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Archbishop Makarios honours individuals investing in future generations through Archdiocese initiatives

The Greek Herald
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Archbishop Makarios honours individuals investing in future generations through Archdiocese initiatives

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios gave another moving address on the weekend, at the Melbourne Cretan Village’s Australia Day dinner on January 26th.

His Eminence began his speech commemorating the tragic losses caused by the devastating fires, while praying for rain.

His speech was mainly focused on the initiatives and projects of the Australian Archdiocese for the coming year and the need to respond to the struggles of the new generation of Greek diaspora.

The Archbishop’s biggest focus was on the local Youth Conferences and National Youth Retreat.  

“I want to give our children the opportunity to speak to me. I want to hear from the young people,” said His Eminence.

The proceeds from the Australia Day event in Melbourne were donated to the Greek Orthodox College of St John.

It is noteworthy that during the official dinner, a donation of $50,000 by the Melbourne Pancreas Association was announced to support the operation of St John’s College.

Drug rehabilitation centres

Further, His Excellence Archbishop Makarios referred extensively to the Australian Archdiocese’s initiative of opening Youth Drug Addiction Centres, under the name “ELPIS” aka, hope.

“Unfortunately, many of our children are lost to drug use,” he observed with a heartache, adding: “Many times they are trapped by a fairy tale, trapped in a fake dream, wasting their lives looking for a door to open to fill their salvation with serenity. But then they find that they have been led to deterioration because they have pursued a perverse dream.”

READ MORE: His Eminence Archbishop Makarios announces 2020 plans for Archdiocese at name day event

“We need to help our children,” he said, emphasising “there is the possibility of a return to drugs. We cannot be indifferent. So, with anxiety, soul pain and pastoral responsibility, we announced the establishment of two rehabilitation centres.”

The first rehabilitation centre is opening in Melbourne, thanks to the donation of Mr Nicholas Andrianakos, who provided a plot of land and an additional $1 million.

During the event, His Eminence bestowed 21 people with badges of “order of Philistines”, which honoured citizens who served the local church.

Mr. Nikolaos Andianakos and Mr. Onofrios Gorozidis, who donated of the plot at “Mount Mela” for the construction of a male monastery, were among those who received recognition.

Investment into the Greek Orthodox College of St John and St Andrews Theological School

When His Eminence announced the continuation of Melbourne’s Greek Orthodox College of St John, he added:

“From the first time I visited the school, I realized this was a special and blessed place. That’s why I immediately announced that St. John’s School would not be closed,” he continued, “and that I would support it and take it personally. And so it is. A new board has been appointed, a new headmaster and the school is starting this year with an additional 46 new students.”

In addition, His Eminence referred to the design of the Archdiocese for St. Andrew’s Theological School in Sydney.

“Our School of Theology must go a step further,” he said, “and obtain the proper building infrastructure that will be worthy of its purpose and its sacred mission.”

For this reason, he said, new buildings will be built for the Theological School, with assistance from St Basil’s. The organisation, commonly known for nursing homes, donated a plot of land in Lakemba to house students of St Andrews Theological College during their years of study.

“This is a project of over $ 10 million, which will give new impetus to Orthodox Theological Education here in Australia,” while thanking all those involved in St Basil’s.

His Eminence’s closing sentence was reflected on unity during current hardships. “Unity between us is not a luxury or a matter of choice. It is a necessary element, because unity belongs to the nature and the personality of our Church,” he said. He also urged Greek diaspora to love one another and have love for the land, which is currently being tested in Australia.

PAOK and Xanthi threatened with relegation from Super League for breaking ownership rules

The Greek Herald
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PAOK and Xanthi threatened with relegation from Super League for breaking ownership rules

The Committee of Professional Sport has recommended for both PAOK and Xanthi to be relegated from the Super League, with the two clubs having been found guilty of co-ownership.

PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis had been accused of also owning Xanthi, with the matter subsequently being assessed by the Committee of Professional Sport. Xanthi had also allegedly illegally transferred their shares in the spring of 2019.

On Monday evening, it was confirmed that a majority of 4-1 has found PAOK and Xanthi guilty of co-ownership.

A majority of 3-2 has also recommended that PAOK and Xanthi are relegated from the Super League.

Now, the issue will be handed over to the Disciplinary Sports Committee, who will then decide whether to approve the initial recommendation of relegation which has been made. It must also be taken into account that the two organisations can later submit an official appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The ONE Channel, owned by Olympiacos supremo Evangelos Marinakis, had originally broadcasted findings which supposedly proved that Savvidis owns both PAOK and Xanthi. 

Further developments are expected in the coming days. 

At the moment, reigning Greek champions PAOK are in first place of the Super League after defeating Volos NFC earlier today while Xanthi occupy seventh position.

Sourced via Agona Sport.

Renovation of Athens’ Omonia Square to be completed in February

The Greek Herald
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Renovation of Athens’ Omonia Square to be completed in February

The renovation of Omonia Square in central Athens will be completed in February, the Athens City Council said on Monday.

Plans include reinstalling a fountain removed from the square in the early 1990s, while new hotels are slated to open on Pireos and Stadiou streets.

At the same time, the historic Bageion and Alexandros hotels are to reopen. The four-story Bageion Hotel, on the corner of Athinas Street, was constructed between 1890 and 1894 based on plans by the architect Ernst Ziller. 

The square is one of the capital city’s most central urban meeting points and has undergone various transformations throughout the years.

Sourced via Ekathimerini.

Greece picks banks for 15-year bond, first foray into international markets since 2010 crisis

The Greek Herald
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Greece picks banks for 15-year bond, first foray into international markets since 2010 crisis

Greece on Monday opened books for a new 15-year bond issue, in its first foray into international markets since the 2010 financial crisis, officials said.

The state debt management agency said it had “mandated Barclays, BNP Paribas, BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs International Bank, HSBC and JP Morgan” as joint managers for the offering with a 2035 maturity.

According to officials, the issue plans to draw some 2-2.5 billion euros ($2.2-2.8 billion) at an interest rate of around two percent.

Athens is seeking to capitalize on the lower interest rates now available in the financial markets and a recent upgrade by ratings agency Fitch.

The country is emerging from a decades-long financial crisis and regular bond issues are seen as a step toward normalcy. They also aim to improve liquidity as well as its investor base.

Greece aims to borrow between 4.0 and 8.0 billion euros ($4.4-9 billion) in 2020, according to the government’s budget. Last year it raised 9.0 billion euros in bonds.

Sourced via Urdu Point.

Ambitious new project seeks to create first Greek archive of oral history

The Greek Herald
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Ambitious new project seeks to create first Greek archive of oral history

Though the most common method of capturing history today is writing it down, the oldest is undeniably retelling it. Long before the popularisation of the study of history dawned at the turn of the 19th century, oral history was the only way for generations to pass on tales about wars and civilisations of the past – and often represented the only vehicle for cultural self-reflection.

Thanks to a new and ambitious initiative, oral history is re-emerging as a tool for modern Greek historiography.

Istorima is a newly established nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a vast archive of Greek oral histories. At the heart of the initiative lies a cross-generational dialogue: 1,500 young researchers under the age of 35 will receive training in oral history methodologies and will then travel across Greece gathering more than 50,000 oral recordings from the country’s elderly population – rescuing their stories from extinction. The recordings will then be curated and compiled in a large archive that will be made accessible to researchers as well as the general public.

The project’s scope is as vast as its potential historical value. Istorima estimates that it will take up to four years to complete the recordings and is currently on the lookout for new researchers who will be employed under temporary contracts. The first wave will soon travel to the Peloponnese to scout out stories in the area and record them. The region of Attica will come next, in March, and after that, gradually every region, city, village and islet of Greece will follow suit.

Istorima is the product of a collaboration network. It is being carried out thanks to a generous donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, as part of its Youth and Empowerment Initiative. Its program design and methodology are being aided by the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. 

Behind the project’s inception, however, are two notable women: Greek journalist Sofia Papaioannou and New York University’s provost and established historian Katherine Fleming. After all, the latter’s brilliant book, “Greece – A Jewish History,” was based largely on oral interviews with members of the Jewish diaspora who fled Greece during the Second World War under atrocious circumstances.

Oral history has recently enjoyed a significant rise in popularity and is considered invaluable by contemporary academics and historiographers. Despite its own set of challenges, it fills a large void left by traditional, archival research. An interview or the recording of a traditional song may often contain information than hours of traditional research could never reveal.

The real value of oral history, however, lies in the fact that many histories around the globe exist solely in the form of audio files. Since 1960, the Australian government has funded an oral history initiative that records the stories of the indigenous Aboriginal population – a civilization that has survived genocide and decades of social exclusion. Today, the oral library contains over 200,000 audio files with interviews. It is the proud legacy of a culture that for years was treated by traditional history as a mere footnote.

History is written by the victors, quite rarely by the victims and primarily by historians. Thanks to Istorima, Greece’s history will now be told by everyday people – those who lived it.

Sourced via Ekathimerini.

Shipwreck diving to help boost Greek 2020 tourism

The Greek Herald
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Shipwreck diving to help boost Greek 2020 tourism

Greece will exploit untapped tourist activities, including diving for post-19th century shipwrecks, to help meet the new conservative government’s target of a 10-percent boost in visitor revenues this year, the tourism minister Harry Theocharis, said on Monday.

“We will liberalise the creation of diving parks. We will allow diving in shipwrecks over 50 years old, which are currently not allowed,” Harry Theocharis told AFP in an interview.

A bill would be introduced “within a month” to open shipwrecks between 1860 and 1970 to divers, he said.

The authorities will also address overcrowding at some popular cruise ship destinations, he said.

As Greece slowly emerges from a decade-long financial crisis it relies heavily on tourism to boost economic growth and accelerate job creation.

The sector accounts for about a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product and employs around 20 percent of the total workforce.

The ministry earlier Monday said tourism revenues in 2019 grew by 12 percent at 18.1 billion euros ($20 billion) from about 16 billion in 2018.

It expects arrivals will increase by five percent in 2020 from last year when they were 31 million, up 3.6 percent from the previous year.

Greece currently draws over three times more tourists than its 10.8 million residents, but Athens still has “a lot of untapped potential,” the minister said Monday.

Shortly after the governnment took power in July the sector suffered a blow with the collapse of British travel giant Thomas Cook, which left thousands of tourists stranded on the Greek islands.

Theocharis said there was an immediate impact of over 120 million euros in unpaid invoices to Greek operators, and another 500 million euros in lost contracts.

Over 3,000 employees in Greece were also affected, losing seasonal jobs a month early, the minister said.

“Given the issues that arose during the year, it’s obvious that we are relieved” by the 2019 results, he said, adding that negotiations with airlines and other operators had “effectively covered all 1.6 million airline seats” lost.

Theocharis acknowledges “strain in the infrastructure” of some successful island destinations, but insists Greece is “nowhere near the kind of (congestion) issues other destinations are currently facing.”

For top island destinations such as Santorini, he says officials are “working to establish a berth allocation system that is more granular … a cap per hour … to create incentives or disincentives to spread out (cruise ship) flows,” he says.

Theocharis and other ministers travel to Paris on Tuesday alongside Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for a business forum designed to attract investment to Greece.

The minister notes that for many investors, a key signal will be a long-awaited breakthrough in the redevelopment of the former Athens airport of Hellinikon into a massive park.

The eight-billion-euro project involving residences, hotels, shopping centres and cultural venues, has been delayed for years, but the government is hopeful construction will begin this year.

“Some investors want to play it safer. For those, a big proportion of the investing community, they need to see it happening before they take the risk,” the minister said.

“When we see the first bulldozers (at Hellinikon), it will be a significant milestone (showing) that we’re open for business.”

Sourced via AFP.

PM Mitsotakis visits Auschwitz on Holocaust Memorial Day

The Greek Herald
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PM Mitsotakis visits Auschwitz on Holocaust Memorial Day

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, attended memorial events marking the 75th anniversary since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27th.

The Prime Minister attended a memorial service at the former concentration camp in Poland on Monday.

“I am greatly moved to come to this place, which has been identified more than any other with human barbarity. Truthfully, if there was a hell on this earth, then it was here,” Mitsotakis said, adding that his visit sought to pay tribute to the six million Jews killed by the Nazis in WWII – including 65,000 Greek Jews, of which 55,000 had died in Auschwitz.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the New Democracy party visited the Jewish Museum of Greece, on occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

“75 years later, let us make a sacred commitment not to forget what happened to Auschwitz. Let us not forget that hatred, discrimination, and intolerance have no place in our Republic. Never let humanity experience such an untold tragedy again,” wrote Kyriakos Mitsotakis on social media.

Greek foreign ministry announcement

The Greek foreign ministry also released a statement emphasising the need to “fight against the attempt to wilfully trivialize or even deny the blackest page in modern European history,” and to honour the memory of millions of Jews, including Greeks, that “fell victim to the most heinous crime in modern history”.

The full statement is given below:

“Today is the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the allied powers; an anniversary that honours the memory of the millions of Jews who were exterminated with an industrial brutality never seen before, in the concentration and death camps of the Nazi regime.

International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust is also a day of responsibility and duty for us all to fight against the attempt to wilfully trivialise or even deny the blackest page in modern European history.

Today, Greece honours the memory of the millions of Jews, Greeks and non-Greeks, who fell victim to the most heinous crime in modern history. It also honours the survivors of the Shoah, acknowledging the indelible wounds to their souls and minds, and the heroic selflessness of the people who protected those persecuted mercilessly by the racial paranoia of the Nazi totalitarian regime.

Together with millions of other Jews, the Greek Jews and Jewish communities of Greece fell victim to an inconceivable barbarity that nearly brought about their extinction. The memory of these tragic events will remain indelible and alive. We all have a duty to keep these memories alive as a bulwark against any form of anti-Semitism, racism or intolerance, and as something new generations must avoid.

Since 2005, Greece has been a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and, under the Stockholm Declaration, undertook the responsibility to preserve the collective memory our fellow human beings who died in the Holocaust. Greece’s upcoming presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, in 2021, is practical recognition of its role in combating anti-Semitism and defending historical truth.

Greece will continue to fight racism, intolerance, discrimination, intimidation and xenophobia. It will continue to honour and protect the memory of those who were lost, and it is committed to working ceaselessly to ensure that those who lost their lives are never forgotten and that humanity never again experiences such horrors, the Foreign Ministry statement said on Monday.”

“Greek Freak” deactivates social media after mentor Kobe Bryant’s death

The Greek Herald
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“Greek Freak” deactivates social media after mentor Kobe Bryant’s death

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. He was 41-years-old.

Fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo was particularly close to Kobe, and his silence during this period of mourning has had just as big an impact as any.

The ‘Greek Freak’ shut down his presence on social media in wake of the tragic situation. His Instagram and Twitter have been deleted and the star has yet to make a public appearance.

Kobe was a mentor for Giannis. In fact, back in 2017, the Mamba challenged him to win an MVP. Giannis followed through in 2019, winning his first as he led Milwaukee to a deep playoff run.

“Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game,” Antetokounmpo said in an interview, in 2016, posted by the Wisconsin State Journal. “I knew that I (was) going to learn a lot from him. I just wanted to take from him his thought process like what he thinks about the game.

Bryant touched the lives of many in the league and around the community, and the impact of his death is a reflection of that.

First public statement

Giannis Antetokounmpo shared some of his memories of Kobe Bryant, including how Kobe influenced Giannis to play basketball in the first place.

“Kobe means greatness,” said Giannis. “Kobe’s two different people, the basketball player and the person off the court. He always had that smile, the always had that charisma that he carried with him. I think he touched a lot of people in the world. Touched my family, touched a lot of families that never had the chance to meet him. It’s a sad day.”

Giannis also said Kobe Bryant was one of the reasons he started playing basketball in the first place.

“I grew up with Kobe, Kobe influenced my life,” said Giannis. “One of the reasons I started playing basketball, one of the reasons I’m here today. Kobe is one of the best players to ever play the game. He was put on this Earth to be one of the best. When I’m gone, if I can impact people’s lives the way Kobe impacted mine and people’s lives around the world, that’d be a blessing.”

Nick Kyrgios suffers heartbreaking defeat against World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in Australian Open fourth round

The Greek Herald
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Nick Kyrgios suffers heartbreaking defeat against World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in Australian Open fourth round

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been knocked out of the Australian open after losing to World No.1 Rafael Nadal in a four set battle. The match saw both professionals deliver strong performances that brought the match to 3 hours and 38 minutes. with Nadal taking the victory 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4).

Throughout the match, both professionals played to their strengths. Kyrgios delivered powerful serves averaging between 200 and 220 km/hr, hitting 25 aces throughout the match. Meanwhile, Nadal held his own in the rallies, frequently coming out on top against the inexperienced Australian, ultimately earning the Spaniard the victory.

A Thrilling Match from Point to Point

Nadal entered the match filled with energy yet conserved majority of it in the first set, moving only 1.47km in distance compared to Kyrgios’ 4.47km. Nadal found a break point early in the set, limiting Kyrgios’ movement each point and taking the first set 6-3.

The second set saw Kyrgios deliver fiercer serves, winning 20 service points to Nadal’s 10. In a reverse outcome of the first set, Kyrgios earned a break point early in the set to secure a 3-6 victory.

Photo: Getty Images

Set three was certainly entertaining as it saw the men go into a tie breaker, in which Nadal came out on top 7(8)-6(6). Each set was secured quite convincingly by each respective server, with the set sure to come into a tie-breaker. Kyrgios suffered a double fault point loss, giving Nadal the lead, until Nadal similarly followed suit with a double fault. Nadal managed to outpace Kyrgios in vital rallies, taking the set along with a renewed level of confidence.

As the fourth set approached, an aggravated Kyrgios seemed defeated, but did not take that defeated energy into the next set. Kyrgios came out confident, matching with Nadal fluently, until the Spaniard’s extraordinary defensive efforts earned him a break point against Kyrgios. Unfazed, Kyrgios brought back his energy to earn a break point against Nadal, takin the set into a tie breaker. Both professionals played to their last breath, however risky plays from Kyrgios saw Nadal take the set and the victory 7-6 (7-4).

Photo: Reuters

Nick Kyrgios hit an incredible total of 25 aces throughout the match, increasing his donation by $5000 for the bushfire relief.

“He is one of the highest talents we have on this tour”

In the post match interview, led by John McEnroe, Nadal spoke highly of Kyrgios and the positives he brings to tennis on a global scale.

“It was a very tough match, in the beginning I seemed a bit under-confident against Nick. He played a good game but I played a scary game (at 5-4). But that’s part of the sport but it’s about recovering mentally for the tie-break.” said the World No.1.

“What can i say about nick. When he is playing like today with this positive attitude he gives a lot to the sport. I encourage him to keep working like this. He is one of the highest talents we have on this tour. And I like the Nick Kyrgios we have at this tournament.”

“I believe I am moving in the right direction in this tournament, hopefully this victory, against one of the best players in the world, gives me positive feelings. I’m going to try my best and see what happens.”

A Tribute to Kobe Bryant

Nick Kyrgios entered the arena wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey in memory of the tragic accident that occurred earlier in the day, where Kobe Bryant, along with his 13 year old daughter and 2 other passengers, lost their lives in a helicopter crash.

Photo: The Sun

Rafael Nadal also payed tribute to the basketball player with a tweet saying, “I woke up this morning with the horrible news of the tragic death of one of the greatest sportsman in the world. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and other passengers. My condolences to his wife and families. I am in shock.”

Rafael Nadal will face World No. 5 Dominic Thiem at the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Maria Vamvakinou MP

Andriana Simos
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Έχουν μεσολαβήσει ογδόντα χρόνια από το ηρωικό ΟΧΙ του Ελληνικού λαού. Η απάντηση των Ελλήνων στο φασισμό εκείνης της περιόδου, αποτελεί μνημείο τιμής και σημείο αναφοράς για τη σύγχρονη ιστορία της ανθρωπότητας. Η 28η  Οκτωβρίου καθιστά ένα σύμβολο της πάλης της ανθρωπότητας ενάντια στο φασισμό και το ναζισμό. Το μήνυμα που έδωσε η ηρωική μάχη των Ελλήνων, με το φασισμό σε ολόκληρη την ανθρωπότητα ήταν ότι ο χιτλερο-φασισμός δεν ήταν αήττητος. Η πάλη ενάντια στην Ιταλική φασιστική μηχανή και στη συνέχεια η ένδοξη Εθνική Ελληνική Αντίσταση, έχουν τη θέση τους στην μακρά ιστορία του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και της τελικής νίκης των λαών ενάντια στο τέρας του ναζισμού και του φασισμού.

Εκφράζω θαυμασμό για όλους όσους αγωνίστηκαν και θυσιάστηκαν για την ελευθερία της πατρίδας και για να νικηθεί ο φασισμός, ανάμεσα στους οποίους και χιλιάδες Αυστραλοί. Υποκλινόμαστε σεμνά σε όλους ανταποκρίθηκαν πρόθυμα και πολέμησαν τον χιτλεροφασισμό στην Ελλάδα, στην Ευρώπη, στη Βόρεια Αφρική, στον Ατλαντικό, στην Ασία και στον Ειρηνικό.

Φέτος με τον κορονοϊό οι συνθήκες – τόσο εδώ όσον και στην Ελλάδα και αλλού – είναι πολύ διαφορετικές από άλλες χρονιές και δεν μας επιτρέπουν να μαζευτούμε δημόσια για να τιμήσουμε τον ηρωισμό και τη θυσία των εκατοντάδων χιλιάδων Ελλήνων – υπολογίζετε το 10% του πληθυσμού – μαχόμενων και άμαχων που έχασαν τις ζωές τους κατά τη διάρκεια του καταστροφικού πολέμου και της γερμανικής κατοχής.

Σήμερα που ο φασισμός ξανασηκώνει κεφάλι, τόσο στην Ευρώπη και σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο, τα μηνύματα της εποποιίας του 1940 αποκτούν ακόμη μεγαλύτερη επικαιρότητα.

Με την ευκαιρία της εθνικής επετείου της 28ης Οκτωβρίου χαιρετίζω με τη σειρά μου όλους τους Αυστραλούς μαχητές και εθελοντές του Β΄ Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου και τους αγωνιστές όλων των δημοκρατικών και αντιφασιστικών αγώνων όλων των λαών. Απευθύνω επίσης θερμό χαιρετισμό στον ελληνικό λαό και εύχομαι με τους αγώνες του να ξεπεράσει τις σημερινές δύσκολες προκλήσεις και καταστάσεις.

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