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Fronditha Care: La Trobe’s proposal to terminate Greek Studies will impact aged care sector

The Greek Herald
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Fronditha Care: La Trobe’s proposal to terminate Greek Studies will impact aged care sector

In a written statement to La Trobe University, not-for-profit aged care provider, Fronditha Care, has expressed its disappointment at the university’s proposal to terminate the Modern Greek Studies Program.

The consultation period between the university and the community ends tomorrow on November 25. Tomorrow is also the last day to sign a petition set up by university students to save the program. So far, over 5,100 people have already signed.

It comes as no surprise then that the CEO of Fronditha Care, Michael Malakonas, and President, Professor Eugenia Pedagogos, have sent this letter to La Trobe, making the important point that “the decision to abolish the Modern Greek Studies program will have a negative impact on the aged care sector.”

READ MORE: Urgent meeting held to discuss future of Modern Greek Studies at La Trobe University.

“Significant verbal and written competence in the Greek language is central to our capacity to provide care to the elderly members of our community,” the letter states.

“The termination of this program has the potential to negatively impact the elders we care for, the language and cultural competence of our workforce, aged care in the CALD space and the social fabric of Victoria.”

The letter goes on to say that the continuation of the Modern Greek Studies program is crucial as it “facilitates the ability for elderly Australians of Greek background to live with dignity.”

“If our workforce lacked the ability to produce and use bilingual (Greek and English) communications, it could be detrimental to the quality of care the elderly members of our community receive,” Fronditha Care writes.

Full Statement from Fronditha Care:

This letter comes in the face of a meeting last Friday between representatives of the Greek community and La Trobe University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Dodds, the Head of the School of Humanities Professor, Simon Evans, and two other leading academics.

They met to discuss viable solutions for the continuation of the program but Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, told The Greek Herald on Monday that La Trobe expects “the number of students to triple for the program to be sustainable.”

READ MORE: ‘La Trobe Uni wants student numbers to triple’: Community races to save Greek Studies Program.

The Greek community, including teachers and students, are fighting to save the Greek Studies Program at La Trobe University.

In a statement to The Greek Herald on Monday afternoon, La Trobe University mentioned the meeting and said it would carefully consider “staff consultations” and “representations made from members of the community” before making any decision on the future of the program.

Full Statement from La Trobe University:

“La Trobe was pleased to meet with members of the Greek community in Victoria last Friday to discuss the change proposal and hear their concerns. It is clear there is a strong desire from members of the community for La Trobe’s Greek Studies program to continue.

We discussed the significant financial impacts to the University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, our subsequent Strategic Plan, and the fact that student demand for the program would need to increase substantially before the program could be financially viable. La Trobe will carefully consider the outcomes of staff consultation, as well as representations made from members of the community, regarding the future of the program before making any decision.“

Australians warned to be aware of ‘hidden asbestos risk’ in homes built before 1990

The Greek Herald
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Australians warned to be aware of ‘hidden asbestos risk’ in homes built before 1990

It’s National Asbestos Awareness Week 2020 and people across Australia, including Greek Australians, are being reminded to be asbestos aware before they start any work around their home.

Especially if their home is built or renovated before 1990 as there’s a good chance it has some asbestos, according to the Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen and inhaling asbestos fibres can cause a number of life-threatening diseases including pleural disease, asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos-related diseases cause approximately 4,000 deaths a year.

Despite this, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians have increased their love of DIY and are using the extra time to do home improvements and maintenance.

Shows such as Channel 9’s The Block, which featured Greek and Cypriot contestants this year, have also inspired people to make remarkable changes to their homes in short time frames.

READ MORE: Notorious buyer behind the big wins for Greek and Cypriot contestants on The Block.

But what they may not know is that this work could be putting their health or someone else’s health at risk. Asbestos materials are still commonly found in bathrooms, laundries, and kitchens as well as behind tiles and under flooring.

As the saying for National Asbestos Awareness Week 2020 goes: Asbestos lurks in more places than you’d think.

“We are encouraging Australians to make sure an asbestos check forms part of their DIY checklist before they start their home improvements,” the President of the Asbestos Diseases Society of SA, Mr Peter Photakis, says.

“Research shows that 1 in 5 DIYers have encountered asbestos, but only half sought any kind of professional help to deal with it. Additionally, a third admitted to disposing of the asbestos improperly – including in their own household bin or in a neighbour’s bin.

“Just like plumbing and electrical work, asbestos removal – or jobs around the home that might uncover asbestos – is a job best left to the experts.

“This Asbestos Awareness Week we are calling on Australians to know the health risk, be aware of where asbestos might be found before starting work, and call a professional for help.”

Serres man, 25, becomes youngest victim of COVID-19 in Greece

Andriana Simos
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Serres man, 25, becomes youngest victim of COVID-19 in Greece

A 25-year-old man, Thodoris Pavlidis, from Seres, a city in northern Greece, passed away after suffering with COVID-19 on Monday.

His tragic death makes him the youngest person to die from the virus in Greece since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pavlidis also suffered from pre-existing health conditions and he had recently undergone open heart surgery.

READ MORE: Greece under lockdown: Empty streets, police checks and COVID deaths at record high.

He was originally treated in the General Hospital of Serres, but was later transferred to Papanikolaou General Hospital in Thessaloniki, where he was intubated.

This tragic development reflects a disturbing shift in COVID-19 figures in Greece, as doctors claim that more young people with the virus are being admitted to hospitals and even dying from it.

Greece has seen daily COVID-19 deaths spiral to above 100 over the weekend, with 108 people dying on Saturday and another 103 on Sunday. On Monday, 84 people died and 1,388 new confirmed infections were recorded.

READ MORE: Army field hospital set up in Thessaloniki as Greece’s COVID deaths hit record high.

Mene Pangalos is behind AstraZeneca’s ‘highly effective’ COVID-19 vaccine

Andriana Simos
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Mene Pangalos is behind AstraZeneca’s ‘highly effective’ COVID-19 vaccine

A Greek scientist, Menelas (Mene) Pangalos, is the head of research and development at pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca which, together with Oxford University, has developed a COVID-19 vaccine with efficacy rates between 62 to 90 percent.

Specifically, researchers found that if people were given a half dose followed by a full dose of the vaccine, rather than two full doses, about 90 percent of people were protected.

Where two full doses were given at least one month apart, it showed 62 percent efficacy.

READ MORE: Australia to receive first batch of AstraZeneca’s vaccine for COVID-19 by New Year’s Day.

The combined average across different dosing regimes, which had a total of 11,636 trial participants, was 70 percent effective.

“We’re extremely excited because what the data has shown us is that the vaccine is clearly effective in terms of reducing infections,” Pangalos told BBC News on Monday.

“It’s clearly effective in terms of reducing people getting sick and going to the hospital. It’s potentially reducing transmission and I think it’s got every chance of being a very successful, very effective vaccine that can get us back to normal.”

Australia has a deal to begin manufacturing 30 million doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford’s vaccine over the next 12 months if it is approved by regulators.

AstraZeneca is the third major drug company to report late-stage results for its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer and Moderna last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing their vaccines were almost 95 percent effective.

READ MORE: Greek CEO of Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective.

But unlike rivals, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine does not have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures, making it far easier to distribute in developing countries.

“The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings,” AstraZeneca said in a statement.

No hospitalisations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in trial participants, the company said.

This good news comes as Qantas boss, Alan Joyce, confirmed that once the vaccine is widely available it will be a non-negotiable condition of flight on international services.

“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” Joyce said in an interview with Nine’s A Current Affair on Monday night.

“Certainly for international visitors coming out, and people leaving the country. We think that’s a necessity.”

READ MORE: Australian religious leaders raise “ethical concerns” about potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Who is Mene Pangalos:

Mene Pangalos was born in Ealing, London, to a Greek family who had settled in England. His mother was born on the island of Chios, while his father was descended from the island.

“My father was a sailor. My mother was a housewife. There were no scientists in my family. If I followed my family tradition, I would become a ship engineer,” Pangalos says in an interview with thedoctor.com.

In the interview, Pangalos claims that he was not a very good student, but science was always something that interested him. 

“I have always had a passion for science and one of the things that fascinated me was the way the human brain works,” he says.

Mene Pangalos was born in Ealing, London, to a Greek family.

“No one in my family had been to university, but I was fortunate that both my parents were very supportive of me continuing my higher education.”

After graduating from Imperial College London, Pangalos completed a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University College London.

He later trained at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and worked for the global pharmaceutical industry, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen Belaxecm and Smith.

From 2003 to 2008, he oversaw the development of 20 experimental drugs in Wyeth, USA, and then spent two years at Pfizer before switching to AstraZeneca.

At AstraZeneca, Pangalos transformed the company’s culture, boosting the productivity of the research and development sector to bring more drugs to market.

How does he explain the great successes of his career?

“I was lucky and I took the opportunity when it came to me. I was not afraid to take risks, leave home and go to different countries and explore different opportunities,” he says in the interview.

Greece’s state injection of 120 million euros to prop up Aegean Airlines

Andriana Simos
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Greece’s state injection of 120 million euros to prop up Aegean Airlines

Greece will support Aegean Airlines with a capital injection of 120 million euros to help the iconic company come through the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Greek government announced on Monday.

The news drove the carrier’s shares 10% lower to 3.79 euros, later recovering to trade 8.7% lower.

Under the plan, the government would receive warrants in exchange for providing funds for the privately-owned Aegean Airlines, the government’s chief spokesman, Stelios Petsas, said during a press conference.

READ MORE: Aegean Airlines provides answers to thousands of disgruntled Greek Australians.

Aegean shareholders would also provide an additional 60 million euros.

In the longer term, the state would get its money back as air transport provided “the wings that bring tourists to the country,” Petsas said.

“With the warrants the state will get, when recovery comes, the price of the shares will increase, meaning the state will get money back when this coronavirus adventure is over.”

Petsas added the plan was being developed in a way to secure approval from European authorities that assess whether state aid is fair.

“The state support plan of the airline sets as an integral part, the capital increase of Aegean with the participation of its shareholders,” Petsas said.

“It is noted that the decision of the government is compatible with the European framework of state aid to companies and sectors affected by the pandemic, such as the aviation sector.”

The 120 million euros worth of financial support from the Greek government is still a much lower amount than the assistance, worth more than 32 billion euros, which other European aviation companies have received or are about to receive.

READ MORE: Greece sees 99% drop in travel revenue during April lockdown.

Turkey blames Greek Commander for searching cargo ship suspected of carrying weapons

The Greek Herald
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Turkey blames Greek Commander for searching cargo ship suspected of carrying weapons

Turkey prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission from carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship they suspected of taking weapons to Libya, both countries confirmed on Monday.

Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Rosaline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, the German Defense Ministry said.

The frigate was operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU’s Irini mission, which aims to stop arms reaching the warring factions in Libya.

“By the time the soldiers left the ship, they had not found anything suspicious,” a German defense ministry spokesman said.

Turkish security sources said the Rosalina-A was carrying various materials such as food and paint, and that the search team had violated international law by not waiting for permission from Turkey.

It said the soldiers had found nothing despite spending the entire night opening containers on the ship.

“Following the search that lasted until the early hours of the morning, the soldiers understood that there was nothing on the ship apart from humanitarian aid, foods such as biscuits, and paint materials, and left the ship,” a source said.

Confirming a report in the news magazine Der Spiegel, the German spokesman said the Hamburg had intercepted the Rosaline A about 200 km (125 miles) north of the Libyan city of Benghazi on Sunday night.

He said the Hamburg had followed standard procedure by waiting four hours for approval from the flag country and then boarding. Later, once the objection arrived, they withdrew.

“All procedures were followed correctly,” a German foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

The 16,000-tonne container ship left the Turkish port of Gemlik near Bursa last week, and was last seen off Athens, heading southwest towards Libya, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.

Turkey cries foul at German attempt to police Libya blockade:

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Italy and the European Union to protest what it calls “the illegal” interception of the Libya-bound Turkish vessel.

Operation Irini, a European Union military operation under the umbrella of the Common Security and Defense Policy, was launched on March 31, 2020 with the aim to enforce the United Nations arms embargo to Libya.

Currently the operation is under the command of a Greek officer. Captain Theodoros Mikropoulos officially assumed the position of Commander at Sea for the second half of 2020. The commander’s ship is the frigate “Adrias,” while his naval staff is comprised of 14 Greek staff officers, among others.

These are all facts which have been highlighted by the Turkish media.

“Provocation by the Greek commander in East Mediterranean,” writes one Turkish media outlet, TRThaber.

“Provocation by the Greek commander in East Mediterranean,” wrote one media outlet, TRThaber, claiming that the “order to the German frigate was given by the Greek Commander of the Irini mission.”

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hami Aksoy, also added his voice to the controversy yesterday, saying: “Operation Irini is a one-sided operation.”

“It is an operation that aims to punish the legitimate Libyan government and does not inspect arms supplies to the putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar, and is involved in arbitrary practices,” Aksoy said.

He also noted that the Turkish vessel’s captain cooperated with Operation Irini forces and shared extensive information about the vessel’s cargo and navigation, but faced a long inspection for hours despite their cooperation.

“All the staff was detained and the captain was held at gunpoint by soldiers during the inspection,” Aksoy said.

“We protest this act, which was carried out by force and without authorisation (and) retain the right to seek compensation.”

Source: Ekathimerini.

Eleven Greek researchers among the most influential in 2020

Andriana Simos
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Eleven Greek researchers among the most influential in 2020

Eleven Greek researchers have been named among the most highly cited scientists in the world, according to the 2020 list of ‘Highly Cited Researchers’ released by Clarivate Analytics.

More than 6,000 researchers – out of a total of 9 million around the globe – who have great influence in the fields of science and social science were selected for the 2020 list.

The results were based on the number of highly cited papers the scientists produced from January 2009 to December 2019.

According to the list, Greece’s top eleven researchers were (in no particular order):

  • Nicolas Apergis, Economics and Business, University of Piraeus.
  • George L. Daikos, Cross-field studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
  • Theodore Dalamagas, Cross-field studies, ATHENA Research and Innovation Centre.
  • Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos, Clinical Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
  • Gerasimos S. Filippatos, Clinical Medicine, University of Athens.
  • Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Cross-field studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
  • Artemis G. Hatzigeorgiou, Biology and Biochemistry, University of Thessaly.
  • George K. Karagiannidis, Computer Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
  • Dimitrios C. Rakopoulos, Engineering, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas.
  • Constantinos C. Stoumpos, Chemistry, University of Crete.
  • Aristeidis M. Tsatsakis, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Crete.

The biggest percentage of highly cited researchers belongs to the United States, but the number of researchers from China on the list has grown to an impressive 12 percent of the total.

‘La Trobe Uni wants student numbers to triple’: Community races to save Greek Studies Program

The Greek Herald
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‘La Trobe Uni wants student numbers to triple’: Community races to save Greek Studies Program

By Argyro Vourdoumpa and Andriana Simos.

More than 4,000 people have signed so far the online petition and numerous others, including federal and state politicians and the Archdiocese, have sent emails of support in an effort to keep the only Greek tertiary education program in Victoria alive, before the consultation period ends on Wednesday, November 25.

Last Friday, a Greek delegation consisting of representatives from the Greek community met with La Trobe University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Susan Dodds, the Head of the School of Humanities Professor Simon Evans and two other leading academics to discuss viable solutions for the continuation of the program.

READ MORE: Urgent meeting held to discuss future of Modern Greek Studies at La Trobe University.

Present were also the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Dimitrios Michalopoulos, and the deputy Consul who is in charge of education.

“We want to work diligently and sincerely with the university,” President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, tells The Greek Herald.

The program has seen an increase in student numbers the last past three years, from 28 in March 2018 to 48 in 2020, however these enrolments do not seem to be sufficient.

READ MORE: Modern Greek Studies at La Trobe University at risk of being discontinued.

“The university said that the number of students needs to triple for the program to be sustainable and it became apparent that its discontinuation is more about the strategic direction of the university itself,” Mr Papastergiadis says.

The committee requested an extension to the consultation period or an opportunity of two more years to “encourage more students to learn the language.”

The Greek community, including teachers and students, are fighting to save the Greek Studies Program at La Trobe University.

“They said they hear us loud and clear but no promises were made,” Papastergiadis said.

READ MORE: Archbishop Makarios urges La Trobe to reconsider intention to terminate Greek Studies Program.

In a statement to The Greek Herald this afternoon, La Trobe University wrote:

“La Trobe was pleased to meet with members of the Greek community in Victoria last Friday to discuss the change proposal and hear their concerns. It is clear there is a strong desire from members of the community for La Trobe’s Greek Studies program to continue.

We discussed the significant financial impacts to the University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, our subsequent Strategic Plan, and the fact that student demand for the program would need to increase substantially before the program could be financially viable. La Trobe will carefully consider the outcomes of staff consultation, as well as representations made from members of the community, regarding the future of the program before making any decision.“

READ MORE: Federal MPs express disappointment over La Trobe’s proposal to cut Greek Studies.

* You can sign the petition here to save Modern Greek Studies at La Trobe University.

How you can help save the Modern Greek Studies Program:

In addition to signing the petition, writing letters of support, making phone calls and using the hashtag on social media (#SaveModernGreekAtLaTrobe), teachers, students, parents and all community members are being asked to do the following:

1. Handwritten messages – All school-age students learning Greek are encouraged to submit handwritten answers with the message: “I would like to learn Greek at University because…”

Messages can be scanned or photographed and sent to mgta.vic@gmail.com. Make sure that the students’ messages remain anonymous as they will be presented to the University.

2. Video messages – All school-age students learning Greek are encouraged to create posters using phrases such as “Save Greek @ La Trobe” and video themselves explaining one or all of the following:

  • why Greek is important to them.
  • why they would want to study Greek at University.
  • what the closure of the program would mean for them.

Videos should be short in length and should range from 20-60 seconds per student. As the students will be visible in the video, parent/guardian consent will be required. Copy and paste the template below in an email to mgta.vic@gmail.com and fill out the appropriate sections.

I _________________________ give consent for my child ____________________________ to take part in the Save Greek @ La Trobe Video Message Campaign.

I understand that my child’s name will remain anonymous, but that their video will be presented to La Trobe University, the Mass Media and on Social Media in an effort to support and maintain the Modern Greek Studies program at the University.

  • Parents/Guardians, please make sure your child’s video is labelled with your child’s name.

3. Year 12 students – Promote enrolling in a Greek subject to your Year 12 students for when they begin university. Regardless of the university students study at, they are able to undertake Greek at La Trobe as part of their course. Increased enrolments in 2021 will strongly support our case.

4. Parents’ Associations – Please encourage your school’s parent associations to also send letters of support to the appropriate university team.

Overseas travel in early 2021 ‘challenging, not impossible,’ says Tourism Minister

Andriana Simos
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Overseas travel in early 2021 ‘challenging, not impossible,’ says Tourism Minister

Federal Tourism Minister, Simon Birmingham, says it’s not impossible that international travel could be back on the cards next year, but to do it in the first half of 2021 would be challenging.

Such travel will depend on the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines.

“Then of course the manufacturing rollout, distribution, uptake, all the other factors that come into how it is that a vaccine could change the way we look at things around this pandemic,” Senator Birmingham told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program.

“It’s not impossible… I think the first half may be challenging.”

READ MORE: Travel to Europe unlikely until 2022 but experts say low chance of catching COVID-19 on flights.

This statement was supported by Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, on Channel Nine’s Today show this morning, where he said international travel could be back on the cards as early as June.

“Our base plan is that we will probably get a significant amount of the international operation up in the next financial year, which is between July and June,” Mr Joyce said on the program.

“We always were assuming 50 percent of it. It is dependent on the vaccine but the news on the vaccine is looking really, really positive.”

READ MORE: Greece sees 99% drop in travel revenue during April lockdown.

Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, says international travel could be back on the cards as early as June. Photo: AAP Image/Joel Carrett.

The plans come as 17 flights are scheduled between Melbourne and Sydney today after NSW reopened its border to Victoria following a four-month closure.

“This was the second largest route in the world before COVID-19,” Joyce said. “Today, people who haven’t worked since March are going to be on an aircraft for the first time. This is really good for news for them.”

“We’re hoping that we get better news with the Queensland border at the end of this month and the Western Australian border as soon as possible, so we can get even more of those people back to work.”

Video conference to focus on how Greek Australians can invest in Greece

Andriana Simos
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0
Video conference to focus on how Greek Australians can invest in Greece

Dr Christos Dimas, Deputy Minister for Development and Investments in charge of Research and Technology in Greece, will take part in a special video conference to discuss how Greek Australians can invest in the fields of innovation and technology.

The conference, which is part of the ‘Greek Australian Dialogue Series,’ will be held on Monday, November 30, from 5pm to 6.30pm.

It is hosted on behalf of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Katia Gkikiza the Trade Commissioner (Australia) Office for Economic and Commercial Affairs, Consulate General of Greece in Sydney.

READ MORE: Greek Australian Dialogue Series continues with video conference featuring Haris Siampanis.

During the video conference, Dr Dimas will discuss the challenges faced by the research and innovation sector in Greece, as well as his vision for where he sees the sector going and how to ensure Greece plays a leading role in the innovation field within the Balkan neighbourhood.

Dr Dimas will also express his hope that Greece will play a leading role in innovation, with a clear aim of improving the Greek economy’s competitiveness and thus, achieve better results in the European Index of Innovation.

“Since the very first day we were elected to government, we knew there wouldn’t be a period of grace,” Dr Dimas, who is one of the youngest members of the Mitsotakis government cabinet, says in a statement prior to the video conference.

READ MORE: Greek Australian business leaders virtually gather to discuss overseas investment opportunities.

“For the first time, in the last 10 years, we have had a government with an absolute majority in Parliament and one that is committed to deep structural reforms. Our basic pursuit is to make every day better than the previous day and we want this to be reflected in the daily life of our fellow citizens.”

Following his presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask Dr Dimas a question in the Q&A session.

If you would like to attend the video conference, please email paul.nicolaou@australianchamber.com.au to secure your place. A Zoom link will be forwarded to you after you RSVP.

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