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World Blood Donor Day: Nikos explains why he rolls up his sleeves and donates the gift of life

Argyro Vourdoumpa
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World Blood Donor Day: Nikos explains why he rolls up his sleeves and donates the gift of life

People who donate blood are superheroes: in under an hour they can save three lives.

Every year, on 14 June, Australia and countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

“Every week across Australia, 29,000 donations are needed to support cancer patients, trauma victims, pregnant women and so many others who rely on donated blood and plasma,” an Australian Red Cross Lifeblood spokesperson told The Greek Herald.

Nikos, has been a blood donor for over 20 years and so far, he has made more than one hundred donations in blood and blood products both in Greece and in Australia.

“I made my first donation in 1999. My father used to be a blood donor for as long as he was in good health, so it was natural for me to become one as well,” said Nikos who kept donating during the coronavirus pandemic.

“During crises and disaster situations, the need for blood increases and the number in donations drops.

“If someone is healthy there is no excuse to not donate. By sparing half an hour of your life, three or four times every year you are able to save 12 people’s lives,” Nikos said.

Photo: Supplied by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Coronavirus did not prevent Australians from donating blood

Despite the initial fears that blood supply could face critical shortages as more people were staying home to stop the spread of COVID-19, Australian blood and plasma donors responded overwhelmingly to calls for donations since the emergence of the pandemic.

In April, every state across the country had either their largest or second highest plasma collection day on record and appointments continue to be well filled.

“We are extremely grateful to these Australians who have rolled up their sleeves to ensure patients across the country have access to the blood and blood products they require.

“This year we’d also like to make special mention of donors who’ve recovered from COVID-19 and donated plasma. It’s hoped their plasma may boost immunity in patients still battling the disease,” said the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood spokesperson.

Australia currently has around 500,000 blood donors, but millions of others may be eligible to donate.

“Blood donation is very easy, straightforward and rewarding. Especially in Australia, where people can visit a donor centre and a nurse can answer their questions and walk them through the procedure,” Nikos explains, stressing that Greece needs to follow Australia’s example in order to encourage and motivate more people to become blood donors.

Donations in Greece are insufficient

In Greece, at least 600,000 units of blood are required annually, of which only 40 percent are covered by volunteer blood donors, according to the Greek National Center’s for Blood Donation official data.

“The blood donation system in Greece is decentralized and consists of more than 90 hospital blood banks under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. Each bank is an integrated part of a public hospital and has the responsibility for recruiting blood donors, for collecting and testing blood and for processing it into its products to supply the hospital clinics.

“We need a centralized system and people need to be better informed about donating blood,” Nikos suggests.

For more information visit lifeblood.com.au or call 13 14 95

Greek Orthodox Community relations blossom following Holy Spirit feast day ceremony

The Greek Herald
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Greek Orthodox Community relations blossom following Holy Spirit feast day ceremony

The Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales celebrated on Monday, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, the feast-day of the Holy Spirit at the Parish of The Holy Trinity in Surry Hills, Sydney.

A feast day of particular importance in the Greek Orthodox Church, His Eminence become the first Archbishop, after almost half a century, to cross the threshold of Australia’s oldest church in the southern hemisphere.

“This is a development with special importance, but also substance, as it signals the opening of a new page in the relations between the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, to which the church belongs,” The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia wrote in a Facebook post.

This year’s feast-day of the Holy Spirit was historic for the Greeks of Australia because, for this great feast of the…

Posted by Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia on Monday, 8 June 2020

The Archdiocese also recognised the event as historic occasion as it, “signals the opening of a new page in the relations between the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, to which the church belongs.”

The President of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, Mr Harry Danalis, applauded His Eminence’s spirit of solidarity and unity.

“I would like to thank you because, from the day of your arrival, you have shown genuine love and an outlook of unity for our society and love for our Community, and we know that this will continue,” Danalis said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited number of people were permitted to attend the ceremony, with invitations sent out only to the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Greek Diplomatic Authorities and to select Greek community representatives.

Expatriates who did attend, most of whom were present during the Divine Liturgy, mainly resided outside the Temple.

Tsitsipas faces off against Frenchman Gasquet in epic tennis return

The Greek Herald
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Tsitsipas faces off against Frenchman Gasquet in epic tennis return

Tennis is back.

Played behind closed doors, Greek international Stefanos Tsitsipas will face off against Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the opening round of the UTS Showdown.

The two professionals will face off against each other live on June 13 at the Mouratoglou Academy, in the South of France.

When asked about the upcoming game, Tsitsipas said, “My first weapon is my spirit, my second weapon is my patience, my third weapon is creativity.”

Set to be the event that “revolutionized” tennis, the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) is organised by Greek-French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

The international tennis showdown series brings real competitive matches between ten of the world’s best tennis professionals, streamed live to people’s homes.

Read More: Stefanos Tsitsipas the latest tennis player to join Mouratoglou’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown event

Ten matches will be streamed using on-court cameras and live-coaching every weekend for 5 weeks, starting from June 13-14.

According to Mouratoglou, the tournament is intended to allow players to express their emotions more “freely”.

Patrick Mouratoglou will be hosting the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) event at his Academy in the South of France. Photo: Tennis 365

“I would like the fans to benefit from better access to the players’ emotions, especially on the court where the code of conduct is a significant obstacle to that” explains Patrick Mouratoglou.

Read More: Greek tennis superstars Tsitsipas and Mouratoglou launch auction platform for players outside top 100

The tournament is said to stand out from existing tennis circuits, introducing new rules, an innovative fast-paced format, a lightened code of conduct, and live coaching.

Tsitsipas affirms tennis isn’t condemned to be a sport “for old people,” and, in his opinion, UTS will play a role in this reframing: “I can see a swap. I believe UTS is going to provide something fresh. And it’s also a way to change our sport. An evolutionary product. Which is going to open new doors and make tennis a bit more modernized and more updated.”

The tournament can be watched from the Ultimate Tennis Showdown website: HERE.

Ethnic community groups band together to tackle racism in Australia

The Greek Herald
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Ethnic community groups band together to tackle racism in Australia

‘Real action’ against the spread of racism in Australia has been demanded by over 30 community groups in a joint letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on Thursday.

Community groups, including the Federation of Ethnic Communities Australia, Diversity Council Australia and Amnesty Australia, heave appealed for an anti-racism strategy, stating that recent global events are both a “wake up call and and an opportunity”.

“We urge you to establish a bipartisan National Anti-Racism Strategy, designed to draw on existing experience and expertise to halt the rising tide of hate and promote social cohesion at all levels of Australian society,” the joint letter reads.

Today a coalition of 30 community groups called for real action to tackle #racism.We're waiting and willing to help.

Posted by Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia – FECCA on Wednesday, 10 June 2020

The letter draws attention to the increased level of racism towards the Asian-Australian community, including hostile, discriminatory and abusive behaviour, including physical violence.

One third of racist complaints made to the Human Rights Commission since the start of February have been related to COVID-19.

Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia chair Mary Patetsos said a recent increase in racial complaints calls for a strategy appeal.

“Australia urgently needs a strategy both broad and specific to combat racism wherever it is manifest,” she said.

FECCA chair Mary Patetsos is among those to back the calls for a new anti-racism campaign. Photo: SBS News

Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria push ‘All Together One’ campaign

The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) have developed an All Together One campaign, aiming to facilitate a “Victoria-wide anti-racism response built on integrity, respect, equality, empowerment, social cohesion, and innovation”.

CEO of Football Victoria, Peter Filopoulos, is an active ambassador for the campaign, recognising cultural diversity as a key feature of football in Victoria.

“We are living in challenging times and just as in football, working together will benefit us all,” Filopoulos said in a statement.

“Promoting our game is about Football for ALL – to increase our engagement and advocacy of football, and to change perceptions and promote positive outcomes.”

Peter Filopoulos is an active ambassador for the All Together One campaign. Photo: Supplied

President Sakellaropoulou hopes Battle of Thermopylae anniversary will present Greece’s ‘historic wealth’

The Greek Herald
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President Sakellaropoulou hopes Battle of Thermopylae anniversary will present Greece’s ‘historic wealth’

President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, met earlier with the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, Marianna Vardinogianni, to discuss the planned celebrations for the 2500 year anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae.

While briefing the schedule of the events, Vardinoyannis also announced the Marianna Vardinoyannis Institute’s decision to give funds it had originally set aside for the celebrations to vulnerable groups stricken by the pandemic.

“Soon our Foundation will announce the actions to honour the historical memory, with the primary goal of inspiring the new generation in Greece with the values ​​and ideals of our ancestors,” Ms Vardinoyannis added.

Read More: The Battle of Thermopylae 2500 Year Anniversary Competition

Read More: Leonidia Festival honours 2,500 year anniversary of Battle of Thermopylae

The Hellenic President hopes that the celebrations “will contribute to our self awareness and to presenting Greece’s historic wealth.”

On her part, Sakellaropoulou also expressed her full support for Ms. Vardinogianni for the work carried out by the ELPIDA-Association of Friends of Children with Cancer Association. 

Expressing her interest in the latest scientific developments in the childhood cancer field, she asking to visit the Children’s Oncology Unit so that she too can contribute to the ever-lasting fight.

The Greek Herald is still running their Battle of Thermopylae 2500 Year Anniversary Competition. Click here to find out more details.

Foreign minister says strong Greek-Serbian bond brought by common religious traditions

The Greek Herald
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Foreign minister says strong Greek-Serbian bond brought by common religious traditions

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, in a written statement after meeting with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic in Athens on Friday, pointed out the strong bonds between the two countries, deriving from the long friendship of their peoples and their common religious and cultural traditions.

Dendias said that they had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on many different issues, as well as ways to further strengthen the already excellent relations between the two countries.

In terms of the coronavirus, Dendias said that they expressed “our desire to cooperate in a number of fields to address the repercussions of the crisis, both in our countries and in the wider region.” 

On Serbia’s European prospect, “I reaffirmed Greece’s stable support,” adding that “Greek foreign policy’s target is the integration of the western Balkans in the European family”.

Referring to the Belgrade-Pristina’s dialogue, he reiterated that Greece’s position in terms of Kosovo’s regime, remains the same until a final agreement is reached.

Finally, Dendias referred to the recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and particularly to Turkey’s behaviour, which continues to operate in a way that sets peace and stability in the area at risk.

Sourced by: ANA-MPA

Swim safety will improve Greek tourism, Greek PM says

The Greek Herald
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Swim safety will improve Greek tourism, Greek PM says

Swim safety education has been prioritised as a major contributor to Greece’s quality of tourism, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday, speaking at an event on safety at sea.

Every year, nearly 350 people drown accidentally at sea in Greece, double the number of those who died of COVID-19.

Organised by nonprofit Safe Water Sports, the swim safety event promotes educational activities, allowing for children to enhance awareness of safety at sea.

“The state is obliged to upgrade the current institutional framework, and will do so. We must treat the sea with respect and the same must be done by businesses related to the sea,” he said.

“Safe seas means upgraded tourist product for Greece.”

Despite utilising an effective swim safety program, Australia also receives a high number of drownings per year. Australian and Surf Life Saving Australia show that 276 people drowned across Australia from July 2018 to June 2019, representing a 10% increase on the previous year.

Shipping & Island Policy Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis emphasised that the Greek government’s comprehensive program will help to deal with drownings at sea.

The three-pronged plan comprises of prevention, safety and control, and includes an awareness campaign for the elderly.

Speaking of his organisation, Katherimini reports, founder Panagiotis Paschalakis said he lost his son Michael, 10, during water sports with friends in 2014. He then began the nonprofit in 2015, when there was no system for informing children and young people of safety measures at sea.

On its site, Safe Water sports says that drowning in Greece is considered the second leading cause of accidental death for children 1-14 years of age.

Vasili’s Taxidi: All in the Family with the Award-Winning The Brothers Fish Market

The Greek Herald
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Vasili’s Taxidi: All in the Family with the Award-Winning The Brothers Fish Market

By Vasilis Vasilas

One inspiring aspect of family business is how a family comes together and strives, as one, towards their success. What is also amazing is how a family remains together in a business, despite so many years passing and the family itself growing… it highlights a very special bond among family members!

Travelling to Seven Hills, The Brothers Fish Market epitomises what can be achieved when a family strives together; upon arrival at the fish market, what immediately grabs your attention is that all four Klavdiou brothers, Giorgos, Christos, Kostas and Mario all work there! Additionally, their wives and some of their children, all work there too! 

The Klavdiou family are from Vatili, Cyprus; after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, their village came under Turkish occupation and, like thousands of Cypriots, became refugees and fled to free Cyprus. Parents, Haralambos and Chrystalla, and their four sons, George, Christos, Kostas and Mario, are then sponsored, by Haralambos’ older brother, Kostas, to migrate to Australia. 

As most of Haralambos’ family had migrated to Australia in the late 1940s- 1950, they fortunately had a strong family network that supported their arrival to Australia, in 1976, by finding them accommodation and, with the exception of Mario who attended Granville Boys High School, Haralambos and his three sons worked at various seafood shops- owned by his brothers.

As Kostas explains, ‘All our father’s brothers had fish shops: Kosta (Auburn), Andrew (Belfield), Nikos (Eastwood), Tasos (Liverpool)… Chris worked in Harry and Eleni Dimitriou’s fish shop in Bankstown, while I worked in ‘Jack’ and Rita’s shop in Granville. Uncle ‘Jack’ helped us greatly; he had a stall, selling fish, at Flemington Markets and he kindly gave it to our family; our father and brother George worked this stall. Mario would work there on weekends.’ 

Settling in Seven Hills, the Klavdiou family found an opportunity to open a seafood shop in Seven Hills Plaza in 1977; at the time, Haralambos and his sons, George, Chris and Kosta, were partners. Kostas recalls the opening day of The Brothers Fish Market, ‘We opened our shop on July 27, 1977, on the feast day of Agios Pandeleimonas. I remember our mother brought an icon of the Virgin Mary, which she had brought over from Cyprus, and placed it in the shop and said that the Virgin Mary would help us. We still have that icon in our shop today!’ 

As there were very few good seafood shops in the area, The Brothers Fish Market immediately boomed with success and it never not looked back since. When Haralambos retired, Mario took over his father’s share. Since 2005, Kostas and his son, Harry, own the business. Despite these changes, all four brothers, and their families, still work side by side.

There is no doubt the strong family values instilled in the four brothers come from parents, Haralambos and Chrystalla, as Kostas points out, ‘This strong sense of family values are reinforced by our mother too. After work, we would all go to our family home and there would be a meal ready for us. It may have been 9pm but we always came together. Even today, our father will drop off some food (at the shop) that our mother has cooked for us. Our mother continues to send food to our homes; this gesture is just her loving nature…’  

All the brothers get asked how they have stayed together after forty years. As Kostas explains, ‘We are a very close family and this love and care for each other was instilled in us from a young age. Our maternal grandfather, Kostas Papakostas, who was a priest, would always invite us children together; he would pick up a cane and ask us to break it and we would. Then, he would add another and another, and the bundle of cane would become more and more difficult to break, until we could not break it. It was our grandfather’s way of telling us to stay together- no matter where we go. He was a very wise man; he would advise us to have a clear mind and to love one another.’

Being so close-knit and supportive of each other, it is no wonder the Klavdiou family treats their customers as an extension of their own family, ‘Seven Hills is like a large village- everyone knows each other. We have three generations of families who continued shopping from us. After all these years here, at Seven Hills, this is our home- we are part of this community.’

Archbishop Makarios insists there’s ‘no room for complacency’ for World Day Against Child Labour

The Greek Herald
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Archbishop Makarios insists there’s ‘no room for complacency’ for World Day Against Child Labour

With the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic potentially pushing millions of vulnerable children into child labour, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios says “there is no room for compromise and complacency.”

World Day Against Child Labour 2020 focuses on the impact of the crisis, with an estimated 152 million children in child labour, 72 million of which are in hazardous work. 

In a public message, His Eminence says that on this day, “our thoughts and attention turn to an extremely worrying and sad phenomenon that, unfortunately, continues to plague humanity even in the 21st century.”

Photo: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

“Tens of millions of girls and boys throughout the world, almost 10% of all children, according to the latest estimates of the International Labour Organization, instead of enjoying their innocence and tender age; instead of playing, smiling and dreaming; instead of learning at school and progressing, they are forced to waste their childhood at work, in often dangerous conditions for their health, safety, and their moral development,” His Eminence said.

His Eminence recognised that while significant steps have been taken in recent years to curb child labour, its complete elimination remains an extended task.

Elements of an integrated policy response to child labour. Photo: United Nations.

This year, the World Day is conducted as a virtual campaign and is being organised jointly with the Global March Against Child Labour and the International Partnership for Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture (IPCCLA) .

A joint ILO-UNICEF paper on the impact of COVID-19 on child labour looks at some of the main channels through which the pandemic is likely to affect progress towards the eradication of child labour.

“There is no room for compromise and complacency when there are still children’s faces without innocent smiles; when there are traumatised children deprived of the right to dream,” His Eminence adds in his message.

Greece ready to ‘openly discuss’ maritime zones delimitation with Turkey, Mitsotakis says

The Greek Herald
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Greece ready to ‘openly discuss’ maritime zones delimitation with Turkey, Mitsotakis says

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has confirmed his readiness to discuss maritime zones delimitation with Ankara, speaking on Thursday during an online discussion at the Delphi Economic Forum.

Relations between the two countries have been strained by border tensions and Turkey’s oil and gas exploration plans in the Mediterranean.

In the latest standoff, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation announced plans to receive drilling rights in areas considered by Greece to be a part of its continental shelf and Athens slammed the move.

“We are always open for dialogue with Turkey, among the problems on the negotiation table are the delimitation of our maritime zones,” Mitsotakis said Thursday.

“We can discuss openly, and if we finally agree that we have differences, there are always ways to refer the issue to the International Court in The Hague by common agreement on how we can solve this problem, but always with absolute respect for international law”.

The minister added that the relationship between Athens and Ankara was complex.

“Turkey in recent months has been extremely provocative in its activities, especially with regard to the signing of an agreement with Libya on the delimitation of maritime zones, which we consider to be absolutely invalid, not having any power. Just look at the map to understand why this agreement makes no sense, not in the least”, Mitsotakis noted.

Mitsotakis continued by saying that Greece’s relationship with Turkey is, “not just a Greek-Turkish problem, it’s an EU-Turkey problem.”

Read More: Greek Foreign Minister asserts ‘borders don’t change’ following Evros border claims by Turkey

“Greece is a member of the European Union, our security concerns are also the security concerns of the Union, when we are guarding our borders, when we are protecting our borders, we are protecting the borders of the EU,” he said.

“If Turkey is thinking about violating the sovereign rights of the Hellenic Republic, not only will it get a response from Greece, I am pretty sure it will get a response from Europe.”

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