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Parthenon Marbles among artefacts being examined by British Museum’s new curator

The British Museum has hired a curator to delve into the history of its eight million objects, many of which were obtained during the colonial era. 

Historian Dr Isobel MacDonald is to lead the museum’s History of Collection research, by examining how objects have arrived in the museum since its foundation.

Several of the items in the museum’s collection are subject to claims, including the Parthenon Marbles, which were taken from Greece, the Benin Bronzes, the Rosetta Stone and the four-tonne Hoa Hakananai’a statue from Easter Island.

According to The Art Newspaper, although claims are being made for artefacts such as the Parthenon Marbles, the new curator has a wider brief to examine more general issues relating to the past acquisitions. 

The British Museum has hired a curator to delve into the history of its eight million objects.

A British Museum spokesperson said “it is not the purpose of this role to examine the specific histories of contested objects,” although the project “will cover areas of the collection that include contested objects.”

“This means it is likely that issues such as the role of the slave trade and empire…will be relevant to some of the research undertaken,” the spokesperson adds.

“The primary purpose is to carry out a high-level analysis of the history of the collection. It will look at the wider patterns of how different types of objects from different parts of the world entered the collection and place those in a broader historical context.”

Until last year, MacDonald was a teaching assistant in Art History at the University of Glasgow, following her doctorate there on William Burrell (1861-1958) as a collector.

She hopes that the British Museum project will “develop a different way to look at the history of such an important institution that will allow us to better understand how the collection came together.”

MacDonald’s research should provide important background—and her work will no doubt be closely monitored by claimants.

Timber shortage sees NSW housing industry on brink of collapse

Thousands of jobs are at risk in New South Wales if the state’s timber supply runs out as soon as April, as predicted by experts, because of the bushfires and the pandemic.

Some timber manufacturers are now calling for the resource to be freighted from interstate to NSW for processing, but said transportation costs meant the move wasn’t viable without government subsidies.

According to The Daily Telegraph, it’s understood NSW considered subsidising long-haul transport of timber, only for it to be deemed unviable due to the long-term supply challenge facing the industry.

Carpenters Spyros and Costa Theos, from Laconia Carpentry, at work in Randwick. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“People ask me, what are the alternatives? I explain, there are no alternatives,” Jon Kleinschmidtm CEO of Hyne Timber, which runs one of NSW’s largest timber mills at Tumbarumba, told The Daily Telegraph.

“This sawmill… needs logs to keep people in jobs and maintain the supply of Australian grown and manufactured timber for our construction sector.”

The high demand for homes, driven by the Federal Government’s Homebuilder incentives, is the biggest factor in NSW’s shortfall, according to the Australian Forest Products Association deputy CEO, Victor Violante.

And while worse is predicted, the bite is already being felt at ground-level by builders as they grapple with a shortage of supplies for residential construction.

Laconia Carpentry business owner John Theos, of Castle Hill, said his suppliers were already struggling to source enough timber and were often late.

”It’s hard to get the lengths you want, or the type of treated pine I normally use … deliveries are often days late now too,” Mr Theos, 55, told The Daily Telegraph.

“I’m buying pallets of loose timber from my supplier just so we can make frames, and I’m shuffling my jobs around a lot because I can’t complete them if I don’t have the pine for it.”

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

Melbourne cancels Greek Independence Day March this year

The Organising Committee for the Celebration of the Greek National Day in Victoria has officially announced the cancellation of the Greek Independence Day March for 2021.

The march was scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 21 at the Shrine of Remembrance in Victoria.

The Organising Committee said it was in the “unpleasant position” to cancel the march as it had been working hard to make this year’s 200th anniversary event perfect for Melbourne’s Greek community.

On Wednesday, January 27, the Committee held its first meeting for the year 2021. Reference was made to the community’s rich program to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the start of the Greek Revolution. The General Secretary, Antonis Tsourdalakis, congratulated and thanked the organisations, schools and parishes that showed interest in organising an anniversary event and declared their participation so that their event was included in the official program of Victoria for 2021, but also in the national program of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.

READ MORE: Victorian program for the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence Day released.

After referring to the program, Mr Tsourdalakis told the members of the Committee that due to the restrictive measures of the pandemic that still prevail in the state of Victoria and the measures imposed by the Guardians of the Shrine, they should be especially careful with the handling of this year’s parade.

The biggest problem the Committee had to deal with was the gathering of a large number of people. According to the regulations that prevail at this time, the Guardians of the Shrine informed Mr Tsourdalakis that only 500 people are allowed to gather and it is strictly forbidden to exceed that number, explaining that if this happens there will be consequences and sanctions to individuals, as well as the officials of the Organising Committee, which may include not allowing the march to be held in the future at the Shrine of Remembrance.

Many views were exchanged on the issue with all members agreeing that their priority was the safety of their fellow human beings, without endangering the wider Victorian society, but also securing the parade for the future. The members present unanimously agreed to cancel this year’s parade.

Mr Tsourdalakis closed the meeting by emphasising that the Greek community will have the opportunity to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek Revolution through a variety of anniversary ceremonies organised by expatriates and citizens. 

Although the parade will not take place for the second year in a row due for public health reasons, in Melbourne where the “heart” of Hellenism beats, the rest of the emblematic actions and events will continue in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Revolution of 1821 and the personalities who marked the liberation struggle.

Facebook to restrict sharing or viewing Australian and international news content

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Facebook will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.

The announcement comes in response to proposed new laws in Australia that would force tech companies to negotiate with media companies over how much to pay them for news content.

The move would also prevent people overseas from sharing Australian content on the social media site.

In a statement, Facebook said it had made the decision after being unable to find a “solution” in discussions with the Australian government.

“The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” William Easton, Facebook’s Australia and New Zealand managing director, said.

“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.

“Unfortunately, this means people and news organisations in Australia are now restricted from posting news links and sharing or viewing Australian and international news content on Facebook.”

The ban appears to have come into effect for at least some users, who are now unable to post links to Australian news articles on their Facebook pages.

The move comes a day after Nine and Seven West Media reportedly made multi-million-dollar deals with Google for use of content.

“We understand many will ask why the platforms may respond differently,” the Facebook statement says.

“The answer is because our platforms have fundamentally different relationships with news. Google Search is inextricably intertwined with news and publishers do not voluntarily provide their content.”

More to come.

Army called out in Greece to help repair widespread damage from snowstorm

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Greece called in the armed forces on Wednesday to help repair widespread damage caused by heavy snowfall in Athens.

The Athens snowstorm, described by authorities as the most severe in 20 years, blanketed the city and its ancient monuments on Tuesday and left parts of the capital without power and water.

Armed forces service members, including marines, used cranes and chainsaws to help fire crews clear hundreds of downed trees that damaged the electricity network and blocked roads.

Greece called in the armed forces on Wednesday to help repair widespread damage. Credit: The Greek Herald.

More than 800 fallen trees in greater Athens struck power lines, and hundreds more were reported in nearby areas including the island of Evia off the coast of the southeast mainland.

“The main challenge now is to restore the power supply to homes. This storm caused problems around the country,” Civil Protection chief, Nikos Hardalias, said.

“In Evia alone, 500 damaged electricity posts and pylons were replaced. The army and crews from civilian agencies worked through the night and are continuing to work now.”

Parts of Athens have been left without power and water.

Greek Migration Minister visits Kara Tepe camp after snowstorm:

Greek Migration and Asylum Minister, Notis Mitarakis, paid a late night visit to the Kara Tepe camp on the island of Lesvos at midnight on Tuesday.

The Minister inspected the living conditions of the approximately 7,000 asylum-seekers in the camp, where icy conditions prevailed, and “issued instructions for their improvement,” local media reported.

Emergency weather conditions have not created particular problems and are being addressed without disturbing the community’s normality,” Mitarakis posted on social media after his visit.

Mitarakis’ comments caused outrage amongst many NGO’s, with MSF Sea asking on Twitter: “Would you spend one night in any of these tents in sub 0°C temperatures @nmitarakis? Would you allow your children to do it?”

Source: AP News / Keep Talking Greek.

Stefanos Tsitsipas pulls off comeback of the tournament in epic clash with Rafael Nadal

‘Wow’ is the only word to describe the epic clash between tennis superstars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal tonight, with the Greek narrowly coming out on top 6-3 6-2 6-7 4-6 6-4.

Tsitsipas was back in yellow on the court tonight, still with no fans in the crowd, proving to be a hindrance to both players. Nadal last faced the Greek in the Australian Open in 2019, where he won in three straight sets.

Tsitsipas had a strong start to the match and showed from early on there would be no three-set shutdown. Almost pushing him to a break point, the Greek did well to capitalise on Nadal’s slower serve, only hitting 145km/hr during his service game.

Photo: Getty Images

Of course for either player, the match would be no easy road to victory. The Spaniard also threatened to break Tsitsipas multiple times during the first set, ultimately succeeding and bringing himself to a 5-3 lead. Nadal eventually went on to win the first set 6-3.

Despite a first set loss, Tsitsipas played well against the current World No. 2, who has had over 10 years of experience in the Australian Open.

Despite the Greek’s best efforts to come out strong after being a set down, the Spaniard was truly unstoppable. Nadal managed to get a break point in Tsitsipas’ first service game, securing an early set lead.

An incredible showman despite the crowd, Nadal delivered near-perfect cross-court shots that would force even Djokovic to sit down and hold his racquet in disbelief. Nadal claimed a second break point in the second set, breezing through to the third set.

Photo: Reuters

Set three saw a much closer competition between the two tennis professionals. Both players took their service games convincingly, with Tsitsipas finally bringing in his strong right arm serve.

Taking the game to a tie-breaker, both players struck hard and fierce, Tsitsipas finally looking for a lifeline to stay in this tournament. That lifeline thankfully came for the Greek, and while many people may have written him off, Tsitsipas persevered and came through to win the third set n the tie-breaker.

Tsitsipas entered the fourth set with the same passion he left the third. The Greek almost managed to take a break point in the first game, yet was held off by the Spaniard. From this point, the tide had certainly turned towards Tsitsipas’ favour. Almost every one of Nadal’s service games was challenged closely by Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas’ efforts finally came to fruition after the Greek managed to secure a break point before his final service game. The Greek expertly finished up the set 6-4 and pushed the match into a decider fifth set.

The fifth set really showed the competitive level of both players this tournament. World class from beginning end, regardless of the result.

But at the end of the day there can only be one winner, and this winner truly proved himself tonight.

Stefanos Tsitsipas took a break point on Nadal’s final service game, and despite Tsitsipas’ service hitting a deuce, the Greek took the set and match, marking an incredible comeback.

“I don’t know what happened after the third set,” Tsitsipas said after the match.

Dean Kotsianis plans to turn Yarraville mural into a ‘digital archive’ of local Greek history

It’s been almost a year in the making but a mural featuring Greek mythological gods and goddesses is finally on display at 24 Wembley Avenue in Yarraville, Melbourne.

The mastermind behind the project is Yarraville local, Dean Kotsianis. After receiving a council grant, Dean teamed up with a group of young Greek Australians from the Greek Youth Generator, as well as the Maria Stogiannis Pharmacy and street artist Resio, to make his dream a reality.

“I’ve always lived in Yarraville and my family used to own a small business and we’ve always been sort of plugged into the local Greek community. We always knew that historically there was Hellenism in the area, but I think that these days it’s a little bit forgotten,” Dean tells The Greek Herald.

The mural in progress on the side of Maria Stogiannis Pharmacy. Photos supplied.

“So the mural is important because it’s a locally driven project that is locally relevant. It shows that Yarraville does have a Greek history and we have a cool little gem in our pocket of suburbia now.”

And it’s definitely a ‘cool little gem.’ At first, people walking past are drawn to the vivid reds, greens and blues which are artistically splashed across the mural. But then their eyes are drawn to the figures of the Greek Goddess Thalia and the Greek Gods Dionysus and Hermes, and it becomes instantly clear that the mural has a deeper meaning.

The mural features the Greek Goddess Thalia and the Greek Gods Dionysus and Hermes. Photos supplied.

“We’ve used three figures that play on locally relevant stories relating to Yarraville’s Hellenism in the past. The first figure is the Goddess Thalia who is the goddess of theatre… and she celebrates the story of the Sun Theatre which is famous here in Yarraville, particularly when a Greek guy owned it in the 70’s,” Dean explains.

“In the middle, there’s Dionysus, the god of food and wine, and he celebrates the kafenios and tavernas that heavily populated Yarraville.

“And the last figure is Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods. The obvious link is that he represents the post office and pharmacy on which we’re painting. But he’s also the Protector of the Traveller… so he became a symbol for the migration story more broadly.”

With such strong symbolism in the mural, it’s no surprise that it’s already received raving reviews from the local community just a few weeks after it’s been on display. In fact, the feedback has been so positive that Dean says he’s hoping to collaborate with the local school to make the mural an ‘educational destination.’

“The mural is phase one of a potentially three phase project. We actually want to build a local digital archive of all the Greek history in the area, with testimonials, photos and videos, and make this all accessible through the wall via stickers and QR codes, which people can scan and engage with,” Dean says passionately.

An exciting future initiative which is sure to only add value to a mural which already captures the essence of the Greek Australian community of Yarraville perfectly.

Nick Bourdaniotis’ ‘Evzones Collection’ brought to life at national media launch

The culmination of Nick Bourdaniotis’ photographic work came to life on Tuesday night, during the national media launch of ‘The Evzones Collection’, held at St Spyridon hall in Sydney.

Nick Bourdaniotis, a renowned Greek Australian photographer became the official photographer of the Evzones tour of Australia in 2016, at the invitation of the Hellenic club of Sydney.

“This became the beginning of not only a passion, but an obsession with the illustrious and meticulous nature of the Greek presidential guard,” exhibition-launch host, Ilias Ikonomou, said.

The launch was the first of many events, in collaboration with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Greek Independence.

“It is fitting that the subject of this exhibition, the Evzones Collection, is the uniform of the Evzones, the elite ceremonial unit, known as the presidential guard of Greece,” said Ikonomou.

Photo: The Greek Herald

“The uniform worn by the Evzones is based on the clothing worn by men at arms and klephts during the Turkish occupation of Greece at the time of the Greek war of independence. Subsequently, it has become a symbol of the war of independence.”

Dignitaries present at the event included His Grace Bishop Emilianos Of Meloa, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Consul General of Greece in Sydney Christos Karras, representatives of the Kalymnian Association of NSW and Fr Steven Scoutas.

Attending on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, His Grace Bishop Emilianos Of Meloa, said that “the quality of the art is amazing. These pictures say more than a thousand words, but they also talk about emotions. They describe a certain second in time.”

“Every moment is different… every moment of our lives, as we can clearly see before us, is unique,” he said.

Also speaking at the launch, Consul General of Greece in Sydney Christos Karras said the exhibition offers people the opportunity to connect with modern Greek history and culture.

“The Evzones are well known for their distinctive uniform, which has a long history and is inextricably linked to Greece’s national identity,” Mr Karras said.

“The Evzones became a symbol of the war of independence. After 1821, their uniform was adapted as the offical national attire. The Evzones encompass Greece’s history, traditions and collective memory. All things that make Greece the ‘homeland’ and make Greeks proud of their heritage.”

The exhibition is a compilation of Nick’s best photos featuring the Evzones, telling their history and stories through thousands of small pixels.

Nick gave thanks to his family for their incredible guidance, along with George Karatonis, who he labelled as the “creative wizard” of the exhibition, for his amazing talent and dedication.

“The Evzones are an important part of Greece’s history, dating back 152 years. The most significant achievement was to shoot the Evzones behind the scenes. Taking photos of their daily lives, travelling on the bus while no one spoke, no one moved,” Nick Bourdaniotis said.

“Looking at the paintings around the room, you’re feeling the Evzones raising the Greek flag. I’m so happy I could share this with you, looking around the room tonight, and hope you can share the same feeling I felt.”

The Evzones Collection launches on Saturday the 20th of February and will be on display in Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane for the remainder of the year.

‘Unbelievable’: Greek takeaway shop owners left shocked after car crashes through fence

Greek takeaway shop owners Paraschos Tsantes and his wife Sofia Frangos-Tsantes were left shocked after a car careered into the restaurant carpark, smashing into several cars and taking down a fence.

Emergency services were called to the Barnacle Bill fish and chip shop on Anzac Highway at Plympton about 11:30pm on Tuesday. The driver, a 62-year-old woman, was taken to Flinders Medical Centre with minor injuries.

SA Police said she appeared “grossly intoxicated”, and said she had just left a nearby drive-through bottle shop when she allegedly hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

The car went through the fish and chip shop’s fence, “collided with the permanent outdoor dining furniture, through another fence and then hit two parked cars”, police said.

Photo: ABC Radio Adelaide: Spence Denny

CCTV footage provided by Paraschos Tsantes and his wife Sofia Frangos-Tsantes, who have owned and operated the Barnacle Bill outlet for 34 years, shows the airborne car slamming through the fence.

Speaking with ABC News, Mr Tsantes said he was “very upset” and likened the mess left by the incident to an “explosion”, saying it was “very lucky” no-one was killed.

“Lucky there were no customers because sometimes the customers sit on the outdoor tables,” he said.

He arrived at the store around midnight, after a phone call from police, and said the car had hit the fence as it “jumped” through the air.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. This is unbelievable,” Ms Frangos-Tsantes said.

In a statement, SA Police said a blood sample would be taken from the driver to determine her blood-alcohol content, and that she is “likely to face driving charges”.

Sourced By: ABC News

Pan Lesvian Federation of Australia and NZ says Turkey conflict bringing ‘easy gateway’ for refugees

An open letter has been issued by the Pan Lesvian Federation of Australia and NZ to all Hellenes and Philhellenes, claiming that the conflict with Turkey is bringing opportunity of an “easy gateway” into Europe through Lesvos.

In the joint letter by Honourable Secretary Andrew Tsounis and President Dimitri Barmakellis, the Pan Lesvian Federation of Australia and NZ said they expect refugees to treat their “next stepping stone” with respect.

See the full letter below:

Ongoing conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean and the opportunity of an easy gateway into Europe has made Lesvos a steppingstone for refugees fleeing war zones and poverty in East Africa.

The proximity of the Turkish coastline to Lesvos has through a throng of social media enticed a steady stream of refugees entering the inland in search of refuge. The local authorities of the island are overwhelmed.

The local residents were at first heartbroken in the light of the human suffering; however, this has turned to regret and disgust as the large number of refugees are taking advantage of the good nature of the residents.

Some 1.2 million refugees from war zones have crossed into Greece since 2015. Lesvos located in the eastern Aegean is only 12km to the Turkish coastline at its closest point and this has created an opportunity for many to take advantage of. The Turkish government has adopted an open-door policy to put pressure on the EU in its dealings with them. The Greek government has taken a host of steps in response to the Turkish Government’s decision, including deploying military and coast guard forces to the border, suspending asylum applications and vowing to deport those who enter the country illegally.

This however, is too little too late, “the horse has bolted”.

Some Greek residents, meanwhile, have taken matters into their own hands by forming civilian patrols aimed at stopping the flow of migrants. In Lesvos an interim makeshift camp designated for 3000 people has grown around the small town of Moria which recently housed up to 15,000 asylum seekers.

They are free to move about in the community with little restrictions. Lesvos is a holiday destination for many that live overseas, such as us here in Australia and many have family homes that we stay at during our time in Greece. Unfortunately, due to the global Covid 19 restrictions, tourism has disappeared from Lesvos for the time being.

These refugees, however, opportunist that they are, have taken to breaking into these properties and making themselves at home. The local police are at their stretching point.

Local politics and divisions between the two local municipalities need to be set aside for the good of the island.

Descendants of Lesvos now living in Australia have watched with distaste and disappointment as the events have been evolving on the island.

We as Australians cannot comprehend the ineffectiveness of the local and National authorities of Greece in processing the refugees to move them on to their next destination. But we are also amazed and angered at the reckless behaviors that some of these refugees have adopted, braking into homes, desecrating churches, and even cutting down olive many trees the symbol of Lesvos. In late January 2021, some hope was announced, it was revealed through local media channels that the Greek Government has secured 16 million Euro in funding to support the establishment and construction of facilities to house refugees whilst their applications were being processed.

The conditions surrounding this funding and the proposed type of construction is still unclear to the local communities that are directly impacted by the creation of purpose built facilities for fleeing refugees. What is known is that 6000 sqm near the town of Moria has been earmarked for this facility, again without consultation with the local residents and the municipal authorities.

It seems that the planning is in the advanced stage of design and construction. For the locals and those outside of Lesvos who have an attachment to Lesvos, it is hoped that the proposed centre is a transient facility, processing the refugee applications and then moving these people on to their next destination. In no way should it be a permanent or semi-permanent arrangement. The proposal to temporarily house refugees in purpose built temporary accommodation is a good move by the Government, however, this must be supported by efficient and timely processing of applications to help move people on to their next destination. Lesvos has had difficulty in accommodating, and will not be able to fully house the influx of refugees.

This announcement brings some hope to alleviate the problem of overcrowding, malicious damage, theft, and the constant fear the locals have in not knowing who is living amongst them. We, who reside far from the front line of Lesvos, watch the news as it trickles out of Lesvos. These events as they unfold and the uncertainty of the future outcomes, has seriously discouraged investment and support in the island economy by those Lesvians living overseas. Living in Australia, we have expectations as to how refugees are treated and managed with respect and dignity, however we also expect the refugees to treat their next stepping stone also with respect and appreciate the assistance of the local people and the government authorities of Greece.