Former Australian Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann, has made it to the final two candidates in the race to become the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Cormann will now face Sweden’s candidate, Cecilia Malmstrom, in the final stage of the selection process.
This comes after Greek candidate, Anna Diamantopoulou, withdrew from contention on Monday after failing to find enough support among the OECD’s 38 member countries. Swiss candidate, Philipp Hildebrand, also pulled out last Friday.
“I decided to withdraw my bid to be SG of the OECD, in an effort to facilitate consensus in the selection process,” Diamantopoulou said on Twitter, adding that she was “grateful” to Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, for his “constant trust and endorsement.”
I decided to withdraw my bid to be SG of the #OECD, in an effort to facilitate consensus in the selection process. Grateful to @PrimeministerGR for his constant trust & endorsement. Grateful, also, to member-countries, whose support placed my candidacy at the third top place.
— Anna Diamantopoulou (@adiamantopoulou) March 1, 2021
In response, Mitsotakis congratulated Diamantopoulou for “a truly inspiring campaign” and thanked the members countries who supported her candidacy.
“In the face of the great challenges we all face, Greece remains committed to an ever closer cooperation within the OECD framework,” Mitsokis added on Twitter.
Warmest congratulations to @adiamantopoulou for a truly inspiring campaign and many thanks to the member countries that supported her candidacy. In the face of the great challenges we all face, Greece remains committed to an ever closer cooperation within the @OECD framework. https://t.co/UrY9iJchDo
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) March 1, 2021
A Cormann victory would be the first time the OECD has been led by someone from the Asia-Pacific region, but there is also a strong push by some members for the organisation to have its first female leader.
“We will continue to work and engage with OECD member countries around the world until the final decision is made,” Cormann told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“We are not taking anything or anyone for granted. We are putting our best foot forward. It will be up to OECD member countries to decide who is the right choice.”
Observers think Australia could secure backing from within eastern Europe as well as Britain, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and many Latin America members.
The Australian government is hopeful that the United States will also support Cormann but the Biden administration’s position is unclear.
Angela Kiki Konstantinopoulou’s painted portraits of the heroes of the 1821 Greek Revolution were on display at the Campbelltown Arts Centre on Saturday at the launch of her ‘Heroes of 1821’ exhibition.
During the launch, which was organised by Macarthur Greeks, Angela’s portraits of Ioannis Kapodistrias, Manto Mavrogenous and Lord Byron were able to be viewed by attendees, including Camden Council Mayor Theresa Fedeli, Wollondilly Shire Council Mayor Robert Khan and Deputy Mayor Michael Banasik, as well as Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic.
Eric Kontos, Secretary and Vice Chairman of Macarthur Greeks, Mayor George Brticevic of Campbelltown, Angela, John Tsekas, Event Coordinator at Macarthur Greeks, and Terry Diomis, Macarthur Greeks Cultural Ambassador. Photo supplied.
Also in attendance was the Director of the Campbelltown Arts Center, Michael Dagostino, Communication Advisor at the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney, Kostas Giannakodimos, and President of the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney, Liana Vertzayias.
LEFT: Angela and Eleni Elefterias with Mavro Mantogenous painting. RIGHT: Crowds at the launch. Photos supplied.
“The day had its challenges due to COVID-19 but it didn’t matter because everyone really enjoyed themselves. Most people didn’t want to leave,” Event Coordinator at Macarthur Greeks, John Tsekas, tells The Greek Herald.
A number of speeches from the Campbelltown Mayor and Mr Giannakodimos were given, followed by traditional kleftiko dances from the Hellenic Institute of Dance and Culture, and a panel discussion.
“The panel featured Eleni Elefterias as host, artist Angela and art critic, Yiannis Koutsodimas. They were discussing art and its history, as well as the importance of keeping Greek culture alive through art,” Mr Tsekas says.
The night ended with a number of young women performing the Dance of Zalongo, which took place during the Greek Revolution when the Souliotisses avoided capture by dancing and throwing themselves and their children from a cliff.
All 16 of Angela’s artworks will be shown together for the first time in Canberra on March 20-21, and then in Sydney at the AHEPA hall for ten days.
There were plenty of colourful masks, feather boas and glitter on display at the Mytilenian House in Sydney on Saturday as the Greek community celebrated Apokries with a special festival.
The festival fundraiser, organised by the Dionysus Theatre Company in anticipation of their upcoming play ‘Your Mother’s Pension’ on May 8, was attended by over 180 people who enjoyed delicious food and took part in a number of activities.
In fact, the night kick started with a special comedy skit by members of the theatre company, called ‘The nephew of Mr Trambakoula in Australia.’
“The highlight of the night was the skit. Everyone loved it and thought it was really funny. They kept asking for more,” Co-Producer of the Dionysus Theatre Company, Maria Houliaras, tells The Greek Herald.
This was followed by a raffle, as well as a number of Apokries games including one from Macedonia, where people wore masks on stage and performed a traditional ritual dance from the region.
A prize for best dressed was also awarded on the night to James Paniaras for his COVID-19 costume, which Maria says was ‘amazing.’
James Paniaras (photo on left, person on right) won best dressed. Photos: Facebook.
“He had a hat with syringes coming out of his head and was passing out little ‘injections’ to the adults, which were actually shots, and chocolates for the kids. It was great,” Maria says.
A enjoyable night which was needed by all to not only let their hair down, but to also mark the important Greek celebration of Apokries.
On February 10 this year, members of the Board of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) had the opportunity to meet the new Greek Consul General, Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis, as they hosted him at the Greek Centre.
Along with a tour of the Greek Centre, GCM Board members briefed the new Consul on the operations of the GCM. A particular focus was given to the upcoming events scheduled for the 1821 anniversary celebrations and the operation of the GCM’s education program.
On the 200th anniversary celebrations, committee co-chairs Professor Marinis Pirpiris and Michael Karamitos outlined the GCM commemorative program for the Consul.
They noted that after a challenging 2020 the effects of which are still very much being felt, the Organising Committee charged with curating the GCM’s commemorative program had developed a diverse, COVID safe year-long celebration.
Noting that the program would commence in the coming week with the first in a series of special seminars, the first live event would be held on March 20 and 21 as the inaugural Lonsdale St Greek Music Festival. This would be followed by a feast day celebration that included a re-enactment of the raising of the revolutionary banner on Sunday, March 28 at the historic and recently reinstated Evangelismos church in East Melbourne.
Education committee members, Nick Dallas and Spiros Papadopoulos, briefed the Consul on the emphasis that the GCM places on its educational programs which range from Pre School through to partnerships with Victorian Universities.
The Consul was given a broad overview of the different education initiatives and Greek language programs that the Community is involved in, while also stressing the ongoing challenges it faces. An invitation was extended to visit some of the school campuses and personally meet with some of the students, parents and teachers.
Jim Bossinakis and Leo Vlahakis also took the opportunity to brief the Consul on the GCM’s year long cultural program which whilst intertwined in 2021 with the 200 Year Anniversary celebrations, is still a significant undertaking.
Mr Vlahakis in particular mentioned the Community’s Seminar program and its Festivals which of course, include the Antipodes, Greek Film and Greek Writers Festivals amongst others.
The Consul General was effusive in his praise of “our endeavour and activity.”
It was pleasing to note that the Consul appeared well briefed on the community as a whole and expressed a willingness to work with the GCM in its events and actions. The Consul advised that he was available at all times in regards to matters which required Greek Government input and that he was pleased with his posting to Melbourne. There is no doubt that the Consul brings a wealth of experience to this posting.
Folk tunes from the regions of Thrace and Macedonia filled The Great Club, formerly known as the Alexander the Great Club, in Sydney on Friday, February 26 as part of the Greek Fringe‘s ‘Thraki Showcase.’
The performance by Sydney based group, Banda Politika, was the first time a Greek band had played in the newly renovated club and the music was a huge hit with the large audience which gathered.
“I was blown away by the response we had on Friday. This experimental hybrid event attracted 150 patrons and was The Great Club’s first large scale live music event which sold out!” Co-Founder of Greek Fringe, Christina Bacchiella, tells The Greek Herald.
Credit: Sofia Yiannikas.
“It was particularly great to see lots of young people at this event from different backgrounds getting a dose of Greek culture! The owners expressed that they couldn’t think of a better way to inaugurate the space than with a Greek gig that paid homage to the Club’s former identity.”
Banda Politika, a project put together by Mihalis Platyrrahos, played traditional instruments on the night such as the Laouto, Lyra, Gaida (bagpipes) and the Daouli. This was accompanied by powerful Thracian songs which embodied the interaction of cultures from the region.
This band was the perfect interlude to a live cross to Greece for a performance by Evritiki Zygia and renowned vocalist, Katerina Douka.
These musicians brought the traditional sounds of Greece to the showcase as they played near a river in Evros – a place which not only borders Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, but is also of great geo-cultural significance to the folklore of Thrace.
“Greek Fringe was set up as a platform to showcase underrepresented artists that fall outside the mainstream and to give the diaspora a connection to the contemporary art scene in Greece. I firmly believe that traditional music has a place in the contemporary scene and that’s why we featured Evritiki Zygia and Katerina Douka – some of Greece’s top Thracian musicians,” Christina says.
It’s clear the showcase was a successful hybrid event which was enjoyed by all who attended!
The Federal Government has committed almost half a billion dollars in an immediate response to the almost 150 recommendations in the final report of the Aged Care Royal Commission.
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said the government was providing an additional $452.2 million in funding to address immediate issues in the aged care sector.
“It’s the inquiry we needed to have,” Mr Morrison said.
“Australians must be able to trust that their loved ones will be cared for appropriately and the community should have confidence in the system. This remains our clear goal.”
The Prime Minister, along with Health and Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt and Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck, released the more than 2000-page report after it was handed to the federal government on Friday, February 26.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government was committed to reforming aged care.
“The royal commission’s report is a significant document, the culmination of a two-year inquiry, and demands a carefully considered response,” he said.
In its two years, the royal commission heard from 641 witnesses, including residents, staff, families and experts, held almost 100 days of hearings, accepted more than 10,500 public submissions and produced 38 reports and research papers, including a special report on COVID-19.
In its interim report, the royal commission found the aged care system had failed older Australians.
“It does not deliver uniformly safe and quality care for older people. It is unkind and uncaring towards them. In too many instances, it simply neglects them,” it said.
The Morrison government has previously committed to responding to the final report by the May budget.
On this day in 2004, influential and prolific Cypriot poet, Costas Montis, passed away at the age of 90. To mark the occasion, we take a look back at his incredible life achievements.
Early Life:
Costas Montis was born in Famagusta, Cyprus, on February 18, 1914. He was the sixth and last child of Theodoulos Montis and Kalomoira Batista. His father was a government employee from Lapithos. His mother was the offspring of an old Venetian family from Famagusta.
His life was marred by a number of tragedies. His brother Yiorgos died of tuberculosis at the age of 21, while his other brother Nikos died of leukemia at the age of 16. In 1926, his mother died from tuberculosis and only four years later in 1930, his father died of cancer.
In 1932, Costas sells his family land in Famagusta, Kyrenia, and Karavas, and leaves for Athens, Greece, where he enrolls in the University of Athens Law School. At the same time, he works as a correspondent for the Cyprus newspaper Eleftheria under the pen name Costas Alkimos.
1914 – Costas as a baby in the arms of his beloved mother. On the left are two of his sisters, Elengo (back row) and Irinia (front row.) The other girls appear to be friends. Photos: costasmontis.com.Costas as a young man.
In November 1937, he graduates from Law School and returns to Cyprus. However, the British colonial government does not allow graduates from Greek universities to practice law in Cyprus. Instead, he got a job in the Accounting Office of the Greek Mining Company in Nicosia. Within a year, he was promoted to assistant manager at the company offices in Nicosia.
When the mines closed down because of WWII, Costas started working as a teacher at the Accounting School in Morphou founded by his brother-in-law Costas Sylvestros, before returning to Nicosia in 1942.
That same year, Costas gets engaged to his sweetheart, 19-year-old Ersi, daughter of Pantelis Constantinou and Maria Gabrielidou from Morphou. They marry in 1946 and have four children together.
Costas and Ersi Montis with their four children (from left to right) Marios, Stalo, Theodoulos and Lellos, around 1960. Photo: costasmontis.com.
Later Life:
In 1942, Costas, together with Achilleas Lymbourides and Phivos Moussoulides, founded the first professional theatre in Cyprus, called Lyriko. Poetic verses by Costas Montis are later put to music by Lymbourides. One of these poems, Drosoulla has become very popular over the years, and is considered a folk song by many people.
In 1944, Lyriko closes down and Costas returns to his position at the Accounting School. He publishes and manages, together with Phivos Moussoulides, the theatrical and literary magazine The Theater (until 1946).
In 1946, Costas gets a job at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce as senior editor of The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce Journal. He also publishes the newspaper Elefthera Phoni (until 1947).
Influential and prolific Cypriot poet, Costas Montis.
Costas becomes editor of the Ethnos newspaper in 1948. Two years later, he gets a position as Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce of Cyprus.
In 1953, Costas publishes the Cyprus Trade Journal in both Greek and English. In 1953, he takes part in the liberation struggle of 1955-1959 as political guide of the members of EOKA in Nicosia.
Costas takes charge of the literary section of the magazine, Times of Cyprus, from 1956 until 1969. During that time, in 1961, Costas is also appointed Director of Tourism. He retires in 1976, after 15 years.
Death and Legacy:
On March 1, 2004, Costas passed away at the age of 90 in his home.
Costas received numerous honours and awards throughout his life, and his books have been translated into several languages. Costas received honorary doctorates from both the University of Cyprus and the University of Athens.
Costas Montis delivering his speech after receiving an Honorary Doctorate by The University of Cyprus. Photo: costasmontis.com.
He was nominated for the Nobel Prize and in 2000, he was declared Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens, the highest honour conferred upon intellectual creators living outside Greece.
In support of his proposal to the Academy of Athens, Professor Nicholas Konomis included the following:
“Costas Montis is one of the greatest living Greek poets, and certainly one who renewed in a unique way modernistic lyric poetry, and enriched modern Greek poetry from the point of view of Cyprus. With his uninterrupted literary creation of 70 years, he has been able to depict artistically the authentic rhythms, the temperature, and the action of the deepest historical and emotional fluctuations of the soul and breath of Cyprus and her people. In his extremely powerful work he has recorded every vibration of the island (erotic, social, political), and all the thoughts of the people of Cyprus have been set down… He has made use of the whole wealth of the linguistic, historical, and cultural tradition of greater Hellenism, and entrenched in his work, with unprecedented poetic force, the indelible character of the deep-rooted values of the Greek nation.”
In 2004, former President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, unveiled a bust of Costas in Nicosia close to Eleftheria Square.
Ancient Greece was the birthplace of philosophy and sport. Hellenistic philosophies attributed enormous importance on athletic prowess. These were the hallmarks of great leaders. For me, Costa Procopiou was a true leader. He was involved in business, academia, sport and community. He embodied all of the characteristics of someone who exercised their mind and body. This was always the picture I had of Costa and it was the immediate image that came to my mind when I received the phone call from Paul Sopikiotis (son-in-law of Costa) on Friday morning telling me of his father-in-law’s passing away. I witnessed all of these characteristics in my dealings with Costa.
I remember attending a community event some 5 years ago and as always, Costa was there in support. He was wearing a sports jacket, shirt, trousers and as I observed, he strangely was also wearing “running shoes.” I remarked to Costa, “that’s an interesting look, an unusual combination wearing the runners!!” Costa replied, “I am a tennis player and I had played a little earlier today.” I looked back at Costa and somewhat fancying my chances given Costa was in his 70s I said, “well then, I too play tennis, how about a game one day.” Without even blinking, Costa stared straight back into my eyes and with a cheeky smile replied, “I am ready whenever you are, you better come prepared.” That resolve and steely determination was enough for me to rethink that challenge.
In business, Costa had a keen eye in property and design. Aesthetics were important to him and he was a well regarded property investor and developer. Having acted for him and his family, I knew that he was astute but always fair.
Costa was a teacher for many years of our beautiful language.
However, where I knew Costa the most was in his “warrior approach” to the Cypriot cause. Before the rallies for the Cypriot cause each year in the city, he would ring me to make sure I would attend. Of course, I would always be there. Costa led from the front. It was his duty to fight for this just cause to see his beloved home freed. He carried this emotion and conviction deep in his heart
Costa was a warrior. Our community is and will always be indebted to him.
The latest expedition by divers to the wreck of the Mentor, which sank just off the island of Kythera in 1802, has recovered several new artefacts. This includes the ship’s rigging, coins, the leather sole of a shoe, a metal buckle, a token for playing cards, two chess pieces and fragments of cooking utensils.
When Mentor sank, the ship was carrying marble sculptures chipped from the badly damaged Parthenon in Athens — later known as the Parthenon Marbles. These spectacular sculptures — which depict Greek gods, heroes and animals — are now on display at the British Museum in London.
But according to marine archaeologist, Dimitris Kourkoumelis, of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities in Greece, these small objects recovered from the wreck reveal intriguing aspects of the lives of the people onboard the ship when it sank.
Divers on the latest archaeological expedition to the shipwreck of the Mentor, which sank in 1802 with valuable sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens on board. Image credit: Yiannis Issaris.
“The target is to understand how people were living and how life was onboard, not only for the passengers but also for the crew,” Kourkoumelis told Live Science.
“We’ve found gold coins from Utrecht in Holland, as well as from Spain, and also coins from the Ottoman Empire — so it was really a cosmopolitan group [of people] on the Mentor.”
Kourkoumelis has led diving expeditions to the wreck of the Mentor every summer since 2009, after the Greek government enacted legislation to protect the shipwreck and formally ordered state archaeologists to excavate it.
The Mentor managed to stay afloat until its crew and passengers scrambled onto the rocks at Kythera, but it sank quickly after that; much of the wooden hull is now surrounded by rocks. Image credit: V. Tsiairis.
The construction of the Mentor is very different from that of similar ships built in the Mediterranean, Kourkoumelis says.
“The American ships were built to travel in the open ocean and so they were much stronger — it’s very interesting to work on a ship like that,” he said.
The wooden vessel is now rotting away after more than 200 years under the waves, and only a few more years of excavations will be possible, he added.
The wreck of the Mentor is most famous for the statues from the Parthenon that it carried when it sank, but the Greek excavations have focused on recovering much smaller objects. Image credit: V. Tsiairis.
Besides the Parthenon Marbles, no more items from Elgin’s collection have ever been found. However, Kourkoumelis told Live Science that the wreck has yielded numerous other small objects over the years, including gold jewelry, ancient coins and Greek pottery that probably came from the private collections of some of the passengers onboard when it sank.
The most recent finds last year included two wooden chess pieces — another six pieces from the same set were found in previous years — and a metal token or coin that was probably used in a card game.
The artefacts recovered from the Mentor shipwreck by the Greek government excavations include several pieces of gold jewelry and gold coins, such as this Spanish coin from 1756. Image credit: Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities.
Archaeologists plan to scientifically examine all of the items, many of which will be displayed at the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Kourkoumelis said. The museum already displays about half of the Parthenon sculptures that remain, and it has space reserved for the remaining Parthenon Marbles if they are ever returned to Greece.
Turkish Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, has warned that the Greek people will “suffer the most damage” as a result of tensions that, he said, are being fueled by Athens and by recent moves from Greece to strengthen its armed forces.
He also reiterated Ankara’s allegations that Greek fighter jets harassed the Cesme hydrographic vessel last week.
“As you know, Greek fighter jets disturbed the Cesme, which is conducting scientific research. Of course, the appropriate response was given by our officials,” Akar said.
“I emphasise once more that this attitude has nothing to do with good neighborly relations.”
Akar also accused Athens of trying to turn Greek-Turkish disputes into a broader issue affecting Turkey’s relations with the European Union and the United States.
Referring to Ankara’s “Blue Homeland ” doctrine, which envisages Turkish influence over large swathes of the Mediterranean, he said “we have no aspirations for anyone’s rights, lands and waters.”
“But will not give up our rights. We are determined and able to defend our rights in the Blue Homeland, as well as in Cyprus,” he added.
In response, Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, told Parliament that Greece is not going to enter the process of responding to Turkey on every occasion. “Greece is confident,” he stressed.
At the same time, Turkish fighter jets conducted unauthorised overflights on Friday above the islets of Agathonissi, Panagia and Oinousses.
In general, Athens sees a pattern of behavior in the recent inflammatory rhetoric, the dispatch of the Cesme in the Aegean and Friday’s overflights. This is mainly due to Ankara’s insistence on expanding the agenda of exploratory contacts, which recently resumed between the two countries, to include a wide range of issues.
The next round of exploratory contacts is not expected before the completion of the naval exercises announced by Ankara until March 5.
