The Olympic Games kicked off its opening ceremony to a 110,000-seat stadium on September 15, 2000.
Sydney 2000 not only marked the turn of the millennium but the turn of several world records.
For this reason, the Greek Herald has a few key figures and statistics which capture the scale of what then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch called the “best games ever”.
A global Australia:
The Olympic Games remains fond in the hearts of the 45 thousand volunteers and more than 12 thousand performers who made it happen.
More than 10 thousand athletes – 140 from Greece – traveled to Australia from an unprecedented 199 countries and territories to compete in a record 28 sports.
More than 4.5 million fans passed through the gates at Sydney Olympic Park and billions more were watching on from the comfort of their own couches because, luckily enough for them, the Games had the largest press gathering and broadcast feed ever.
Precisely 3.7 billion people tuned in – a 20% increase from the previous Games – and stayed tuned in: the average Australian viewing exceeded 49 hours per person.
Sydney 2000 set a record 92.4% of available tickets sold by selling a total of 6.7 million tickets.
The Games even brought the unlikeliest of rivals together: North and South Korea who, together, marched under the flag of the Korean Peninsula in the opening ceremony.
Closer to home, the Games had a transformative impact on Australia’s Indigenous communities and no more so than when Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic cauldron and won the women’s 400 meters.
It earned Australia one of its 16 gold medals, along with its 25 silver and 17 bronze, and helped the country rank 4th in its Games.
Greece ranked 17th with 4 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze medals in tow.
Christos Tsiolkas has been named a finalist of the Melbourne Prize.
Tsiolkas is in the running for the $60,000 award alongside authors Jordie Albiston, Maxine Beneba Clarke, and Pi O.
The triennial prize awards “a Victorian author whose body of published work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life”.
Tsiolkas’ latest novel 7 1/2 will be published in November. It will succeed his acclaimed 2019 book Damascus.
Damascus won the fictional category of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award last year.
Tsiolkas is the author of nine published works, including The Slap, Barracuda, and Loaded.
The winners of the Melbourne Prize for Literature will be announced on 10 November.
Mayors from Sydney’s twelve COVID-19 hotspot local government areas met with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian over three split Zoom sessions.
Cumberland’s Steve Christou, Canterbury-Bankstown’s Khal Asfour, and Burwood’s John Faker attended one of the meetings on Tuesday.
The meetings were scheduled to discuss current restrictions and the vaccine rollout, in light of the state’s recently unveiled roadmap out of lockdown.
Cumberland mayor Steve Christou has been highly critical of his community’s restrictions and labeled the meeting a “PR stunt just paying us lip service”.
“I would warmly support any leader willing to take over who is more sympathetic to the plight of western Sydney residents because we should all be living under the same circumstances and constraints,” he said.
Mr. Christou says he told the Premier that his community was working-class and most could not work from home.
“The Premier got some long overdue realities of what’s happening out here and the harsh circumstances of what people are now experiencing,” he said.
“Our people are hurting, we’ve got families that are not going to recover, that can no longer afford to pay their mortgage, their rent, their bills or put food on the table for their children.”
“Many businesses are not going to reopen, come opening uptime – they’ve been devastated.”
Christou says if he was approached by a law firm over a possible legal challenge to the current lockdown orders, he would consider it.
Nineteen members of the US Congress have signed a joint letter to the UN to halt Turkey’s plans for the reopening of Varosha.
The US’ congressional caucus for Hellenic issues called on UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on Monday to “administer and prevent the resettlement” of the ghost town in Cyprus.
US Congress members have signed a joint letter against Turkey’s plans for Varosha (Courtesy: Shutterstock/Orhan Cam)
The letter urges the UN to “pursue the immediate and full implementation” of UN security resolutions and “examine sanctions against Turkish and Turkish Cypriot attempts to illegally and unilaterally reopen and resettle” the area.
Carolyn Maloney, Gus Bilirakis, and Chris Pappas spearheaded the letter on Monday.
Other signatories include New York representative Nicole Malliotakis, Maryland’s John Sarbanes, and Nevada’s Dina Titus, as well as 10 others.
“We echo the Biden Administration’s condemnation of the Turkish/Turkish-Cypriot provocations and illegal actions on Varosha…,” the letter reads.
“We join our Senate colleagues in calling for multilateral sanctions given this violation of UN security council resolutions and defiance of the international community.”
In June, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a ‘two-state solution’ in Cyprus.
Erdogan is persisting with plans to reopen the town in Famagusta for the first time since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
Greece’s Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Board (AAIASB) say they are investigating the cause of the crash which killed a witness in the pending corruption trial of Israel’s former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The plane crashed near Samos Airport (Photo via C Aviation)
“We recovered two bodies from the spot,” a coast guard official told Reuters yesterday. “The aircraft crashed about a mile south from [Samos] airport,” a second official said.
“Shortly before landing, communication with the control tower on Samos was lost and the Civil Aviation Authority informed the search and rescue center about the loss of communication,” the AAIASB says in a statement.
Haim Geron was a former senior official at Israel’s ministry of communications and was one of more than 300 witnesses listed in the trial.
Geron was on board with his wife when the Cessna 182 took off from Haifa and crashed near Samos airport.
Witnesses on the island interviewed by local news media said the crash occurred as the plane made an unsuccessful approach to land at Aristarchos International Airport.
Mr. Netanyahu is Israel’s opposition leader and is under trial for allegedly accepting gifts from wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the claims.
Israeli authorities have officially identified the victims and are working to return the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Geron.
When you ask Nick Gnafakis what’s needed for the perfect spring garden filled with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, he says: ‘love, patience and dedication.’ How would he know the answer? As the owner of Niko’s Garden, he knows a thing or two about gardening.
“I love it. A lot of my garden is based around food. I only grow what I like to eat or drink… I really have a passion for authentic Greek cooking and the self-sufficient lifestyle, living off the land,” Nick, who is also a full-time chef, tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
This passion for gardening and cooking all started when Nick first visited Greece and the island of Crete, where his dad’s side of the family is from.
Nick with his uncle and auntie in Greece.
Cretan dittany.
“Going to Greece for the first time kind of changed my life. I was spending time in the horio with my uncles and aunties, and they were showing me the food. This was before I became a chef as well. My life took a real big U-turn at that point,” the 25-year-old says.
Nick ended up completing his cooking apprenticeship and started his own herb and vegetable garden in the backyard of his home in Melbourne. He later decided to launch his small business, Niko’s Garden, and he’s never looked back.
“I was over at my pappou’s house one day and I was looking at all these herbs and I didn’t really take note of them after all these years. But you know, once I started working in the kitchen, I started seeing some familiar herbs and some that were not so familiar,” Nick explains.
Other herbs by Niko’s Garden
“So I was like, ‘Why not grow my own herbs? Why am I paying five bucks to get old dead herbs… when I can just grow them all?’ [My pappou] had all this beautiful Cretan stuff as well so I just started planting all this stuff. It started with herbs then I got into teas. I just started discovering all these different mountain and village herbs, all the delicacies from Crete.
“I was occasionally selling some extra things on [Facebook] Marketplace because I had so much I kind of took over my dad’s garden. But yeah, I’ve always thought about [starting a business] but didn’t do it officially until we had our first lockdown. I had no excuse so I thought, ‘I’m just going to start a private business and start sharing the love’.”
And that’s exactly what he’s been doing ever since. Niko’s Garden is so successful that Nick now sells and distributes his unique range of Greek and Mediterranean mountain herbs, medicinal teas and heirloom vegetables to customers across Melbourne and Australia.
“I have some of the most amazing herbs and teas that don’t exist anywhere. That’s really the main thing. I’ve got all these beauties in my garden and I’m one of the only people in Melbourne who actually gets to enjoy it,” Nick says.
“I want to share the vegetables and the mountain herbs with other passionate people like me… and it makes me happy. It makes me happy to see other people enjoying it because I know how beautiful they are.”
Tomatoes from Niko’s Garden.
This clear pride for his garden and products is something Nick hopes will inspire others to get into the garden this spring as well.
“Just do it. Everyone should be growing all the stuff I have. A lot of it is just stuff you should have in your garden like your summer vegetables, your cooking herbs. They’re perennial. They’re going to stay there with you forever,” Nick says.
“Times like these remind us why it is so important to live life self-sufficiently and from the land.”
You can purchase some herbs or veggies from Niko’s Garden at nikosgarden.com.au.
From jumping castles to races and face painting, the Kids Festival at the Greek Orthodox School of Darwin in Nightcliff brought a smile to the faces of everyone in attendance.
The festival was launched six years ago to help raise funds for upgrading the school premises and operational costs.
All photos supplied.
This year’s event exceeded expectations with over 600 people in attendance showing their support, including the Member for Nightcliff, Natasha Fyles, the Darwin Lord Mayor, Con Kon Vatskalis, and the Mayor of Palmerston, Athina Pascoe-Bell.
Activities were based on aged brackets, meaning there was something for everyone, and at the end of the day, school children came out and gave Greek dancing performances to loud applause. Delicious food was also served on the day.
“We were pleased with the turnout. It was a fun day for everyone. There was lots of music, dancing and laughing and everyone made the most of the event,” President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia (GOCNA), Nicholas Poniris, tells The Greek Herald.
“The Greek School committee led by Michael Koulianos and the Greek School community did a fantastic job.”
The generosity of the South Australian community is once again on display after more than $30,000 was raised to support the purchase of medical equipment for the Aglaia Kyriakou Childrens Hospital as part of the Australian Hellenic Medical Charity Inc (AHMCI) Gala Night.
The event, held on Friday September 10, at the Adelaide Pavilion began with the necessary introductions from journalist Matthew Pantelis who served as the MC for the evening and was attended by 190 guests and dignitaries including South Australia’s Chief Justice and Patron of AHMCI Chris Kourakis, Commissioner for Mental Health John Mannion and Priest of the Community and Parish of St. George Thebarton, Fr. Diogenis Patsouris.
Photo (R): AHMCI President, Kostas Barkoukis with MC Matthew Pantelis
“I am surprised that Kosta and the Committee are continuing with the same enthusiasm they started some years ago,” the organisation’s Patron Chris Kourakis said in his speech.
“Our work is very important…one day our children, grandchildren and their children will talk about the time when a few Greeks of the diaspora took on this task to keep the Greek spirit in Adelaide alive.”
Since its beginnings in 2017, the charity has contributed more than $400,000 in support of hospitals across Greece with constrained budgets and in need of assistance.
“We would like to thank the people of SA for supporting this wonderful charity. It was a difficult event given the circumstances;” AHMCI President, Kostas Barkoukis, said.
“The foundation is honoured that we will be purchasing an endoscopy unit from local Australian suppliers, providing growth for the healthcare sector in SA and sending the medical products to the Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s hospital that relies on donations.”
“Thank you to our major sponsors and the board members. More specifically, to Vice President Connie Zisos for her crucial business strategies, Prof Andrea Evdokiou and Dr Andrew Zisos for their medical advice. To Tim Stivahtaris for offering his medical product knowledge and logistics, patron Chris Kourakis and Lukasz for their legal expertise and Despina Pastrikos who is our Treasurer and Financial Controller.”
The Panagiotis and Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s Hospital is the second biggest paediatric hospital in Greece and along with the Athens Paediatric Hospital ‘Agia Sofia’ it covers the needs of the paediatric population of the whole country.
*The AHMCI board consists of the following members: Hon. Christo Kourakis (Patron), Kosta Barkoukis (President), Connie Loutas Zisos (Vice President), Lukasz Wyszynski (Secretary), Despina Pastrikos (Treasurer and Financial Controller), Prof. Andreas Evdokiou (Senior Medical Advisor), Sotos Philis (Senior Board Member), George Apostolou, Dr. Andrew Zisos, Tim Stivahtaris, Phillip Limberis.
St John’s College students in Prep to Year 12 are banding together to write an original song in support of Kids Helpline and World Children’s Day being celebrated on October 27.
The project aims to bring awareness to mental health issues amongst students across Australia during the current pandemic. The project will also highlight the Kids Helpline service.
Within Victoria and across Australia, student mental health and wellbeing is being severely negatively impacted by the pandemic lockdown.
St John’s College students participating in RUOK? Day activities.
The St John’s College students will be launching an original song with encouraging, supportive and caring words for students all over Australia who may not be feeling ok.
Students wrote the song in recognition of RUOK? Day on September 9. The school’s Performing Arts Coordinator, Ms Shanti Pradhan, and our piano teacher, Mr Huw Gregory, provided the original music.
The song will be performed by students, teachers, family members and even pets. It will be recorded remotely and then launched on World Children’s Day Australia on October 27, 2021.
With increased levels of student stress, anxiety and depression, this song allows St John’s College students to give a message of love and support to other young Australians.
According to the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Services, “music therapy can be effective in meeting the diverse psycho-social needs of children through song writing and improvisation.”
“[Music therapy] can offer opportunities for self-expression and communication. It can also help children identify their strengths, enabling them to maintain a sense of self-esteem and dignity.”
St John’s College is a Prep to Year 12 Independent, Co-educational, Christian Orthodox School in the Northern Suburbs (Preston) of Melbourne.
Fully vaccinated adults in non-local government areas of concern were allowed to undertake outdoor recreation in groups of five within their LGA or a five-kilometre radius on Monday after a slight easing of restrictions.
This easing, which came after the state hit 70 percent first dose coverage, was taken advantage of across these LGA’s despite the bad weather.
But in places such as Cumberland Council and Canterbury-Bankstown Council, the same gatherings are still forbidden.
People enjoyed picnics yesterday. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer.
Fully vaccinated adults in the LGAs of concern also received minor concessions for outdoor recreation, but with far less flexibility than the rest of Sydney. They can only do two hours a day and can’t include people from other households.
In response, Cumberland Council Mayor, Steve Christou, said the minor change to allow two-hour family picnics in his community is “no concession at all” and the inequity in the rules across Sydney is unfair.
“We’re having a hard time as a constituency trying to figure out why. Why are we under such harsh measures when another part of Sydney is not?” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Mayor Steve Christou has slammed the inconsistent lockdown rules.
Cr Christou compared the thousands of people sunbaking at eastern suburbs beaches over the weekend with the heavy police presence in his community where PolAir helicopters constantly buzz overhead.
“Everyone I know who’s pro-lockdown are the ones who haven’t suffered real hardship. They’re still receiving income. Unless you really go without, you don’t know what it means to go through lockdown,” he concluded.
