The Ambassador of Australia to Greece, Arthur Spyrou, has sent an exclusive message to The Greek Herald to mark the 201st anniversary since the start of the Greek War of Independence.
In the message, Ambassador Spyrou honours the heroes of the Greek Revolution, congratulates the Greek community on their role in the development of Australia, and emphasises how in the current geopolitical situation Greece and Australia are again allies and on the same side of history.
The full message, as told to Nick Siriodis, is below.
“March 25 – the day on which National Polygenesis is celebrated. It is a day of celebration for Greeks and Philhellenes everywhere. It is also a special day of joy and pride for one of the most active and vibrant Greek communities in the world, the Greek community of Australia, which despite the distance maintains prosperous ties with the land of its ancestors.
Every year, numerous Greek Australian communities honour their ties to Greece with events across Australia. This may not have been possible over the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions but now all of us, the Greeks of Australia, hope that with the gradual return to normalcy we will be able to meet again and celebrate Greek National Day as it deserves to be celebrated.
The 201st anniversary of the Greek Revolution is an occasion to pay tribute to the prominent and lesser-known heroes of the war, to celebrate the impressive path the country has taken over the past two centuries, and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that Greece can seize in the future. At the same time, it is an occasion for Greek Australians to celebrate their strong ties with Greece and to reflect on the ways they can strengthen them for the benefit of both countries.
Ambassador Spyrou.
The Greek community has made a decisive contribution to the progress of the Australian nation, contributing to the full range of social, economic, political and cultural activity and participating in shaping the multicultural character of society. It is also a traditional bridge between Greece and Australia and has proven to play a key role in expanding and enhancing bilateral cooperation by promoting synergies in the fields of culture, education, sport, trade and investment.
Finally, the anniversary of 1821 is an occasion to reflect on the common values that unite Australia and Greece, the unwavering belief of both countries in the values of democracy, the rule of law, respect for international law and, especially in the current context, in the supreme good of freedom. At major historical crossroads, Australia and Greece have found allies and rivals.
We are bound by bonds that were forged through common struggles on the battlefields and in the current geopolitical situation, Australia and Greece are again allies on the same side of history. At this historic crossroads, let us reflect again on the value of freedom and the hard, daily struggles it requires to conquer and protect its essence.”
The Environment Ministry announced a number of special terms and building restrictions that will be enforced around the immediate suburbs that surround the Acropolis in an effort to protect the wider area from illegal construction.
According to the approved draft, construction in the wider Makrygianni-Koukaki area at the base of the Acropolis can only be approved and carried out within the parameters of three zones, with heights ranging from 17.5 metres to 24 metres maximum.
The ministry said the aim of these new terms and restrictions is to preserve the area around the Acropolis and showcase it through ‘transparent legal framework.’
There has been a public outcry for these restrictions or terms to come into place after a 10-story hotel almost was being built within the archaeological site of the Acropolis, if permitted to continue it would have completely blocked the view of the heritage listed site.
The issue prompted investigation from the environment and culture ministries to ensure that any gaps in zoning laws are corrected and provisions are put in place to allow intervention in order to preserve the integrity of the Acropolis site.
Deputy Environment Minister, Nikos Tagaras told the Athens News Agency, this draft opens up the way for investments that are greatly needed within the area and opens up development potential for the future.
“It was our responsibility to protect the Acropolis and at the same time to highlight and preserve the special urban, aesthetic, historical and architectural character of the area by clearly defining the building terms,” Tagaras said.
Federal Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese, has sent a joyful message of celebration to the Greek community of Australia to mark Greek Independence Day on March 25.
In his message, Mr Albanese stressed the strong connection between Greece and Australia and said “it’s something we take great pride in as Australians.”
The imposition of fines was first introduced in November 2021 to encourage vaccination among senior citizens, who were the most at risk of hospitalisation and serious complications after contracting the virus.
Greece’s Alternate Health Minister, Mina Gaga, announced the news on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed his gratitude to Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, for his willingness to lead a humanitarian mission to the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol once permission is granted by both Ukraine and the invading Russians.
“He is the first European official who has decided to support the work of the humanitarian corridors to Mariupol, in order to save our people in the city and transport humanitarian aid, which is very important for everyone there,” Zelenskyy said during a speech in the Italian parliament on Tuesday.
During my visit to🇮🇳, I received a phone call from my friend, Minister of Foreign Affairs of 🇺🇦, Mr. @DmytroKuleba. He was kind enough to call me so as to convey the gratitude of his government, of President @ZelenskyyUa, for 🇬🇷's effort to deliver humanitarian aid to #Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/G3keCTNhVr
Dendias announced his intention to lead a humanitarian mission to Mariupol on Tuesday and said he had already sent an official notice to the Ukrainian side to facilitate the mission’s passage.
“I plan to escort this assistance myself, in coordination with the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, with whom we are already in contact,” Dendias said at the time.
Dendias said that Greece’s priority was to protect unarmed civilians and ethnic Greeks living in Mariupol.
Ukrainian, Greek FMs agree on tighter sanctions against Russia:
This comes as Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said on Wednesday he had agreed with Dendias that “sanctions on Russia must be further elevated.”
In our call, Greek FM @NikosDendias and I agreed that sanctions on Russia must be further elevated. Russia must pay the price for its ongoing war against Ukraine. Grateful to Nikos Dendias for his personal efforts to provide Mariupol and its Greek community with humanitarian aid.
The two leaders spoke over the phone about the tougher sanctions, with Kuleba later writing on Twitter that “Russia must pay the price for its ongoing war against Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also expressed his gratitude to Dendias for “his personal efforts to provide Mariupol and its Greek community with humanitarian aid.”
According to Ekathimerini, the European Union has also agreed to move towards the joint purchase of natural gas to avoid another energy crisis tied to its dependency on Russian energy.
The 27-nation bloc acknowledges it has been far too reliant on Russia for natural gas and oil and has been struggling to find the right mix of sanctions to punish the Kremlin for invading Ukraine while still requiring Russian fossil fuels.
With energy prices high and supplies low, the EU is looking at its last crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic – as a blueprint. The member states joined up to buy vaccines in huge quantities for an equitable distribution.
“I expect that this would be the approach which should be also endorsed by the heads of states and government,” EU Commission Vice President, Maros Sefcovic, said during a two-day EU summit.
After events celebrating the Bicentenary of Greece’s Independence were marred last year due to COVID-19, there was a spirit of euphoria at the Hellenic Museum on Wednesday. The event, held by the Greek Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne, ahead of the 25 March celebration of Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman Turks did not fail to deliver – especially when Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews took the stand.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews spoke of the offerings of the Greeks to Victoria and announced the coming of the Evzones to Melbourne from April 21-29 for Anzac Day following an agreement with Greece’s National Guard. He reminded those present of the efforts former health minister Jenny Mikakos had made to bring a display from Greece’s prestigious National Archaeological Museum to Melburnians, which will finally come to fruition at the Melbourne Museum in April. He invited people to visit Open Horizons: Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections.
Hellenic Museum CEO Sarah Craig spoke of the museum’s goal to promote the “Hellenic story in its many forms, presenting its history from the ancient to the contemporary and sharing it with the diverse audience”.
There was plenty of diversity squeezed into the auditorium. Greek Consul General to Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis was joined by members of other consulates from Lebanon, the Czech Republic, the Arabic Republic of Egypt, Italy, Romania and the United States.
Multicultural Minister Ros Spence was present along with Greek MPs, including Steve Dimopoulos, Lee Tarlamis and Kath Theophanous. Premier Andrews joked that Victoria’s treasurer Tim Pallas, also present, was also 1/8 Greek. Other eminent guests included Peter Khalil and Victoria’s Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick, representing Matthew Guy.
Greek leaders and representatives of community organisations were also present among the guests, including Greek Community of Melbourne President Bill Papastergiadis and Tony Tsourdalakis, head of the Organising Committee for the Celebration of the National Anniversary.
The exhibition-tribute to the revolution of 1821, presented for the first time in Australia by St Basil’s in collaboration with the War Museum of Greece, is proving to be a huge success, receiving rave comments and visiting traffic skyrocketing.
The rare exhibition is hosted at Sydney’s historic Town Hall and along with artworks from the Greek Revolution of 1821, from the War Museum of Greece, it also presents traditional Greek costumes from the impressive collection “Heroes of metal” by internationally renowned sculptor Nikos Floros.
The exhibition is presented for the first time in Australia and has the primary purpose of glorifying the ideal of freedom, which is so afflicted nowadays.
We visited the exhibition and had the opportunity to talk with Captain Nikolaos Roussos, who serves at the War Museum of Athens. He has studied museology and art conservation and his specialty is curator of museum collections.
“In principle I would like to thank all the operators involved for bringing this exhibition to faraway Australia. I am very happy because I have not yet realised that I am out of Greece, even though I have been in Australia for 10 days. The hospitality is so warm here and the exhibition has been embraced by Greeks and Australians”, says Captain N. Roussos.
“We started together with St Basils with the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop of Australia Mr. Makarios. Together with Mr. George Koromvokis we prepared this Exhibition. We also collaborated with the Greek sculptor Nikos Floros, who has brought us his creations that have been made from tins of soft drinks and we have brought exhibits that come from the Athens War Museum. In short, they were removed from the museum grounds, packed and transported to Sydney for the first time. It is also the first time that they go outside the War Museum outside Europe,” he stressed.
Captain Nikolaos Roussos, Photo: The Greek Herald
We asked him how easy or difficult it was to transport all these exhibits to Sydney.
“Because it was the first time and with the restrictions due to Covid, it was quite difficult to transport the exhibits. But the final result makes us happy because we managed to bring these objects here, and people come to admire them.
“I cannot describe my feelings when I see elderly people crying when we show them around the exhibition, telling us their own stories and spontaneously declaring: “you have finally come here to tell us a few words about our history.”
“I tell them that we have not forgotten them, and that with this exhibition we awake a lot of memories,” said Captain Roussos.
E.K.: The Exhibition has been open for a few days. What was the response of our community.
“The exhibition has been visited so far by more than a thousand people, although it was opened only a few days ago. I notice that visitors love it, even Australians who do not know Greek history, however they come and are interested to know what this occupation from the Ottoman Empire was, and ask how many years it lasted. In fact, when we tell them that the occupation lasted 400 years, they express their admiration and say, “have you endured so many years and been able to be liberated after four centuries?”
“I tell them: “We had faith in God. Those who fought gave what fortunes they had with the sole aim of liberating our homeland”.
E.K.: How important is this Exhibition for the 2nd and 3rd generation of Greek Australians?
“I think it is very important because the 1st generation has given something to the 2nd. The 2nd to 3rd slowly began to dwindle. But it is very important because we awake memories of Greece, we tell them who our ancestors were, we show them what our ancestors did for us, something similar that those who are here in Australia do for Greece. Many of them are great benefactors who have offered much to Greece, just like the Philhellenes in those years.
“The Philhellenes when they saw the Greeks rebelling and doing something good for the interest of their country, recognized that they should be helped. From that point on, English, French, Russians, Spaniards, etc. followed their example. who rushed to provide a helping hand to Greece.
“In a way this is also the case today with expats. They see Greece facing some economic hardship, having some trouble from earthquakes or fires. Diaspora is always on the side of Greece”.
E.K.: The International Artist Nikos Floros had stated: “in today’s critical era, we all join together in order to have the best result for our homeland, having the belief that the promotion of our country through artistic events of high prestige and international scope is a solid strategy that can bring multiple benefits, at a political, cultural and economic level”. How do you comment on this statement of the internationally renowned artist;
“My comment is that where the Greeks are united they achieve a lot. The bad thing is that when we achieve a lot and reach the maximum, that’s where we start to have a problem, with everyone trying to take the initiative.
“In this exhibition we proved that a Greek sculptor together with a large Museum- The War Museum of Athens-, we managed to join forces and bring many exhibits to Australia to stimulate the morale of the diaspora, to show the expatriates how much we love them and in their way they – when they come here – show us how much they love us and that they have not forgotten us”.
E.K.: What is your message to Greek Australians as they prepare for the 25th of March celebrations?
“As I said before when we are united we can achieve a lot. The Greeks here in Australia love us. We love them twice as much. I know that they have a nostalgia at some point to go back to Greece, stay in Greece or even come on vacation. I felt the same when I came here, I wanted to meet the Greeks who love us and in difficult times they help and support us”.
E.K.: Should we expect similar Exhibitions soon?
“We have put into the program – after we have solved the obstacles that exist and we now know what we can bring and what not- a goal, with the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop of Australia Makarios, to be able to bring an anniversary exhibition every year for longer periods. For example next year we can bring something about the Battle of Crete. The year after we can bring something for Asia Minor. We think about doing something every year.”
Full Details:
‘1821 Greek Art Exhibition’
Exhibition dates: March 13 to April 3, 2022
Open 7 days, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Venue: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.Admission is free.
It’s that time of the year again as Greek communities across Australia prepare to celebrate the 201st anniversary of the start of the Greek War of Independence.
With many events planned, The Greek Herald has the lowdown on what you can attend over the next few days to mark Greek Independence Day.
New South Wales:
In New South Wales, celebrations kick off on Thursday, March 24 at 6pm with a flag-raising ceremony organised by AHEPA NSW Inc. The ceremony will be held in the forecourt of Bayside Council and will be followed by a celebration at AHEPA NSW Hall in Rockdale.
On Friday, March 25, Canterbury Bankstown Council is holding an ‘Independence Day Celebration’ which will feature live music, speeches and a flag raising ceremony. The event will take place in front of the Anzac Monument on Homer Street, Earlwood at 4pm.
At 7.15pm on Friday, March 25, the ‘Authentis’ free concert dedicated to the 30th anniversary since His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will also take place at Sydney Town Hall. Themos Mexis will conduct the National Metropolitan Choir of Australia, while there will also be performances from The Sydney Youth Orchestra, soloists Sandy Constandopedos (vocal), Tassos Lambrou and Andrew Belekas (bouzouki) and Antonis Petrandonakis (lyra), as well as The Sydney Thistle Highland Pipe Band and the Hellenic Lyceum Youth.
On Friday, March 25, the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) will also be holding a public Cocktail Party from 7pm at the Community’s Club in Lakemba.
The next day, on Saturday, March 26, the Hellenic Art Theatre’s production ‘The Promised Woman’ will premiere at The Greek Theatre – Mantouridion in Marrickville at 7.30pm. The play is by Theodore Patrikareas and directed by Stavros Economidis.
The Kytherian Association of Australia (KAA) will also hold the official launch of its centenary celebrations on Saturday, March 26 at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The festivities will kick off at 7pm and guests will be treated to entertainment by local band IHO Nyx, as well as deluxe canapes and beverages (excluding spirits). On the night, guests will also have a chance to take part in an auction of the Collector’s Edition Medallion, which was designed by young Kytherian, Zoe Sophios.
On Sunday, March 27 there are also a number of significant events in Sydney. These are:
A Doxology service will take place at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos at 10am. This will be followed by a memorial service and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph of Martin Place in Sydney at 12.30pm. The event is an initiative of the Inter-Communities Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and GOCNSW.
The Greek Fest Darling Harbour will be held at Tumbalong Park from 10am – 10pm. The venue will be packed with food vendors, dishing up classic and modern twists on Greek snacks and sweets. There will also be Greek dance performances at the Convention Centre Forecourt and live music entertainment from local Melbourne artist Maria Maroulis and international Greek singer Melina Aslanidou.
The official opening of the St Basil’s NSW/ACT ‘1821 Greek Art Exhibition’ in collaboration with the Athens War Museum, will be held at Sydney Town Hall at 6.30pm. The free exhibition features rare objects inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821, as well as the ‘Heroes Made of Metal’ collection of traditional Greek costumes by internationally renowned sculptor Nikos Floros.
AHEPA Grand Lodge of NSW are holding a commemoration dinner at the Ashbury Panarcadian Federation Club in Ashbury at 5pm.
Victoria:
On Friday, March 25, the Greek Community of Melbourne and the Greek National Day Council of Victoria, in association with the the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, are holding the inaugural Grecian Ball. Starting at 6pm at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, the event has been promoted as “a gala night filled with Greek entertainment.”
Earlier this week, around 500 people also gathered at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance for a wreath laying ceremony to celebrate Greek Independence Day.
Photos: Mary Sinanidis.
Tonight at 6.30pm, there will also be a special event hosted by the Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne at the Hellenic Museum.
On Sunday, March 27, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (Archdiocesan District of Adelaide) will hold a number of events to mark Greek Independence Day.
At 7.30am, there will be a Matins, Divine Liturgy and Doxology in the Church of Saint Spyridon, Unley, celebrated by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope.
At 12.30pm, there will be a Memorial Service at the War Memorial, North Terrace, officiated by Bishop Silouan. Afterwards, beginning with the Hon. Consul General of Greece in Adelaide, Mr George Psiachas, wreaths will be laid in honour of the fallen by SA’s civil and military authorities, as well as representatives of the Greek Community organisations.
Following the wreath laying, students from the Colleges and the Afternoon and Saturday Greek Schools of the Holy Archdiocese will parade from the War Memorial to the Torrens Parade Ground. At the Torrens Parade Ground, there will be traditional dance performances by students, as well as food and drinks available for purchase.
The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia Inc. (GOCSA) will also be commemorating Greek Independence Day on Sunday, March 27 from 11am. The event will be held at the Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Adelaide and will involve wreath laying, as well as a number of school presentations.
Australian Capital Territory:
The Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra (GOCCC) have organised a number of events across the city to mark Greek Independence Day this year.
First up, Greek flags are flying proudly at Commonwealth Avenue, Kings Avenue and Vernon Circle from today, March 23 until Monday, April 4.
Elsewhere, a number of buildings across Canberra will also be lit up in blue on Friday, March 25 including the Greek Embassy in Australia, the Hellenic Club of Canberra and the National Museum of Australia, among many others. At 7pm on the night, the Canberra Hellenic Dancers will be performing at the National Carillon Bell Tower as part of a mini ‘Greek Enlighten Festival.’
On Sunday, March 27, GOCCC are also holding a Doxology at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston, followed by a light luncheon and wreath laying service at the Hellenic War Memorial.
Western Australia:
In Western Australia, the Consul of Greece in Perth, Georgia Karasiotou, is inviting the local Greek community to attend a commemoration event to be held on Sunday, March 27.
The commemoration will begin at 10.30am with a Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Church of Sts Constantine and Helen in Northbridge.
This will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony at 12.30pm at the State War Memorial in Kings Park. The ceremony will be held in the presence of the Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of WA.
The World Happiness Report has released its results for 2022 and Greece and Cyprus have both placed in the top 100 spots. The report was released on March 18, a couple of days ahead of the International Day of Happiness on March 20.
The 2022 edition marked the 10-year anniversary since the report was first launched and it assesses how people in each country rate their life and level of satisfaction.
The report evaluates the period from 2019-2021 and has shown Greece jump into 58th place from the previous report which had it at 77th place. Cyprus has also been placed on the list this year, topping its Mediterranean neighbour at 41st place.
For the young people of the world there was a reported high increase in stress and worry with their overall quality of life satisfaction falling. These results have been attributed to the effects of the pandemic as an increase by eight percent in 2020 and four precent in 2021 were seen.
For those over 60, satisfaction levels were seen to have remained stagnant with very little change overall.
“Although the World Happiness Reports are based on a wide variety of data, the most important source has always been the Gallup World Poll, unique in its range and comparability of global annual surveys,” the report stated.
Kogarah Community Services’ (KCS) postponed International Women’s Day (IWD) intergenerational event went ahead on Tuesday, March 22 at the KCS Hub.
The KCS intergenerational program has been running for over two years, bringing together children, students and residents from aged care homes to learn from each other and share stories.
At this year’s IWD event, elderly residents from a Kogarah aged care home, The Laurels, were present, as well as Year 10 students from Moorefield Girls High School, the Mayor of Georges River Council, Nick Katris, and guest speaker, Cathy Dimarchos.
Three Year 10 students from Moorefield were emcees on the day, whilst Ms Dimarchos discussed the main theme: ‘Connection across Generations and Cultures to shape a better tomorrow.’
Ms Dimarchos spoke passionately about how people must learn from younger generations, and encouraged participants to stop and listen, work alongside and communicate with all generations.
After this, attendees were encouraged to take part in a group discussion, with many stressing how much they enjoyed the event as it gave them an opportunity to learn from one another.
One 90-year-old attendee, Joan, shared with the group how she struggled with limited career choices as a female in the 1940’s. Only families that could afford university continued their education.
One Year 10 student agreed with Joan and spoke about the pressure and expectations she feels from her family to continue her education as they don’t have the privilege or opportunity to do so.
At the end of the event, everyone left with a smile on their face.
KCS Intergenerational Program assistant, Maria Anthony, says she would like to see more of these programs out in the community as the benefits are for all, no matter the age.
“Let’s make a difference, let’s provide for a better future, let’s bridge the gap of generations,” she concluded.
