earlwood , where he acquired his infection.
Of the remaining three people who died on Thursday, one was a 38-year-old woman from western Sydney who was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions, another was an unvaccinated man in his 70s and one was a man in his 80s who was vaccinated.
This news comes as NSW recorded 249 local cases today and three more deaths.
