Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis is hosting Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on a two-day cultural tour of the city.
The mayors of Greece and Turkey’s capital cities met to discuss relations at the Athens City Hall on Tuesday.
Bakoyannis said “problems are solved from the bottom up. People create them and people solve them. Even if they are created by governments or – to be precise – regimes, they can be solved by the people.”
“Our differences are real, but local administration is the closest democratic institution to the citizen and this allows us to be able to interpret human emotions more effectively.”
İadeyi ziyaret için Atina'dayız. Büyükelçimiz Burak Özügergin'in ardından Atina Belediye Başkanı Kostas Bakoyannis ile buluştuk. İki şehir arasındaki sıcak iş birliğini güçlendireceğiz. Bunu, iki dost başkan olarak başarmaya kararlıyız. pic.twitter.com/lHKr1X9yxX
The United Nations award winner for his work on multiculturalism and the mind behind innovations such as Cultural Infusion and the Diversity Atlas spoke to The Greek Herald about his work, his motivations, the important lessons he learned during his lengthy career and what led him on the path to helping people come closer to one another.
The name Peter Mousaferiadis should be one well known to all those who are involved in the field of helping people come in touch with different races, religions, ethnicities and cultures.
His tireless years of work have provided a foundation for many children not only in Australia, but in other parts of the world such as China and other countries of south-east Asia to become better acquainted with other people and their history, so that they can begin to understand from a young age the significance of diversity.
This is accomplished through the Cultural Infusion program, which has quickly been adopted by many schools throughout the region.
From one of Peter Mousaferiadis’ many multiculturally-themed productions. Source: Supplied
When asked by The Greek Herald about how this idea came about, Mr Mousaferiadis reflects on his own personal journey that saw him begin as a conductor: “My parents owned a milk bar in the western suburbs, and a lot of the people that came in, they didn’t speak English, it was a very culturally diverse community that we were serving. Everything from Aboriginal people to people who had just arrived in Australia, so I suppose that was my introduction to multiculturalism.
“At the same time, I was introduced to classical music, and I had a benefactor that supported me, a woman who lived across the road. She wanted me to go off and have a professional career in the arts,” Mousaferiadis says.
A recent clip from Mr Mousaferiadis’ interview to ERT, during which he paid tribute to the late Mikis Theodorakis. Source: Supplied
“So, I went and studied music at the Victorian College of the Arts, studied conducting overseas for four years, used Greece as my base for about two years, but I also studied religious studies at university, so I was part of an interface collective back in the mid 80s.
“I came back, started to work as a conductor, and then, before I knew it, people were starting to call upon me to do programming for various events. I became an event manager, and eventually I was made a creative director. I started to work on big events, like the opening and closing ceremonies for SBS at Federation Square and Australia Day concerts.
“I oversaw huge casts of up to 1200 staff members, so I learned on the job. There was no better way for me than to learn on the job.”
Mr Mousaferiadis during one of his keynote speeches. Source: Supplied
‘We have more to gain if we understand each other‘
His background in classical music allowed Mousaferiadis to create a framework that would allow for an expression of a whole range of different traditions and genres.
“This started to get me thinking about diversity from a scientific perspective, because, putting the social justice part aside, what ‘diversity’ means is ‘difference’,” he says.
In 2002, Mousaferiadis founded Cultural infusion with the vision to take programs into schools and start talking to students about diversity.
“We’re living in this globalised world, and I thought that we have more to gain if we understand each other because if we do that, we’re going to learn more about ourselves through that process. So, we began delivering education programs in Victoria,” says Mousaferiadis.
“Within two years, we had expanded to over 300,000 students across the country. It became one of the largest programs in the southern hemisphere. Right up until covid struck, we were delivering to up to 350,000 students annually and we had major contracts with a whole range of different organizations.”
Speaking about his award-winning slogan “Diversified We Grow” for the United Nations’ campaign entitled “Do One Thing For Diversity”, Mr Mousaferiadis states that he drew inspiration from two other art pieces: “I took what Aesop had come up with, ‘Divided we fall, united we stand’, which was the first part of the slogan, and then I added to that “…diversified we grow”.
“This idea came about through this Spanish song I used to conduct, “¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” which means “The People United Shall Never Be Defeated.”
Mr Mousaferiadis (on the far left) alongside his team of innovators at Cultural Infusion. Source: Facebook
The turning point in his life
He goes on to talk about the one defining moment that changed his perspective, not just about the way he works, but about life itself: “25 years ago, something happened that changed my way of thinking on a profound level. I had a brother who lived two doors away. He passed away. Up until that point I had a dream of making a career as a professional conductor.
“Around that time I stopped trying to become anything and focused on just being the best version of myself I can be. For me that was a crystallisation that took place which really changed the course of my life. I didn’t think about becoming anything. I just worked and worked and worked. I still work 15-16 hour days and I love it. It gives me satisfaction and it energises me.”
Finally, the promoter for multiculturalism describes what a society in which the ideals of equality prevail would look like: “A world of equality and equity would be one in which we’ve created the conditions so that everyone would be able to contribute and participate equally.
“It’s not something that’s going to happen straight away but it’s all about recognising it so that we can create the conditions and move towards solving the problem.”
A century-old house in Vaucluse built for the Arnott biscuit family that was proposed for heritage listing has been demolished, prompting outrage from neighbours and Woollahra Council, Domain reports.
For decades, the mansion was owned by Greek Australian couple, John and Mary Andrews, until they sold it in 2013 for $15 million to Chinese-born King Fai Chu, a director of Great Wall International, and Xiaoyi Zhu.
They were able to knock down the house after an interim heritage order was revoked by state Liberal MP Don Harwin, paving the way for a contemporary 16-room mansion.
“Upon being told that the house was being pulled down, I raced up only to see the house being torn apart under the bulldozers,” Andrew Coroneo, who lives near the mansion in Vaucluse, tells The Greek Herald.
In happier times. 46 Vaucluse Road Vaucluse before it was demolished. Photo: SMH.
“I was dismayed to learn that the historic, heritage home of my friend and near neighbours Mr John and Mrs Mary Andrews had been destroyed, against all evidence that it should not have been permitted by the authorities involved.”
The Mediterranean-style residence on 1700 square metres was built for Henry Arnott by acclaimed architect, F. Glynn Gilling. It featured classic Gilling features such as an arched entry and windows, baroque parapet and a prominent chimney.
“It was truly a beautiful home, and obviously worthy of preservation as a representative, gracious “inter-war” family house, typical of the old Lower Vaucluse…” Mr Coroneo said.
In 2015, Woollahra Council originally approved the DA for a three-level house on the site after a heritage officer mistakenly approved its demolition. In December 2019, Minister Harwin issued an interim heritage order to offer council time to assess the home’s heritage value.
The view is all that remains of the mansions. Photo: Domain.
This order was extended a year later but a Heritage NSW spokeswoman told Domain it was revoked on May 31 after the owners commenced legal proceedings in the Land and Environment Court.
Weeks later, the house had been flattened.
“I hold the Council, the Minister or their advisers, or the Government itself responsible, or perhaps all of them,” Mr Coroneo said.
“Clearly, a “crime” and a loss to old Sydney, a creeping change, now so rampant in so many Sydney suburbs.”
In a statement, a spokesman for Heritage NSW said: “Council is disappointed with this outcome which follows 18 months of work to protect the building.”
“There is currently a review of the NSW Heritage Act underway. This outcome should be used as an opportunity to review the IHO process, and council staff have provided feedback as part of the review.”
Although nearly 15 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and almost 25 million doses have been given in the country, 16% of Australians are still hesitant about getting the shots and say they are not sure yet, or don’t want the vaccine, according to the Melbourne Institute’s Vaccine Hesitancy Tracker.
Despite overwhelming data from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) supporting the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of the currently authorised COVID-19 vaccines many have delayed vaccination, citing a range of reasons.
This daily infographic provides the total number of vaccine doses administered in Australia 🇦🇺 as of 19 September 2021 📅
— Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) September 20, 2021
But some who were hesitant changed their minds.
Maria Geromanolis, a 61-year-old Melbourne grandmother-to-be and small business owner, was sceptical about the vaccine, but she said she decided to do it to protect her family and the community.
“I was holding back because my understanding is that there are no sufficient studies on the long-term effects of the vaccines,” she told The Greek Herald explaining that her initial plan was to get vaccinated but later on.
Her three daughters, Argiro (Aggie), Kalliope and Joanna, insisted on their mother getting vaccinated to protect not only their family but also the wider community.
“The girls told me that vaccines only work if everyone gets them. So, I decided to do the vaccine for three main reasons,” Ms Geromanolis said.
“First of all to protect my family, secondly because health is a public good and my decision to not be vaccinated should not be the reason for someone else to fall seriously ill and thirdly because I want my freedoms restored.
“My second daughter who is pregnant with her first child and fully vaccinated told me that I would not be able to see her and my first grandchild if I don’t get the vaccine. If there is a one-in-a-million chance for my daughter to contract the virus from me that would be devastating.”
Maria Geromanolis is now fully vaxxed and said that her GP’s advice also played an instrumental role towards her decision.
“He explained that the virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems,” she said.
Geromanolis also stressed the importance of traditional multicultural media outlets as the main source of information for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“I am not on social media so my main source of information is newspapers such as The Greek Herald,” she said, explaining that the active involvement of cultural organisations also helps tackle vaccine hesitancy and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination.
“The four-day pop up vaccination clinic at the Greek Orthodox Church of St George in Thornbury was a great initiative from the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) and we need more of them.”
“We need correct in language information. Then people can judge and make a decision,” said Aggie.
Melbourne grandmother-to-be Maria Geromanolis said it makes sense that some people have questions about COVID-19 vaccines. But relying on accurate information and trusted sources can help people make informed decisions and help end the pandemic, “so we can get closer to our normal lives and activities,” she said.
“I have faith in science and I believe this is for everyone’s good. We need to do our part and get vaccinated.”
The competition titled, Ambassadors 200, that took place in Victoria this year has been successfully completed and the winners have been announced.
The competition was organised by the Organisational Committee for Greek National Day under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and in conjunction with the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad. It was launched in February, at the commencement of the 2021 School Year and ended in June.
The aim of this competition was for students from Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Levels who were studying the Greek language, as well as young people of Greek descent between the ages of 18 to 21 years old from all over Victoria, to have the opportunity to actively participate in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek Revolution.
Artwork by Viktoria Patsaki.
Participants were asked to explain what 1821 meant to them. Each participant had the opportunity to present their views through an essay, a poem, a drawing, a power point presentation, a poster, an interview, a song, a painting or an object.
More than 650 young people participated in the competition, mainly Primary and Secondary students, from twenty-eight different schools. The entries were judged according to the age of the participants by a special committee of seven members. All entries were amazing and the participants showed the special knowledge they had for the Commemoration of the 25th of March.
Artwork by Victoria Khatchmanian.
Artwork by Christen Koumi.
The Organisational Committee for Greek National Day had scheduled a special event for Monday 27th of September as part of the Victorian Bicentenary Program 2021.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the event has been cancelled and the Chairman of the Victorian 2021 Bicentenary Committee, Mr Antonis Tsourdalakis, together with the Coordinator of the competition, Mrs Natasha Spanos, will visit all the schools during Term 4 to present the awards in person and to congratulate all the participants.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation from the Organisational Committee for Greek National Day.
Artwork by Sammuel Emmerson.
The best 200 entries will officially be named as Ambassadors of Victoria for 2021 and they will be awarded with two special certificates, one from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and one from the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad.
They will also receive the official commemorative medal of the 200th Anniversary produced and sponsored by the National Bank of Greece and the National Lapel Pin compliments of the National Bicentenary Committee.
The Organisational Committee for Greek National Day would like to thank all the participants, the teachers and the schools that took part in the competition and actively celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Greek Independence Day.
The President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Bill Papastergiadis, has sent congratulatory letters to recently elected Greek leaders in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
The letters are addressed to Nicholas Papas QC, who has been appointed Director of Public Prosecutions in the NT; Basil Zempilas, the Lord Mayor of Perth; and Kon Vatskalis, who was recently re-elected as the Lord Mayor of Darwin.
In all three letters, Mr Papastergiadis invites Mr Papas, Mr Zempilas and Mr Vatskalis to visit Melbourne and the 15 storey Greek Cultural Centre “so as to recognise your achievements with an award.”
The Government has delivered the 2020-21 Migration Program, including the largest Partner Program in over 25 years by processing in excess of 72,000 places for couples seeking to reunite.
The 2020-21 Migration Program has delivered 160,052 places against the planning level of 160,000 places, with the majority going to applicants already onshore. This has increased from 140,366 places delivered in 2019-20.
Visa processing focused on onshore applicants and applicants in critical sectors and occupations. 71.2 per cent of applicants finalised in the Skill Stream and 64.8 per cent of Family places were delivered to applicants onshore.
The majority of applicants came from the region of Southern Asia at 21.9 percent, with applicants from Western Europe at 3.0 percent. That’s a 0.5 percent rise from the 2019-2020 Migration Program.
For citizenship, the majority of successful applicants continue to come from China and India, with the United States of America and the United Kingdom also in the top ten countries. There were no other European countries in the top ten.
For skilled visas, the focus was on supporting Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by enabling Australian employers to hire the workers needed to maintain their businesses and drive Australia’s recovery from the pandemic.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke said the program exceeded expectations, despite challenges posed by COVID-19.
Alex Hawke MP released the 2020 – 21 Migration Program Report.
“Australia’s well managed migration program delivers outcomes that support economic recovery, create jobs, and protect the safety and security of Australians,” Minister Hawke said.
“Delivering a full program of 160,052 places meant drawing on the pool of onshore applicants due to global COVID-19 restrictions. This has been very successful given the difficult circumstances this year.”
The focus of the Migration Program in 2021-22 will continue to be on visa categories that help Australia’s economic rebound and stabilise net overseas migration.
“We will continue to give priority to skilled visas that drive economic growth, job creation and investment in Australia,” Minister Hawke said.
“There will be ongoing flexibility within the migration program to respond to uncertain health, border and economic conditions arising from COVID-19,” he said.
“The Government will continue to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in global migration,” Minister Hawke said.
The 2021-22 Migration Program will have an overall planning level of 160,000 places and carry over the 2020-21 Migration Program composition and planning levels, including the flexibility to move places within the Skill stream to provide flexibility to support Australia’s response to managing COVID-19.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia issued a pastoral letter to clergy last night which makes clear that local Greek Orthodox Churches will not divide the faithful into vaccinated and unvaccinated.
“We are facing great difficulty these days because already, in the State of Victoria, they have announced that entry to our Sacred Churches will be prohibited to the faithful who are not vaccinated,” His Eminence said in the letter, which has been circulating on social media this morning.
“Personally, I will never agree with this measure which divides the faithful into vaccinated and unvaccinated. The doors of our Churches will be open to all the faithful. I do not accept that there will be faithful who wish to attend Church and they will not be permitted to do so.”
Archbishop Makarios does acknowledge, however, that vaccinations remain “primarily a medical and scientific issue” and stresses that not all vaccines “are ethically unacceptable.”
“The international scientific community tells us that vaccination is the only solution to confront the pandemic. We therefore listen to the specialists. We urge our people to be vaccinated, without compelling anyone, respecting the freedom of every person,” His Eminence writes.
Churches in New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory remain closed to the faithful due to the current lockdown in those states. Victoria recorded 603 COVID-19 cases today, while NSW had 1,022 new COVID-19 cases and the ACT recorded 16 new cases.
In a statement to The Greek Herald, the Department of Health said:
“Vaccination for COVID-19 is voluntary – as are all vaccinations in Australia – and everyone maintains the option to choose. The Australian Government is a strong supporter of immunisation as a safe and effective way to prevent the spread of many diseases in the community that can cause hospitalisation, serious ongoing health conditions, or even death.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency, and states and territories, who have primary responsibility for public health, are managing the pandemic in their respective jurisdictions based on health advice. We recommend reaching out to the relevant states and territories for advice regarding specific jurisdictions.”
Controversial Strathfield Mayor, Antoine Doueihi, has been replaced by Stephanie Kokkolis for a short three month term before the full council elections kick off in December.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Cr Doueihi chose not to run for re-election, with Cr Kokkolis winning by four votes to three against Matthew Blackmore.
The former mayor, in June, admitted he breached the local government act five times by providing “false or misleading” information about his extensive property interests.
Stephanie Kokkolis.
New mayor Cr Kokkolis, said she was looking to “provide leadership” for the short term. She has been on council since 2012.
“I would like to thank the outgoing mayor Cr Doueihi, and the outgoing deputy mayor, Cr Pensabene for their service, as well as congratulate Cr Nella Hall on her election as deputy mayor,” she said.
“This will only be a short term, but I look forward to working with deputy mayor Hall and the entire council to continue to service the Strathfield community and provide leadership during this challenging time. Thank you for your support.”
Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, has instructed the Greek Embassy in Ankara to issue a protest demarche over illegal fishing by Turkish fishing boats inside Greece’s territorial waters, the ministry said on Monday.
“Regrettably, Turkey persists with its illegal behavior,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Committed to defending its rights under international law, Greece will leave no challenge unanswered.”
Ι also underlined the reprehensible practice by vessels of the Turkish Coast Guard to accompany the Turkish fishing boats and harass the Greek fishing boats. (2/3)
The news follows a formal diplomatic note on Sunday against the harassment by Turkish warships of the Maltese-flagged Nautical Geo research ship of French interests.
The vessel was conducting research in an area east of the island of Crete in the context of mapping the possible course of the EastMed pipeline.
