Greece has condemned Turkey’s decision to convict activist and philanthropist, Osman Kavala, to life imprisonment.
The 64-year-old was jailed for life without parole on Monday after he was convicted by an Istanbul court of trying to overthrow Turkey’s government by financing protests.
Kavala has supported numerous civil society organisations in Turkey since the early 1990s. He is the founder and chair of the board of Anadolu Kültür, an Istanbul-based non-profit arts and culture organisation.
This decision stands in stark contrast with the international obligations Turkey has assumed.
Respect for Rule of Law, Fundamental Freedoms and Human Rights constitute a fundamental obligation for countries aspiring to join the European Union, including Turkey (2/2)
In a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry on Twitter on Wednesday, Athens called for Kavala’s immediate release, adding that the “decision stands in stark contrast with the international obligations Turkey has assumed.”
“Respect for rule of law, fundamental freedoms and human rights constitute a fundamental obligation for countries aspiring to join the European Union, including Turkey,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry’s statement is one of many condemning Turkey’s conviction of Kavala.
Europe’s top court and several Western governments have also denounced the case against the activist as being politically motivated.
Greek Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni told the Greek diaspora who attended an event at the Hellenic Museum, held in her honour and organised by the Greek Consulate of Melbourne, that “here, in Melbourne, we see the heart of the (Greek) nation.”
She pointed to Greek Australians like former minister Jenny Mikakos, who visited her in June 2018 and asked for antiquities from the National Archaeological Museum to travel to Victoria for the 200th Bicentenary of Greek Independence.
“I immediately welcomed your proposal,” she said directly to Ms Mikakos, before encouraging guests to visit the display at the Melbourne Museum. Titled Open Horizons – Ancient Greek Journeys and connections, it runs through to 14 August and explores how the trade of ideas and goods influenced Greek culture.
“The sea opens the spirit and creates open horizons because the sea joins, it doesn’t separate, because the sea is a road,” she said, linking the display to the journey of immigrants who “arrived in the land of Oceania and created a new country here, not only because they were able, not only because in each Greek is an ‘Odysseus’ but because they found a country that accepted them.”
Greek Consul General Emmanuel Kakavelakis, flipped the coin with a different take on Greeks in Victoria, stating that a month earlier, at the same venue, he had greeted Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews.
“When I greeted him […] I said, ‘Your excellency, I have to say I admire that you manage to run so efficiently a state with so many Greeks’,” Mr Kakavelakis said. “A few minutes later, in his speech, he retaliated perfectly because he said, ‘You know, I admire you Greeks. Not only because you have a culture but because you are prepared to share the culture with everybody else.”
Surrounded by Evzones in civilian gear, Ms Mendoni said: “We believe that not only is Greece a superpower in culture, but we also believe that through culture and through cultural extroversion which is a central pylon of our policies, Greece is coming out with its best features.”
Ms Mendoni added that the Benaki display at the Hellenic Museum is what the Greek government had in mind when amending a law which stipulates the export of museum collections for 25 years before being renewed for another 25 years.
Speaking to The Greek Herald, Ms Mikakos, said that “it was wonderful to see Minister Mendoni again and to have the opportunity to personally thank her for making the Open Horizons exhibition a reality.”
“She [Minister Mendoni] is a very dynamic person who embraced the proposal to send us priceless antiquities to Melbourne with great enthusiasm.”
Sophie Siachos, a member of the International Organising Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles, told The Greek Herald the visit is important when it comes to Greek causes such as the return of stolen antiquities. “Events such as these highlight the issues even more. The more help we can get the better,” she said.
Elly Symons, Vice President of the Australian Parthenon Committee, told The Greek Herald, “The Melbourne Greek diaspora community is absolutely thrilled to welcome the Greek Culture Minister.”
Others present at the event included Maria Vamvakinou MP, Lee Tarlamis MP, Senator David Vann, former Greek Australian ministers John Pandazopoulos and Theo Theofanous.
Archbishop Makarios said it is “difficult to find people with power to handle It with simplicity, love and prudence”, when he referred to Minister Mendoni.
Minister Mendoni proved this by mingling with those present, sharing a banter, and particularly praising and encouraging all those supporting Greece to continue championing its causes.
Following the release of the Cyprus Community of NSW’s proposed development plans for The Cyprus Club in Stanmore, The Greek Herald spoke with the Treasurer of the Board, Andrew Antoniou.
Mr Antoniou speaks openly about the future plans for the Club and how Cypriots can continue to be involved in the Community.
Cyprus, for me, runs through my blood. It is the connection to the community, its culture, its people and its history that drives me to help our community here in New South Wales.
My mother was born in Cyprus and migrated to Australia. She did not speak English and found refuge within the Cyprus Community. My father was born in Australia, migrated back to Cyprus at a young age, only to return to Australia post-1974. He speaks of the war, losing all they had, having to start again when he returned to Australia. It was being part of the community that got him back on his feet.
The understanding of how a community can play a major role in the lives of many families, just like my own, is my main connection to the community. It is a past that should never be forgotten, memories that should be shared with the next generation and a future that should build on the past to grow an even more connected and stronger community.
Times have changed and our community focus is no longer just a refuge. The next generations have integrated very well into this multicultural society, their needs and wants are vastly different to those of my parents’. I am driven to provide the community with our past, our culture, our language, our food, our dance, our stories of war. I am driven to keep our community relevant to today’s society, where we are multicultural, where people and businesses can integrate and cooperate, where people can gather and share their stories. I am driven to create a legacy for the next generation, no matter how their needs and wants will change, that will see the Cypriot culture remembered and relevant into perpetuity.
Andrew Antoniou.
I have a bachelor’s degree in commerce, majoring in accounting from Macquarie University in Sydney. I am a Member of the Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand and also a Justice of the Peace in NSW. These successes in my life have catapulted me onto the board of the Cyprus Community in NSW Ltd, dare I say, earlier than I had envisaged. The financial distress of our company was a challenge, and the fall of our company was not an option. This would have been a cataclysmic event for our heritage, for our culture, for the 93 years of past directors and communities that created their own legacy through our community and for the future of the Cypriot Community in general.
2. Why do you think a redevelopment is necessary?
Our property achieved greatness during the 80’s and 90’s and was suit for its purpose. Currently it has lost touch with what people’s expectations and wants are from a club and needs to be redeveloped to continue its relevance. For the community to move forward into perpetuity, the community must not rely on the income generated from operations of a club.
The club, for me, is there as a service to the community and should provide the necessary benefits to our members. Such as subsidised meals and drinks, a place for our aged to enjoy their cards and backgammon, a place that mothers and children can catchup, a place where business owners can meet to exchange business experiences and ideas, the home of our Greek schooling and Greek dancing and just a general gathering and meeting place.
The redevelopment will achieve a stable source of income away from club operations (i.e. rents, licences and leases). This income will then be reinvested into our community to achieve all the needs and wants of members and invested for the future of our community. This is not to say that the club operations will not thrive or achieve a profit, but, to do so it needs to change the mentality of our local community and we would need to adapt to the multiculturalism of our members and be an all-inclusive club.
As an example, after having inspected our 6 rental properties, the tenants (whom are not of Cypriot background) were unaware that the club was open to all and felt it was an exclusive club. This mentality evolved over time and has been the biggest downfall to our operations of our club. It is time for a change, time for a different approach and time to be all inclusive and embrace our multicultural society.
3. What is your vision for the Cyprus Community and for the proposed site?
I see a community that is unified. A community that will finally be able to give back whether for education, culture, humanitarian or health. My vision for the proposed site is a mixed-use space for the front of our site facing Stanmore Road – this is where we will achieve profit from rental operations, where the new club will thrive, where our Greek school and Greek dancing will be housed and where there will be space for our gatherings.
The proposed development plans of the The Cyprus Club. Photo supplied.
The back part of our asset will be redeveloped as a residential site – this will be negotiated with a development partner and is required to fund the creation of the Front site. Having gone through an expression of interest process, the board has an opportunity for members to lease the back part of our asset over a 99-year lease and have the funds required to develop the Front site.
It also means that the community never loses the title of the land it owns and in 99 years the community will be given back all buildings and space that sit on top of the back part, meaning the communities future is also secure into perpetuity.
4. What challenges do you anticipate for the development?
Our biggest challenge for the development will be finalising our rezoning – we have support from local, state and federal government, but ultimately it will be the public in the direct area that will raise the most issues particularly as we are developing a large asset in the heart of a highly populated area of the inner west of Sydney. We have worked with our architects to achieve the most optimum of open space including plaza’s, an abundance of green and open communal spaces. We have also committed to widening the streets around our site to allow a better flow of traffic and committed to upgrading the power substation currently on our site.
5. We understand the Club has now entered into an exclusivity agreement for a 4-month period with Platino (the developer). Why was this necessary and what does it mean for the Club?
The Board had reached a point where negotiations with the preferred developer were ready to be presented to our members. The Board entered into an exclusivity agreement that would allow information in the deal to be legally presented to members without legally binding the community to the deal. It provided the financial support required for the community to complete the due diligence process with this developer without using its own funds as the exclusivity fee is non-refundable.
Proposed plans for the site. Photo supplied.
The Board sought legal advice on two fronts prior to signing the agreement, one was from a legal firm that checked our processes and procedures were within our constitutional rights and the second confirmed the content of the exclusivity agreement did not breach registered clubs act, charities acts or our constitution.
6. What are the next steps in this process?
The Board is now releasing the information of the agreement to members for feedback. We are also commissioning reports regarding the due diligence of this developer and will be providing them to members once available.
The Board is also committed to formal and informal information sessions to assist in understanding the deal and/or communication with members.
Once the Proposed Development Agreement (PDA) is available this also will be provided to members.
The view is to have members attend an Extraordinary General Meeting with a completed PDA and Valuation and vote yes or no on this deal sometime during the next 4 months.
7. What terms does the club hope to negotiate in the PDA?
All terms are up for negotiation. We will await further feedback from members and the commissioned reports before detailing any negotiated terms to the developer.
8. What do you believe are the key benefits of this proposal for the wider community?
The wider community will be able to enjoy the open communal spaces, we plan to house a supermarket retailer that is within walking distance of thousands of people living in our area. We have space for speciality retailers such as pharmacists, florists, doctors’ surgeries, and the like. We have space for professional offices that businesses can fill. And of course, the club and the space available for all to enjoy our food, drink and entertainment.
We also have an idea to provide crisis accommodation in two of our proposed residential suites on top of the club. This initiative is our give back to the community and will be available to the local area when matters of domestic violence or natural disasters occur.
9. When do you expect this project to be completed?
Current projections have the total site completed by August 2026.
10. What plans do you have for the relocation of the club? How do you see the relocation funds being used during the construction period?
As part of the current agreement with the potential developer, a relocation fee of $1,000,000 will allow the club to relocate and continue its service to the community from another site. As we are potentially two years away from relocating, the Board has yet to investigate an alternate site but having a large budget will allow us the opportunity to find the space required without interruption to our services.
The proposed plans for the Ground Floor of Building A.
11. What contingency plan is there for any anticipated delays?
We have mitigated this risk by dealing with companies that will take no mortgage over our property, as such eliminating the risk of financial pressure due to delays. We are also dealing with companies that make large amounts of funds available upfront and have organised a profession project management team independent to the board, that will oversee the project until completion.
12. We understand there were some recent amendments to the constitution as voted by members. What were they?
At an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of our members on December 19, 2021, the Board recommended, after receiving legal advice, the changes required to our constitution to assist in becoming a registered charity with the ACNC. This was passed at the EGM with a 78% acceptance of the resolutions.
The main changes were regarding removing the words social, recreational, moral and patriotic interest and entertainment within our constitution and also ensuring that in the event of winding up, any monies remaining must be transferred to organisations with similar purposes and not for the profit or gain of individual members. We as a Board recommended these changes as being a charity creates a degree of responsibility to the directors of the Board to act within our charitable purposes. It creates good corporate governance and will assist the community reach its main purposes for many years to come. It also did not change the way we operate; we have been a Not-for-Profit since incorporation, being a charity only defined our purposes.
I understand that there is a lot of confusion with some of our members with the removal of the words social, recreational and entertainment and to better explain it, it means that we as a community can have as many social, recreational and entertaining events as we like as long as the money raised from these events are then used for charitable purposes (e.g. education, health, cultural advancement or humanitarian rights). Historically, whenever we have had a social event, the monies were used for this purpose anyway, e.g., fundraising for our schooling or fundraising to get our dancers overseas. Another great example is our community holding the annual Wine Festival that is a social and entertaining event/festival that is part of our culture and showcases our Cypriot wines and traditional dances including poems from our Greek School.
The other confusion is the removal of the word patriotic – again it does not change what we do as a community towards our patriotism towards our country. To explain, as a community we cannot start using our funds to help a political party or a particular president (e.g., as a political donation). This would not be in line for our charitable purpose, but using our funds to donate to or assist in any way in regards to the issues in Cyprus over the invasion of 1974 and the humanitarian issue of the victims of the conflict is most definitely part of our charitable purposes.
13. As mentioned, the Club was recently registered as a charity. What are the reasons and benefits of this decision?
For clarity, we did not move from Not-for-profit to a charity – we are a Not-for-Profit registered as a charity (we never lose the Not-for-Profit status). Reviewing our history and what was done in the past, we, as a company, have always acted as a charity but no board before us had gone through the process of registering and defining our purposes.
By defining our charitable purposes, the current Board knew that no changes in our operations were required and that we would benefit from the extra governance responsibility on directors including updating all our procedural documentation. Finally, it also meant that any monies generated needed to be reinvested into our purposes and not misused or mismanaged by future boards.
14. What changes occur now that Club has a charity status? Can gaming still be operated?
Nothing has changed to our operations. Internally though, our procedures are changing to align our templates to the ACNC templates. We are a charity that owns and operates a registered club, the club is another source of income that we must use to achieve our charitable purposes. The legal advice we received found no restriction to a charity owning and running a registered club. So yes, we can still operate our gaming, so long as the profit is put back into our charitable purposes.
15. There are some members of the Community who have expressed concerns regarding the charity status. What would you like to advise them and how can they express their concerns?
We as a board have acted in the best interest of our community. We had received all necessary legal advice, followed the correct procedures, and became a charity with the consent of 78% of members voting at our EGM. We are committed to help our members understand this change and are best contacted via our main club email: cyprusclub@optusnet.com.au.
16. How will the Cyprus community keep helping SEKA members advocate for their beliefs and ideals? We understand as a charity you can offer financial support for humanitarian rights.
SEKA exists for the Justice of Cyprus – it is a humanitarian issue and as such well within our charitable purposes. We can still have our rally’s and trisagion services. We can still have our lunches to raise money for the commemorations and still very much so be an advocate for the rights of our fallen and victims of this crime against humanity.
17. Do you have any other messages you would like to share about this charity status?
It is worthy to note that a charitable status can be revoked with a simple letter to the ACNC from the registered charity. The current board does not recommend this, but for the members who may feel that we may have affected the community in any which way, the exit of a charity is a much more simpler process than the entry.
18. What about people who want to become members. How can they go about doing so?
The Cyprus Community of NSW Ltd is now moving to the next phase of its rejuvenation, it is an institution that has existed for 93 years and the decisions we (all members) make today regarding its future will see us in existence and relevant for another 100 years. We urge all those of Cypriot and non-Cypriot descent to come visit us at our club site (58 Stanmore Road, Stanmore) and learn about our past, hear about our future and become members to help shape the future of our community in NSW.
19. How does the Club plan to become more inclusive and encourage more women and younger Cypriots to join its Board?
The Board is working tirelessly an on a volunteer basis to get the communities future in order. The Board would like to be more engaging with the younger generations and women who would want to join the Board. Please contact us at cyprusclub@optusnet.com.au if you have a keen interest in joining the Board.
20. Members have requested some information regarding the proposed PDA. When can they expect to receive this information?
All members can email us at ccdevelopmentnsw@gmail.com to be provided with the exclusivity agreement from now. We are also printing the agreements in paper form to be distributed at our AGM on May 1, 2022. Unfortunately we cannot make public the terms of the agreement as this can only legally be provided to members (not the general public). As the commissioned reports are available – these will also be distributed as well.
21. What was the outcome of the first Information session held on April 17?
The first formal information meeting held on April 17, 2022 uncovered a leak on the board of directors, where the exclusivity agreement was leaked to particular members prior to the meeting. This changed the information session from being an information session to a debate about the specifics of the agreement and left other members without knowledge of the agreement disadvantaged.
The meeting was cut short, and the board will attend to informing members of the exclusivity agreement details at the AGM on May 1.
22. What can members expect at the AGM?
Normal agenda as required each year with the general matters being allocated to reviewing the exclusivity agreement and providing paper copies of the same. We are also planning for guest speakers in regards to the agreement.
One of the many stand out events in the 2022 Greek Festival of Sydney cultural program is the 100 Years of Bithikotsis 1922-2022 concert. This event will take place on May 1 at the Bankstown Sports Club.
The show is sure to be a sell-out event with a 13-piece band under the direction of Thanasis Pylarinos, and a stellar line-up of Bithikotsis’ hits.
Considered one of the most important figures in Greek popular music and composing over 80 songs, Bithikotsis’ contribution largely shaped the Greek music of today.
Thanasis Pylarinos.
Thanasis and his team will take the audience on a musical journey through the life of Bithikotsis with the help of a magnificent 13-piece band including three bouzoukia.
“This year marks the 100-year anniversary to the birth of this great icon and it is only fitting that we pay tribute to the man whose songs had a major influence on the Greek music of today,” the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, Harry Danalis, said.
“Songs that are still widely played and will always hold a special place in the heart of Greeks of generations past, present and future. We know Thanasis and his team will not disappoint.”
Please visit this website for bookings in what is a show that should not be missed.
By Anthony Albanese MP, Leader of the Australian Labor Party, Member for Grayndler.
In the 21st century, human dignity should be a non-negotiable given, particularly for our older Australians. Our parents and grandparents – people who worked hard, paid their taxes and raised us – deserve to live dignified, secure and fulfilling lives.
However, Australia’s aged-care sector is in crisis.
According to a royal commission which reported in 2021, the sector is badly underfunded and understaffed.
The commission’s 2019 interim report found widespread evidence of dreadful deficiencies in the care and safety of nursing-home residents, including overreliance on chemical constraints, widespread malnutrition, inadequate wound care and, in some cases, outright abuse of residents.
It is extraordinary that more than two years later, Scott Morrison has acted on fewer than half of the 146 recommendations of his own royal commission into aged care.
Indeed, he appears to believe everything is fine in our aged-care facilities.
It will take a Labor government to fix this broken system once and for all.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese visited Bolton Clarke Fairways Retirement Living and Residential Aged Care in Bundaberg, Queensland on Good Friday. Albanese holds the hand of resident Lynda. Picture: Toby Zerna / The Daily Telegraph.
We’ll require every nursing home in the country to have a registered nurse on the premises at all times.
This is already in place in Tasmania, which proves it is possible.
This will give residents and their families greater confidence that if their loved ones fall ill, qualified care will be readily at hand.
It will also reduce unnecessary emergency department visits for aged care facility residents, taking pressure off our overstretched hospitals.
We’ll lift standards to require that every aged-care facility resident receive a minimum of 215 minutes of care a day, as per the recommendation of the royal commission.
We must also invest in the skills of carers.
Our aged-care sector needs more staff, better training and greater job security.
We’ll offer fee-free TAFE courses for aged-care workers.
We’ll also back a pay rise for aged-care workers through a submission to the independent Fair Work Commission’s ongoing review of the sector, again in line the royal commission findings.
Our parents and grandparents deserve to live dignified, secure and fulfilling lives – and need a government that helps make that possible.https://t.co/DMLXZGlK1W
We must also ensure that aged care facilities that fail to meet appropriate standards are subject to scrutiny and, where necessary, penalty.
We will create a tough civil and criminal penalty scheme, including compensation, to deal with dodgy nursing facility owners who fail to provide high quality and safe care.
The quality of food in nursing homes also requires attention.
The interim report of the royal commission found more than half of residents were malnourished.
That is not good enough. A Labor government will support renowned cook Maggie Beer and her foundation to boost its work on ensuring aged-care residents get healthy food.
This is not too much to expect. The stories of uneaten food being scraped off plates and then put in blenders to serve as puree the following day have no place in our system.
I have spoken to many aged care workers and every one of them is deeply committed to offering care and compassion to older Australians.
But they struggle to pay their own bills.
Aged carers come to work offering love and care looking after other families’ loved ones.
They should be properly paid for their work.
Mr Morrison has no plan to deal with the aged-care crisis.
He has cut funding for skills training and is not prepared to support a pay rise for workers.
Labor will put nurses back into nursing homes. It's common sense, and it's common decency.
Greece’s Minister of Culture and Sports, Dr Lina Mendoni, ended her visit to Sydney on Tuesday night by attending a reception hosted by the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras.
The special event was held at the Gallery Beta Events of the Hellenic Club of Sydney and was attended by over 100 people, including a number of politicians and prominent members of local Greek community organisations.
Mendoni with Archbishop Makarios, Mr Karras, Ms Gkikiza and youth dressed in traditional Greek costumes. All photos: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
This included His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia; the Trade Commissioner of Greece in Australia, Katia Gkikiza; Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis; Member for Rockdale, Steve Kamper; Peter Poulos MLC; Courtney Houssos MLC; Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos; and the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW), Harry Danalis; among many others.
Attendees were treated to a number of Greek canapes on the night as they enjoyed a performance by the Australian Hellenic Choir, which was conducted by Leon Vitogiannis.
Later, a number of speeches were given by Mr Karras, Dr Mendoni and the Vice President of the Hellenic Club of Sydney, Bill Kritharas.
Mr Karras.Bill Kritharas.
Dr Mendoni was then presented with a photograph of the Evzones at the Acropolis by photographer, Nick Bourdaniotis, before she began to socialise with guests.
In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, Dr Mendoni stressed how overjoyed she was to be able to visit the Greek diaspora in Australia this year.
Mendoni with Nick Bourdaniotis.
“I wanted to come to Sydney because it was a great opportunity to get to know the Greeks here, who have a very prosperous community, to connect on a personal and political level, and to strengthen co-operation between Greece and Australia,” Dr Mendoni said.
“Our bonds are closely tied and have deep roots as Australian and Greek people have fought together in the first and second world wars.”
The Greek Culture Minister then sent a message of encouragement and support to the readers of The Greek Herald before leaving the event.
“Buy the paper and read it, especially to your children,” Dr Mendoni stressed.
“The Greek Herald gives young people the opportunity to learn the Greek language, spelling and grammar from their parents and grandparents.
“It is our duty to keep the Greek language alive. For as long as the language is alive, Hellenism will be too.”
Dr Mendoni’s full program of events in Sydney:
Prior to the Consul General’s reception for Dr Mendoni, the Greek Culture Minister had a jam-packed four day schedule in Sydney filled with meetings with members of the local Greek diaspora.
(L-R) Scott Morrison, Jenny Morrison and Lina Mendoni at Anastasi. Photo: The Greek Herald / Chris Spyrou.
The next day, after a meeting with Archbishop Makarios, Dr Mendoni was awarded the ‘Order of the Christ-loving Star’ by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
During the week, Dr Mendoni also attended the ANZAC Day dawn service at Martin Place in Sydney, where she met and briefly spoke with NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet.
Later, she held meetings with members of The International Organising Committee – Australia – For The Restitution Of The Parthenon Marbles (IOCARPM), and the Australian Parthenon Association.
During these meetings, the Greek Culture Minister thanked the Chairmen and Board of Directors of the two Committees for their constant support and tireless efforts to promote Greece’s legal request for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.
Dr Mendoni also spoke with members of GOCNSW, The Greek Festival of Sydney and The Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney during her official visit.
Mendoni with members of the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney. Photo: Facebook.
On her final day, Dr Mendoni visited the Sydney offices of The Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens (AAIA) at the Centre for Classical and Near Eastern Studies of Australia, University of Sydney (USYD).
The Director of the AAIA, Dr Stavros Paspalas, guided the Minister through the AAIA and she met Professor Vrasidas Karalis and Professor Anthony Dracopoulos of the Department of Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies at USYD, and Associate Professor Lesley Beaumont from the Department of Archaeology.
Dr Mendoni was informed about the very active programs (educational, research and public engagement), which focus on a wide range of aspects of Greek culture run by various entities at USYD, especially by the AAIA and the Department of Modern Greek. She was particularly interested to learn of these initiatives.
Later, she visited the Australian Maritime Museum and met with Acting Director, Tanya Bush, the Senior Executive Strategy & External Relations officer, Daina Fletcher, and the Partnerships Manager, Tina Koutsogiannis.
The Minister was given a tour of the museum which included the exhibitions on voyaging and navigating Australia and the oceans that surround it, and an early 18th century replica chronometer made by Mr Norman Banham.
Dr Mendoni was enthused looking at early time keeping pieces and discussed the archaeological Anthikythera Mechanism and viewed collections related to the Greek diaspora in Australia.
Mendoni visited the Australian Maritime Museum.Photos supplied.
Dr Mendoni also visited the Monument to Migration, which is a bronze-panelled wall that faces Sydney’s Darling Harbour and Pyrmont Bay, honours the thousands of migrants who have made Australia home.
Following all these important connections with Greek community organisations, Dr Mendoni is now on her way to Melbourne where she will attend the official launch of the Open Horizons exhibition at Melbourne Museum.
The Mayor of Canada Bay, Angelo Tsirekas, helped property developers fast-track applications in exchange for overseas flights and accommodation, a corruption inquiry has heard.
NSW’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is probing allegations Mr Tsirekas abused his position and failed to disclose conflicts of interest.
On the first day of hearings on Tuesday, counsel assisting Jamie Darams said Mr Tsirekas created a network of developers and professionals to help a series of projects clear his own council’s planning hurdles.
Assisting counsel Jamie Darams at the ICAC hearing. Picture: ICAC.
According to ABC News, the network allegedly involved developers I-Prosperity, Billbergia and Prolet, advisor Joseph Chidiac, real estate agent Francesco Colacicco, accountant Frank Bruzzano, former town planner David Furlong and City of Canada Bay Council’s general manager Gary Sawyer.
On Tuesday, the ICAC heard evidence involving Mr Tsirekas and Chinese developer I-Prosperity, which proposed building a 400-unit apartment block on Marquet Street in Rhodes in 2016.
Chief commissioner Peter Hall heard claims Cr Tsirekas accepted several developer-funded trips to Shanghai and Lebanon, following a series of approvals by the now-liquidated iProsperity Group.
Angelo Tsirekas. Photo: Facebook / City of Canada Bay.
The hearing into allegations surrounding Mr Tsirekas is expected to continue for four weeks.
In response, a spokesman for Canada Bay Council told The Sydney Morning Herald the Mayor had been granted a leave of absence “for personal reasons” for the duration of the hearing.
Mr Tsirekas later told the Herald he had not made any further decisions about his role “at this stage.”
“I’m proceeding, I’m going forward and defending myself, and we’ll leave it at that,” he concluded.
With some lyra and traditional delicacies, the Pancretan Association of Melbourne welcomed the Evzones to the Cretan Village on Tuesday night.
The dinner event is one of a number of events attended by the Evzones during their official visit to Australia, including the ANZAC Day march at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
A number of officials attended the Pancretan event to honour the Evzones including, the President of the Pancretan Association of Melbourne, Manuel Starakis; the President of the World Council of Cretans, John Nikolakakis; the President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Antonis Tsourdalakis; the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emanuel Kakavelakis; and the Greek Presidential Guard Leader, Major Vasilios Sakelaropoulos; among many others.
The event was emceed by Rena Fragioudaki, who expressed her gratitude to the Evzones for visiting Melbourne.
There were a number of speeches on the night.
“The Evzones are the ones who represent all Greeks and the history of our homeland,” Ms Fragioudaki said on the night. “They are the guardians of tradition and symbolise all the struggles and heroic deeds of our ancestors.”
In an interview with The Greek Herald, Mr Starakis also said it was “a great honour” to host the Evzones at the Cretan village.
Mr Starakis on the night.
“It shows that Greece has not forgotten us, no matter how far away we are. It embraces us. Greece honours us with its hospitality, presence, love and generosity.
“This is the most important thing for our children to see to be able to grow up and feel Greek. To see the Greek Presidential Guard stomping their feet and to know that we are alive and fighting for Greece.”
Mr Starakis also referred to the upcoming 81st anniversary of the Battle of Crete which will be celebrated on May 20.
“It is a very important anniversary for us. We honour the fallen who, with their sacrifices, allowed us to be here today. Let us not forget that the Battle of Crete changed the course of the Second World War,” Mr Starakis said.
At the conclusion of the formal proceedings, the Pancretan Association and Cretan Federation offered gifts to the Greek Presidential Guard. The Evzones also thanked the Consul General and Mr Starakis, and presented them with special gifts.
People then enjoyed food, music by Sifi Tsourdalakis and his band, and Greek dancing.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, travelled to Scotland on Tuesday following an invitation by the heir to the British throne, the Prince of Wales.
During his visit, Mitsotakis met with Prince Charles at Dumfries House, an 18th century estate in Ayrshire, and discussed ideas for how to preserve the former royal estate at Tatoi in north-western Athens.
It was a great privilege to join HRH at Dumfries House today and deepen the cultural ties between our two countries. An inspiring visit where I saw first hand how the Prince’s foundation puts sustainability, education and training into action to transform lives. @clarencehousepic.twitter.com/TMuwFPUgNT
For several years, the Tatoi Palace suffered extensive wear and tear until late 2019 when the Greek Ministry of Culture proceeded with plans to begin restorations works.
After almost a year of conservation work, the Greek Government has now announced the estate will become a mixed-use development upon completion of restoration.
At Dumfries House in Scotland, which is managed by The Prince’s Foundation, renovations of the historic house and working estate has also begun.
During his meeting with Prince Charles, Mitsotakis stressed that Dumfries House could serve as a model for the renovation of Greece’s Tatoi estate.
Mitsotakis’ visit has received criticism by Greek opposition parties, left-wing SYRIZA and Communist KKE, who accused the PM of harbouring royalist sympathies.
