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Geoffrey Robertson QC holds Australian launch for book on the return for the Parthenon Marbles

The Greek Herald
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Geoffrey Robertson QC holds Australian launch for book on the return for the Parthenon Marbles

Greek Sydneysiders flocked to the Governors Centre at Moore Park on Saturday night to attend the book launch of ‘Who Owns History? Elgin’s Loot and the Case for Returning Plundered Treasure‘, written by Geoffrey Robertson QC.

The evening celebrated the launch of the book in Australia and was hosted by Jim Tsolakis, Secretary of the Athenian Association of NSW.

For his book, Robertson focuses his razor-sharp mind on one of the greatest contemporary issues in the worlds of art and culture: the return of cultural property taken from its country of creation. Specifically, Robertson observes the British Museums withholding of the Parthenon Marbles; A treasured piece of Greek history that is being kept in a foreign land.

“…What is undoubtedly the greatest survivor of the ancient world. The Parthenon Marbles. To see them together, reunified under a blue, Attic sky,” Robertson said.

  • Geoffrey Robertson. Photo: The Greek Herald
  • Jim Tsolakis. Photo: The Greek Herald

Robertson says the naming of the ‘Duveen gallery’ in the British Museum, which currently holds the Parthenon Marbles, is representative of the way Duveen stole the cultural history of the ancient Greeks.

“He bought the Duveen gallery and do you know the first thing he did? He said ‘I want those marbles whiter than white’. And of course they weren’t white! In Greece they were a riot of colour, that was what made them stand out.”

“But, he paid for workman to use crowbars and chisels to get all the original paint off the marbles so they could be Hellenistically white.”

Geoffrey Robertson has had a distinguished career as a barrister and human rights advocate, serving as a UN war crimes judge, counsel in many notable Old Bailey trials, and has won landmark rulings on civil liberty in courts in Britain, Europe and the Commonwealth. 

  • David Hill. Photo: The Greek Herald.

“At the end of the day, the British will accept a court judgement which tells the truth, which the British museum has tried so long to cover up. That the marbles were stolen, that they belong in Athens, so that the world can see not just the glory of Greece but the glorious beginning of democracy,” Robertson concluded.

David Hill, who has lobbied and campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures for year, also spoke at the event. Hill spoke highly of Gough Whitlam, who was a patron of Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.

“He was a constant source of guidance and support for me, as Chairman of the Australian organisation, and about 20 years ago I went to visit him… I remember he said to me, ‘Comrade, when next you’re in London, talk to Geoffrey’. And I did and I’m glad I did,” Hill said.

Honourable dignitaries attending the event included Mr Christos Karras, Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Katia Gkikiza, Trade commissioner of Greece in Sydney, Kathy Valis, President of the Athenian Association of NSW Inc, David Hill, Chair of the Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures, Bill Skandalakis, President of AHEPA NSW Inc, Stergitsa Zamagias-Hill, CEO of the Hellenic Initiative Australia, Mrs Liana Vertzayias, President of the Hellenic Lyceum Sydney, Maria Anthony, President of Pontoxeniteas NSW, and Professor Vrasidas Karalis, Chair of the Modern Greek Department at the University of Sydney.

Traditional Greek Recipes: Dakos

The Greek Herald
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Traditional Greek Recipes: Dakos

A traditional veggie dish from the island of Crete, perfect for a light dinner! The secret behind the perfect Dakos is to use juicy, fresh, organic, on the vine tomatoes as they are the key ingredient that brings this dish to life.

My Greek Dish shows how you can make this traditional Cretan rusks with tomatoes and feta cheese dish.

Ingredients

  • 4 large round barley rusks
  • 3 large mature tomatoes (pilled and mashed)
  • 8 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
  • 150 g feta cheese (5.5 ounces)
  • 50g myzithra or ricotta cheese
  • 10–15 black olives
  • 1–2 tbsps capers
  • oregano
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Moisten the rusks (paximadia), with 4 tbsps of water each, and drizzle with the olive oil.
  2. Use a grater to grate the tomatoes, into a colander and leave for 5 minutes to drain.
  3. Crumble the feta cheese and myzithra (soft cheese) with a fork, or grate it with a grater.
  4. To put the dish together, spread the grated tomato on the rusks and add the crumbled cheese. Top with the olive oil and capers. Sprinkle with the oregano and drizzle with some extra olive oil.

Kali Orexi!

Sakkari defeats Mertens to reach French Open Round of 16

The Greek Herald
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Sakkari defeats Mertens to reach French Open Round of 16

Maria Sakkari has advanced to the French Open Round of 16 after defeating Elise Mertens of Belgium in 2-1 sets on Saturday.

Sakkari hit nine aces in a match where she truly showed her class as a potential world great. Her athleticism and technique seemed a level above of her opponent who still was able to deliver strong returns at Sakkari.

The Greek lost the second set on a tie-break, yet that only drove her to dominate Mertens in the final set, winning 6-2.

Sakkari finished the game 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 on the third round of Roland Garros and will play 2020 runner up Sofia Kenin in the next round. The match was Sakkari’s best ever result at the Roland Garros.

Sakkari has said previously that it’s her Spartan heritage which brings a fighting mindset and pushes her to reach a high level.

“In Sparta, individuals develop up with that mentality, they know tips on how to survive, they know tips on how to struggle for every little thing. It’s in my blood, I’m gonna take it with me all over the place I am going,” Sakkari said to Telegraph Sport.

“I labored rather a lot on my mentality with Tom and with a specialist, and then I beat all these gamers again to again. I noticed that I additionally belong there due to my outcomes and I simply gained confidence. I have never misplaced it but.“

Sakkari and Tsitsipas will hope to reach the Roland Garros finals.

Party police: Greece introduces ‘special teams’ to crack down on corona parties

The Greek Herald
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Party police: Greece introduces ‘special teams’ to crack down on corona parties

Stricter inspections and fines were announced Friday by Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias as part of the effort to crack down on parties that risk becoming coronavirus super-spreading events.

To this end, he announced the deployment of special teams, as epidemiological indicators remain high and the wall of immunity through vaccinations is still far away. 

“Dispersal has not been contained yet, even though there is a recession,” he stressed and referred to the new interactive epidemiological map which showed that, at the moment, there are 28 orange regions in Greece and no red ones.

Photo: DMarge

In August last year, Greece fell victim to many outbreaks caused by blowout parties on Greece’s islands.

Mykonos Police one night broke up a party with up to 500 guests, one day after authorities imposed emergency restriction measures.

The Mykonos police force was previously enlarged with a total of 100 officers from the Attica region in order to maintain proper restriction protocol. Officials at the ELAS also informed the press that there are a number of plainclothes policemen on Mykonos as well to handle problems that might occur as a result of the imposition of the stricter measures.

In another instance the same month, a group of British tourists felt “stupid” after they were diagnosed with coronavirus from a massive boat party on the island of Kakynthos.

Exclusive footage emerged from the Daily Mail of hundreds of British tourists crowded together on a boat, ignoring social distancing measures.

“It’s really bad out there. Something like this could start a second wave of coronavirus. I don’t think people should go,” Jamie Raine, who tested positive for coronavirus, told Mail Online.

“I guess the message is, don’t go on holiday and if you have to, have a more chilled out holiday with no night clubs.”

First post-COVID cruise ship from Venice sets sail for Greece under protest

The Greek Herald
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First post-COVID cruise ship from Venice sets sail for Greece under protest

The first cruise ship to leave Venice since coronavirus restrictions were eased set sail on Saturday, but some local residents protested over the return to normal, unhappy about the passage of giant liners through the historic lagoon city.

Hundreds of people rallied on land and small boats fluttering flags saying “No big ships” surrounded and followed the 92,000-tonne MSC Orchestra as it departed Venice port en route for Croatia and Greece.

“We are here because we are against this passage but also against a model of tourism that is destroying the city, pushing out residents, destroying the planet, the cities, and polluting,” said Marta Sottoriva, a 29-year old teacher and Venice resident.

But port authorities, workers and the city government welcomed the departure of the Orchestra, operated by MSC Cruises, seeing it as a symbol of business kicking off after the health crisis that hit hard at the cruise industry and the wider travel sector.

“We are happy to be back… to restart the engines. We care a lot about Venice and we’ve been asking for a stable and manageable solution for ships for many years,” said Francesco Galietti, national director for the trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Some residents have been urging governments for years to ban large cruise ships and other big vessels from passing through the lagoon and docking not far from the famed St. Mark’s Square.

Campaigners worry about safety and the environment, including pollution and underwater erosion in a city already in peril from rising sea waters.

“The struggle is very long, I think we are against very big financial interests,” Marco Baravalle, a 42-year old researcher, and member of the No Grandi Navi (No big ships) group.

He and other protesters were worried that “everything will go back to what we had before the pandemic”, he added.

The 16-deck ship can carry over 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crew but for this voyage will be sailing at only half capacity due to COVID-19 social distancing rules.

“It’s an important day for us, for 4,000 workers and many others who work in this sector. We are starting again after over 17 months, finally there is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Alessandro Santi, chairman of the Federlogistica business group.

Source: Reuters

The Hellenic Initiative joins the Athens Partnership’s anti-graffiti campaign

The Greek Herald
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The Hellenic Initiative joins the Athens Partnership’s anti-graffiti campaign

The Athens Partnership (AP) has worked with the Athens municipality to bring palpable, positive change to the city’s environs in recent years and now. 

The Hellenic Initiative (THI) is donating kick-off capital and launching a global fundraising effort to boost AP’s anti-graffiti campaign, in the picturesque historic Plaka District. 

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said: “Step by step, with well-thought out initiatives that include public-private sector collaborations through “Adopt the City” program, we are restoring the charm and glory of the great city Athenians and visitors remember and introducing it to new friends from all over the world. We thank THI for its love for our city and its generous support.” 

AP is a nonprofit organization that promotes partnerships between the private and public sector and leverages donations to support the city of Athens. Places like Plaka are becoming much nicer and cleaner areas for Athenians and tourists to experience thanks to the city of Athens efforts. 

Almost completely reliant on tourists, the pandemic has hit the historic district hard, but with Greece’s vaccination program reopening the tourism gateways, Plaka, as a top destination for tourists from across the globe needs to look perfect as Athens welcomes back the world. 

“Plaka is the showplace of ancient Athens and in many ways the heart of the city.  It is a monument that belongs not just to Greece and Greeks but to all of us.  We are proud to join in sponsoring this program and hope to encourage others to participate,” Drake Behrakis, THI Board Member, stated.

By cleaning the streets and treating the walls with anti-graffiti materials that resist new illegal posters and make cleaning new graffiti easy, Plaka will become even more lovely.

The City of Athens has completed 40 cleaning and anti-graffiti projects in the past year, restoring the appeal of areas like Omonia Square, Patision and Panepistimiou avenues, and the popular Thision and Monastiraki districts. 

“As a life-long visitor to Athens, and resident since 2007, I am very impressed with the progress this administration has made in caring for and beautifying the city. THI is delighted to work with AP on this important project,” Peter Poulos, THI’s Executive Director, said.

Donations to the campaign can be made here

Kyrgios family supports Samian Association’s earthquake relief fundraiser

The Greek Herald
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Kyrgios family supports Samian Association’s earthquake relief fundraiser

The Kyrgios family received a message of thanks from the Samian Association of Canberra and Districts for their support in raising money for Samian Earthquake relief fundraiser, which was held last month.

Nick Kyrgios’ brother, Christos, donated signed merchandise from Nick for the fundraisers live auction, which helped raise close to a total of $20,000.

“The Samian community from both Canberra and Sydney came together as well a wonderful turnout from the broader community to raise funds to help our island of Samos rebuild some of its infrastructure after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the island last October,” a letter from the Samian Association of Canberra and Districts, which was sent to Christos, read.

The earthquake brought devastation to the island and neighbouring country of Turkey, with both countries suffering a combined 119 fatalities, also leaving 1,053 injured and 15,000 homeless.

Buildings in Samos suffered severe damage, particularly in Karlovasi where a large church had partially collapsed. Following the earthquake, Samos was also affected by hundreds of aftershocks and flooding from a tsunami, which also rocked the islands of Ikaria, Kos and Chios.

Samian Association President, Eleni Gianakis, told The Greek Herald she was very thankful for the Kyrgios family and wider Greek Australian community in Canberra for their generous donations.

“It was a really good night, the community came together and supported us,” Gianakis said.

“I was very humbled that they came, that local businesses and the Kyrgios Foundation supported us without a doubt. I sent them an email and they got back to me straight away.”

READ MORE: Samian Association of Canberra plans fundraiser to support victims of Samos earthquake
READ MORE: NK Foundation inspiring tennis community with new facility development in Canberra

The Samian Association President said they are now organising where to send the raised funds.

“We’ll know exactly where the money will go. We’re not going to send it until we know it’s going to the people that need it,” Gianakis said.

“We’re just trying to assist in any way we can.”

The donation was made with support of the Nick Kyrgios Foundation, which was set up by Greek Australian tennis star to offer sporting opportunities, support services, education & training pathways, low-cost accomodation and solutions for underprivileged youth.

Kyrgios was born in Canberra to a Greek father, Giorgos, and has previously talked about his proud Greek heritage, having close relations with fellow Greek Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis and World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“We are proud to have been able to support the Samian Association of Canberra & Districts in fundraising for their relief efforts following the devastating earthquake,” the NK Foundation said in a Facebook post.

“Stay strong, we send our thoughts and prayers to all those families affected.”

The NK Foundation made its first steps as a government funded initiative in September last year after securing funds to develop a Gungahlin tennis facility in Canberra. The Foundation is looking to create more tennis facilities in disadvantaged regions in Australia.

“For the first time, I feel like there is a reason for what I am doing. Tennis is a great life – we are well paid and the perks are pretty good – but it can feel empty if you’re just doing it for the money,” Nick Kyrgios said about his Foundation.

“I now know what it’s all for. When I work on the NK Foundation and our Melbourne facility, I cast my mind forward to all the disadvantaged kids I will be helping. I’m playing for them now.”

Commemorative coins launched for 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution

The Greek Herald
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Commemorative coins launched for 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution

The commemorative coins celebrating 200 years since the start of the Greek revolution were officially launched on Friday afternoon at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Sydney.

The official opening of the collection of coins was announced by the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr. Christos Karras, who was the keynote speaker at the special event.

“The Greek-Australian community’s successful integration into Australian society has contributed greatly to shaping Australia’s multicultural character and to the further strengthening of cordial relations between Greece and Australia,” the Consul General said.

Photo: The Greek Herald

“As we commemorate our 200th anniversary, we also celebrate the warm friendship between Greece and Australia, we celebrate our common values that bind us as faithful friends, we celebrate the great contributions that Greek-Australians have made to multicultural Australian society.”

“To honour this landmark bicentenary, the national committee of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia for the celebration of the 200th Anniversary, has been coordinating more than 250 nation-wide activities throughout the year.”

“As part of these celebrations, 1,821 silver coins and 1,821 bronze coins have been issued and are being presented for the first time today. It is my great honour and pleasure to take part in the official launch of these commemorative coins.”

Photo: The Greek Herald

The coins pay tribute to the clergy and monks who helped preserve the Greek letters in the first centuries of Turkish rule.

The front of each coin depicts the secret school, as well as the phrase “For Faith and Homeland”, in Greek and English. On the back is the anniversary emblem of the Holy Archdiocese, with the flags of Greece and Australia.

Archbishop Makarios focused on the characteristics of the coins in his speech, making special mention of the secret school and emphasising that its foundation was the hierarchical conscience of the clergy and monks.

“If it were not for the poor and insignificant priests of the villages and cities, if there were no monasteries and abbotts, there would be no Greek letters today”, he noted.

Archbishop Makarios thanked all special dignitaries who were able to attend the event, including Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, the Archepisocpal Vicar of Canberra and Tasmania, Archimandrite Prochoros Anastasiadis, and the President of the Greek Orthodox Community Canberra John Loukadellis.

Attendees at the event also had the opportunity to purchase collectible coins, which will now be available from the bookstores of the Holy Archdiocese.

Perspectives: If we lose the language we lose everything!

The Greek Herald
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Perspectives: If we lose the language we lose everything!

By Eleni Elefterias

What is it that makes us Greek? Recently in an article on the Quora site someone asked that same question and the answers were interesting.

Is it that they must be born of Greek parents or share some Greek heritage? Do they have to be Greek Orthodox?  Must they partake in some form of cultural activity such as learning the language, dancing the traditional dances and / or cooking the traditional meals?

Though there are people who belong to all of the above categories here in Australia, there are many in Greece who may not be ethnically Greek but still speak the language and even partake in many cultural activities and sometimes even share the same religion. For example, the many people of Albanian background in Greece today, who consider themselves Greek.

There may not be such a thing as a pure ethnic Greek and let it be clear that this issue is far deeper and fraught with all sorts of problems and is definitely not within the scope of this column. However, we cannot deny that if someone feels Greek, whether they speak the language or not, then they are Greek. Also, if someone is ethnically Greek but denies it then that is their problem and they may never know what they are missing out on.

For us here in Australia you know you are Greek when there is a yearning inside you to teach your children the traditions you grew up with or those you missed out on and wished you had grown up with if that makes sense.

For me it is also important to know the language though, as one academic and linguist, who is also a friend of mine, Dr Jill Murray, pointed out is not a necessity in having a Greek identity.

On this day in 1825, Odysseas Androutsos was assassinated

The Greek Herald
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On this day in 1825, Odysseas Androutsos was assassinated

One of the most prominent military leaders of the Greek Revolution of 1821, Odysseas Androutsos fell victim to civil strife during the struggle and was killed by a Greek in cold blood.

Odysseas Androutsos was born in Ithaca in 1788 and was the only son of the famous Arvanite bandit Andrea Verousi. In honour of the Homeric hero, he was given the name Odysseas. 

When Ali Pasha learned that Captain Androutsos’, who had meanwhile been beheaded by the Turks in 1797, left a son, he took him to his courtyard in Ioannina, which was then a great military school, attended by several Greek fighters of 1821. 

He was then sent as a boatman to Livadia, after marrying him to Eleni Kareli. He remained there until the eve of 1821. As soon as the Revolution broke out, he was immediately on the front lines of the struggle and incited the Greeks of Eastern Roumeli to fight.

Androutsos was found trapped with 120 Greek men in what would become the famous Battle of Gravia Inn. Up against 8,000 Ottomans, Androutsos led the Greeks to victory and was proclaimed the military leader of Roumeli.

In 1822, new enemy troops flooded Roumeli, and because Odysseus did not have enough strength to resist, he was forced to surrender to them. It was this same year that he was accused by political opponent Ioannis Kolettis of being in contact with the Turks and was stripped of his command. 

Reconstructed Inn of Gravia. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Kolettis sent Noutsos and Palaskas to capture him. Odysseus, systematically avoiding any conflict with the government bodies in order not to shed precious fraternal blood, withdrew to Lebanon. After some minor skirmishes in early April, he was handed over to Goura on April 7, 1825, with the explicit promise that he would be sent to the Peloponnese to be tried by the Administration.

Gouras, however, did not keep his promise and he was imprisoned in Athens, on the Acropolis. Various fighters rose up for the unjust mistreatment of Androutsos, and because of this Gouras ordered for his execution.

To cover up their crime, they threw his body on the cobblestones of the Temple of Apteros Nike and spread the word that the prisoner tried to escape and was killed. The truth was soon revealed and history restored him morally, placing him among his top heroes of the Greek Revolution.

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