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Victoria’s Greek community overjoyed as Fairfield Amphitheatre receives heritage listing

Andriana Simos
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Victoria’s Greek community overjoyed as Fairfield Amphitheatre receives heritage listing

In some exciting news for Victoria’s Greek community, the Fairfield Amphitheatre will be placed on the Victorian Heritage Register after the Heritage Council determined the site had state-level cultural heritage significance.

This decision comes after months of hard work from local advocates, politicians, supporters and the wider Greek community, who petitioned the Heritage Council to stop Yarra City Council’s plan to redevelop the 480-seat, ancient Greek-style amphitheatre.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the Council planned to pull apart some of the amphitheatre’s adjoining pavilion to accommodate a bigger storage shed for the Ivanhoe and Northcote Canoe Club Yarra Paddlers.

But Victorians came out fighting and amongst those pushing for the heritage listing were Helen Madden from the Stork Theatre, who originally set up the amphitheatre, Kat Theophanous MP, Lee Tarlamis MP, Ged Kearney MP, the Greek Community of Melbourne and NUGAS, as well as many others.

A petition set up on change.org even received over 2,200 signatures.

In a Facebook post, Ms Theophanous said she’s so happy everyone pushed for the amphitheatre “to be recognised and preserved both for its history and multicultural significance, but also what it means for our creative industries to have this space to work and perform.”

“I’m so happy this spectacular cultural asset and celebration of our diverse and creative community in the inner north is being recognised, preserved and protected – may it thrive for generations to come,” she said.

The Fairfield Amphitheatre was built in 1985 on the banks of the Yarra River, after Ms Madden and the local Greek community worked with the then-Northcote Council to secure funding to design and construct it. The seats also use original bluestone from the streets of Northcote.

Since then, the amphitheatre has hosted hundreds of outdoor performances, including Greek-language plays and the first professional bilingual theatre event series in Australia. It also has the support of the Greek Ministry of Culture in Athens.

Australian Open: Sakkari dazzles, Kokkinakis and Kyrgios off to winning start in doubles

The Greek Herald
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Australian Open: Sakkari dazzles, Kokkinakis and Kyrgios off to winning start in doubles

Day 3 of the Australian Open in Melbourne was action packed with a number of Greek fan-favourites fighting for their place in the next round of the tournament.

Among those playing were Greek tennis sensation, Maria Sakkari, and Australian doubles team, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Elsewhere, at the Traralgon Junior International, Greek-Belgian Sofia Kostoula also won the singles title.

Here is The Greek Herald’s wrap up of their matches.

Maria Sakkari through to round three of the Australian Open:

Greek fifth seed, Maria Sakkari, defeated Zheng Qinwen 6-1 6-4 in the second round of the Australia Open, despite a late scare at Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday night. 

Zheng started an eventful first game with an ace. Of the 16 points, she hit three winners, forced five errors but also committed four unforced errors.

After Sakkari held from 30-all for 1-1, she took control. Two love holds sandwiched around a more complicated game gave Sakkari the set. 

Zheng took a medical timeout at the end of the first.

Sakkari needed to maintain her intensity and did so at 4-2, 15-30, ripping a backhand crosscourt. Up against it, Zheng stepped it up even more, her lasers giving her a break point at 3-5 — and converting — after saving three match points. 

Back on serve and with a game point, Sakkari responded by taking the last three points. 

“It felt much better than last match,” Sakkari said in a post-match interview, before thanking Greek fans for their support.

“It’s actually my home tournament… I know it sounds weird saying that, but I don’t have a tournament back home. It feels like I’m at home back here.

“We all know that Melbourne has a very large Greek community and I’m very pleased and grateful to have them behind me.”

Sakkari will now face 28th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the third round.

Kokkinakis and Kyrgios off to a winning start in Australian Open doubles:

Excited fans lined up to see Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in men’s doubles action at the Australian Open on Wednesday and the Aussie duo did not disappoint.

A capacity Court 3 crowd at Melbourne Park were treated to an entertaining first-round clash, as Kokkinakis and Kyrgios defeated fellow Australians Alex Bolt and James McCabe 6-4 6-2.

The Special Ks, as they are affectionately known, served 11 aces and conceded only six points across their nine service games.

Of course, in typical Kyrgios style, there were also plenty of laughs during the 71-minute encounter. For example, before the coin toss, chair umpire Alison Hughes was pressed on the four compatriots’ bicep benchmarks at the gym.

“Do you have any questions gentlemen?” Hughes asked.

“Who do you reckon does the biggest curls out of us here?” Kyrgios replied.

“Oh I’m not going into that,” Hughes laughed.

Kokkinakis and Kyrgios first teamed up at an Australian Open nine years ago in both the boys’ doubles and main draw doubles.

Later that year, the pair teamed up to win the boys’ doubles at Wimbledon and since rejoined forces for the 2015 and 2021 Australian Opens, the latter at which they won their first Grand Slam main draw match together.

“Playing with him is always an experience,” Kokkinakis said ahead of their first-round match on Wednesday.

The duo’s win set a second-round clash against top-seeded Croatians Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic.

Sofia Kostoula wins Traralgon Junior International singles tournament:

Sofia Kostoula.

Young Greek Bulgarian, Sofia Kostoula, won the singles title at the Traralgon Junior International tournament on Wednesday. The tournament is held in preparation for the Australian Open Junior competition.

In the final match, the 16-year-old prevailed over Canada’s Kalya Cross 6-4, 6-2.

Earlier in the week, Kostoula also eliminated Russia’s Diana Schnaider in the quarterfinals, No. 3 in the world ranking of juniors, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. It also took three sets in the semi-finals to beat Australian Taylah Preston 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

This win was Kostoula’s first ITF J1 title and the most important so far in her career.

Source: Australian Open.

Pfizer’s Greek CEO, Albert Bourla, wins $1 million Genesis Prize for vaccine development

Andriana Simos
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Pfizer’s Greek CEO, Albert Bourla, wins $1 million Genesis Prize for vaccine development

The Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, has been awarded the prestigious Genesis Prize 2022 for his efforts in leading the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The $1 million Genesis Prize is awarded by The Genesis Foundation each year to a person for their professional achievements, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values.

READ MORE: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla discusses journey to deliver COVID vaccine and investing in Greek youth.

In a statement, the Foundation’s selection committee said Bourla received the highest number of votes in a recent online campaign which saw over 200,000 people from 71 countries participate.

The committee commended Bourla “for his leadership, determination and especially for his willingness to assume great risks.”

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

“Unlike CEOs of most other major companies working on developing COVID-19 vaccines, Dr Bourla declined billions of dollars in US federal subsidies in order to avoid government bureaucracy and expedite development and production of the vaccine,” the statement said.

“As a result, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was ready in record time: months instead of years.”

Albert Bourla.

READ MORE: Pfizer’s Greek CEO, Albert Bourla, says third Covid vaccine dose likely needed within 12 months.

Bourla, who is the Greek-born son of Holocaust survivors, has asked that the money go toward preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, “with a particular emphasis on the tragedy suffered by the Greek Jewish community.”

“I did not set out to live a public life, and I never could have imagined that I might one day receive the profound honour of the Genesis Prize and stand alongside my extraordinary fellow nominees,” Bourla said after the announcement.

READ MORE: Pfizer opens hubs in Thessaloniki.

“I accept it humbly and on behalf of all my Pfizer colleagues who answered the urgent call of history these past two years and together bent the arc of our common destiny.”

Bourla joins a list of business leaders, artists and entertainers to win the prize. Last year’s winner was Hollywood mogul Steven Spielberg.

Source: The Times of Israel.

New Cypriot Foreign Minister pays first official visit to Greece to reaffirm strong relations

The Greek Herald
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New Cypriot Foreign Minister pays first official visit to Greece to reaffirm strong relations

The newly appointed Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides, met with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, on Wednesday in Athens.

In statements after the meeting, Kasoulides said he and Dendias had the opportunity to exchange views on a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue, addressing Turkish challenges, and the deepening of multilateral cooperation formations.

With regards to bilateral relations between Cyprus and Greece, Kasoulides said they were clear and unambiguous.

“Cyprus and Greece maintain an automatic coordination and consultation mechanism. Both on national issues and on issues on our European and regional agenda,” he said.

The pair also reviewed the prevailing situation in the turbulent geographical basin of the Eastern Mediterranean, “where Cyprus and Greece remain stable pillars of security and stability.”

The newly appointed Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides (right), met with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, on Wednesday in Athens.

“Our cooperation with other states in the region, starting with Egypt and Israel, has expanded and now extends to a very wide geographic spectrum,” the Greek Foreign Minister said about the geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that the 3+1 framework (Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States) is a milestone of multilateralism.

Dendias also assured Kasoulides of Greece’s support for the reunification of the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation, calling it a “fair and sustainable solution.”

After this meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, Kasoulides also met with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Mitsotakis congratulated Kasoulides on the assumption of his duties “after two previous, long and, by all accounts, successful terms.”

Kasoulides reprised his role as Cyprus’ foreign minister after Nikos Christodoulides resigned on January 11. Greece was his first official stop since taking office.

Source: Cyprus Mail.

‘Welcome home’: Greece receives first Rafale fighter jets from France

The Greek Herald
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‘Welcome home’: Greece receives first Rafale fighter jets from France

French-built fighter jets roared over the Acropolis on Wednesday as Greece races to modernise its military and flaunts new security alliances aimed at keeping neighbouring Turkey in check.

Six advanced Rafale jets, purchased from the French air force, flew in low formation over Athens before their official handover to the Greek armed forces at Tanagra Air Base.

French-built fighter jets roared over the Acropolis.

“These new warplanes make our air force one of the strongest in Europe and the Mediterranean, and seal the Greek-French defense agreement,” Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said at the ceremony.

Mitsotakis, who also announced tax breaks for members of the defence forces, police, coast guard and firefighters, said the Rafale deal was even contributing to Europe’s strategy for autonomy.

READ MORE: Greek parliament approves $3 billion purchase of French Rafale fighters.

Mitsotakis at the arrival ceremony. Photo: AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis.

The event was broadcast live on private and state-run television. Fire trucks greeted the aircraft with a water salute at the base, where the local Greek Orthodox bishop led a blessing ceremony. The message “Welcome home” was also beamed from the control tower.

The multirole combat aircraft with a distinctive triangle-shaped wing were the first major delivery to result from multi-billion euro defence deals the Greek and French governments sealed last year.

READ MORE: Greek armed forces mark delivery of the first of 18 French Rafale fighter jets.

Greece has earmarked nearly 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) to buy 18 Rafale jets, 12 from the French air force and six newly built by Paris-based military contractor Dassault.

Greece also plans to acquire six more Rafale jets at a later date and to spend an additional 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) to buy three new French-made frigates.

READ MORE: Greece to boost military with 18 French Rafale jets in 2021.

The French-built jets were also welcomed by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who posted a photograph on Twitter of their flight over downtown Athens from his office balcony, where he was joined by his new Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides.

French Prime Minister, Emmanuel Macron, also sent a message of congratulations to Mitsotakis on Twitter writing: “Thank you, dear Kyriakos, for this confidence in France and its jewel in the aeronautics industry, in the defence of Europe that we are in the process of building.”

Source: AP News.

Con Theocharous and Alex Khlentzos: How topping the HSC years ago impacted their lives

The Greek Herald
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Con Theocharous and Alex Khlentzos: How topping the HSC years ago impacted their lives

In a special feature by The Sydney Morning Herald, Con Theocharous and Alex Khlentzos both share how their lives were influenced many years ago when they received their Higher School Certificate (HSC) scores.

Mr Theocharous, a proud Cypriot Australian, graduated in 1981 from Sydney Grammar School with a top mark of 486. He finished in the top one percent of the state of New South Wales.

“It was a life-changing experience for us. We needed to work to make it, so it was elation,” Mr Theocharous tells SMH journalists, Natassia Chrysanthos and Monica Attia, about the moment he found out his results.

Con Theocharous and Alex Khlentzos topped the HSC years ago.

At the time, Mr Theocharous’ parents wanted him to become a teacher but he followed in his brother’s footsteps instead and studied a five-year medical course at the University of Sydney.

“I chose pathology as a career and I was very focused on that as well – internships, residences, five years of specialist training. And I’ve been in one job since then, at St George Hospital in Kogarah all along,” he said.

Twenty years later in 2001, Alex Khlentzos, a student from Armidale High School, came along and topped the state in two subjects – mathematics and biology.

Alex Khlentzos is now a GP in Dubbo.

Khlentzos remembers leafing through university guides to determine his next steps: he landed on a Bachelor of Science at the University of Queensland, majoring in drug design and development.

But after two years working at the university’s therapeutic research, he realised it wasn’t the right path and decided to study medicine at the University of Sydney instead.

These days he works as a GP in Dubbo and says it’s not a career but “a vocation or calling.”

“Having that chance to care for people who are incredibly valuable, I think that’s just wonderful,” Khlentzos concluded.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.

Professor Mattheos Santamouris awarded $570,000 for heat mitigation project

Andriana Simos
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Professor Mattheos Santamouris awarded $570,000 for heat mitigation project

Professor Mattheos (Mat) Santamouris from UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture has secured $570,000 in funding during the latest Discovery Project (DP) round from the Australian Research Council (ARC).

The funding will go towards his new project titled, ‘Fluorescent daytime radiative cooling for urban heat mitigation.’

The project aims to develop a fluorescent daytime radiative cooling technology suitable for the mitigation of urban overheating in the built environment and for the reduction of future cooling energy demands in buildings.

Professor Mattheos Santamouris.

Professor Santamouris’ project is one of 65 from UNSW to have received more than $27 million in funding from ARC, including one focused on systemic risk in insurance.

The ARC’s Discovery scheme aims to expand the knowledge base and research capacity in Australia and support research that will provide economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for the nation.

UNSW Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Sven Rogge, applauded the University’s academics on their research funding success.

Remembering Nick Polites OAM: A Melbourne jazz legend and champion of multiculturalism

The Greek Herald
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Remembering Nick Polites OAM: A Melbourne jazz legend and champion of multiculturalism

A champion of multiculturalism, advocate for migrant issues and Melbourne jazz legend – three perfect descriptors of Nick Polites OAM who recently died at the age of 95.

To mark his sad passing, The Greek Herald takes a look back at his incredible life and achievements.

Early Life:

Nick Polites’ father, Theodore, migrated from Lefkada to South Africa in 1898. In 1900, he came to Melbourne where he met Filia, an Asia Minor refugee, and married in 1924.

In 1927, Filia gave birth to Nick.

Nick finished school in Elwood and studied Commerce, Languages and Arts at Melbourne University. After graduation, he took the helm of the family business, a confectionary factory.

Nick Polites OAM.

Social work for the Greek community:

In 1971, Nick sold the family’s confectionary factory and moved on to migrant services. He became one of the founders of the Greek Australian Welfare Society, Pronia, and ended up being Director for 15 years.

When they were facing a shortage of Greek speaking social workers, he went back to university to get a degree in social work.

Legendary jazz musician:

In amongst his social work, Nick was also living a parallel life as a legendary jazz musician in Melbourne.

Nick was also a legendary jazz musician.

At just 19 years of age in 1946, Nick played his clarinet at the first ever Australian Jazz Convention, which is now the world’s longest-standing jazz festival.

Later, he also played with the biggest jazz bands in Melbourne, as well as with legends like George Lewis and Louis Armstrong.

Nick’s Legacy:

In 1981, Nick was awarded the Order of Australia Medal and the Spiro Stamoulis Lifetime Achievement Award 2020 by the Australian Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Nick remained active and creative until the last years of his life. He was still playing live jazz music until recently on a weekly basis.

Greek Australian students in NSW top the state in 2021 HSC rankings

Andriana Simos
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Greek Australian students in NSW top the state in 2021 HSC rankings

In a proud moment for the Greek community of New South Wales, seven Greek Australian students have come first in the state for their Higher School Certificate (HSC) subjects this year.

The students are:

– Diana Vlahos: First in Biology, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College.

– Mary Diamond: First in Music 1, St Spyridon College.

– Isander Mesimeris: First in Classical Greek Continuers and Classical Greek Extension, Sydney Grammar School.

– Kleopatra Calfas: First in Modern Greek Beginners, NSW School of Languages.

– George Papacosta: First in Modern Greek Beginners, NSW School of Languages.

– Styliani Koliris: First in Modern Greek Continuers, St Euphemia College.

– Konstantinos Zisopoulos: First in Modern Greek Extension, St Euphemia College.

NSW Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell, had to break the news to five of the students over the phone and one of them was Diana Vlahos.

“Her mum is a biology teacher, so I think she would be particularly proud of her daughter,” Ms Mitchell told The Sydney Morning Herald.

NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, also congratulated the students on their outstanding results, achieved despite two challenging years.

“To top the state in an HSC course is an incredible achievement at the best of times; to do so today highlights even more so the grit, dedication and talent of the students being recognised,” Mr Perrottet said.

Excluding language schools and outside tutors, 41 awards went to students at public schools and TAFEs, 17 went to students from Catholic systemic schools and 62 were awarded to students from independent schools.

About 76,000 HSC students who sat at least one exam in 2021 will receive their results by SMS, email and online from 6am tomorrow.

*Please Note: The above students are those The Greek Herald could identify by their Greek name. If you believe you should be on this list, please send an email to info@foreignlanguage.com.au.

Secretary General for Greeks Abroad congratulates Bill Papastergiadis for law firm distinction

The Greek Herald
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Secretary General for Greeks Abroad congratulates Bill Papastergiadis for law firm distinction

Greece’s Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, John Chrysoulakis, has sent his congratulations to the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis.

Congratulations were in order after Moray & Agnew Lawyers Melbourne, which is headed by Mr Papastergiadis, was ranked amongst the leading firms in this year’s Legal 500 Asia Pacific Directory.

Moray & Agnew was recognised as a leading firm in Asia Pacific and ranked from top 10 to top 25 in four major areas of practice – Construction, Insurance, Real Estate, and Labour and Employment.

“Warm congratulations to a great friend and the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, for the important distinction of his law firm…” Mr Chrysoulakis said in his statement.

Bill Papastergiadis.

“I am particularly happy because a leading Greek expatriate from Australia with a great work ethic, both in the professional arena and in the Greek community, received this high distinction. I wish him success always!”

For his part, at the time of the announcement last week, Mr Papastergiadis said he was “delighted that so many of our lawyers and practice groups have been applauded as the great lawyers they are.”

“This continued recognition firmly places our firm amongst Australia’s leading law firms. This is a fantastic achievement by our dedicated staff,” he said.

Legal 500 is a leading directory of law firms in over 150 global jurisdictions, and annually ranks law firms based on independent feedback from thousands of corporate counsel and other law firm clients.

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