The Cyprus Community of NSW is set to launch a youth committee called ‘Neolaia’ as a new initiative in affiliation with global advocate, NEPOMAK, an organisation that works to preserve the cultural roots of Cypriots worldwide.
This new initiative will be aimed at 18–30-year-old young Cypriots in order to help them create a connection within the community and strengthen ties to their heritage.
The Greek Herald spoke with Assistant Secretary of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Emilios Michael, and he said this new initiative was created alongside NEPOMAK to bring in the youth and create awareness of the Cyprus issue.
“To understand how to move forward, you need to understand the past. A lot of the youth have not lived the Cyprus issue,” Mr Michael says.
“It’s that link between our parents and grandparents.”
So why now? Mr Michael said that with the help of social media and because of the way the global community engages, appealing to the youth has never been easier.
“We do very well with kids while they’re in school, when they do Greek dancing, up until the ages of 16, 17 and then there is a disconnect, they tend to re-engage at a later stage,” Mr Michael explains.
The hope is that this new committee, once chosen and formed, will create initiatives which will become entrenched within the local Cypriot community.
To find out more about ‘Neolaia,’ an information evening will be held this Thursday, March 17 at 7pm at the Cyprus Community Club at Stanmore. Guest speakers from NEPOMAK will be present to introduce the new initiative and how the youth can get involved.
South Australia’s Liberal government has released its policy costings and says it will not be making any further funding commitments, ABC News reports.
The expenditure list released today shows $288 million in new funding is required to pay for the Liberal Party’s election commitments.
SA Treasurer, Rob Lucas, said the announcement was an attempt to “force” Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas to explain how Labor’s pre-election promises will be funded.
Mr Malinauskas said all of Labor’s policies had been fully costed and that he would be announcing all of the budget numbers on Thursday.
SA-BEST candidates Keyvan Abak (far left) and Ian Markos (far right) with MLCs Frank Pangallo and Connie Bonaros.
In response, SA Best’s lead Upper House candidate, Ian Markos, accused the government and other major parties of being dishonest in their insistence that taxes would not increase to pay for their promises.
“BS has its own sound and that’s what you’re hearing now,” Mr Markos told ABC News.
If elected to the Legislative Council, Mr Markos said SA Best would advocate for wide-ranging tax reforms, including to stamp duty, payroll tax and slashing the “outrageous cost” of registering land titles.
Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla, said on Sunday that people will need a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to help fend off another wave of the virus.
Speaking to CBS’ Face the Nation program, Bourla said “many variants are coming” and although a third dose of the vaccine does offer some protection, it “doesn’t last very long” when faced with a variant like Omicron.
“It is necessary, a fourth (dose) for right now,” Mr Bourla told CBS.
We have seen encouraging results of our #COVID19 treatment in high-risk adults, and we are now expanding studies to non-hospitalized, symptomatic, pediatric participants who are at risk of progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death: https://t.co/YjJSUs1BeD
The Greek Jewish CEO went on and said Pfizer is now working on a vaccine that will protect against any future variants.
“What we are trying to do, and we are working very diligently right now, is to make not only a vaccine that will protect against all variants, including Omicron, but also something that can protect for at least a year,” Mr Bourla said.
“If we be able to achieve that, then I think it is very easy to follow and remember so that we can go back to really the way [we] used to live.”
Cyprus needs to improve its policies and infrastructure in order to be ‘more humane’ when accommodating migrant refugees, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday.
The President’s statement comes after he paid a visit to Pournara camp on the western outskirts of Nicosia on Monday.
The Cypriot Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Despo Michaelidou, last week called conditions at the camp “miserable,” including poor food and a lack of sanitation facilities.
President Nicos Anastasiades listens to a migrant behind the fence of the Pournara refugee reception centre in Kokkinotrimithia. Photo: Financial Mirror.
During his visit, President Anastasiades said that any “deficiencies” at the camp that arose as a result of an influx of migrants will be “dealt with accordingly.”
The Cypriot President stressed that difficulties were to be expected when nearly 5 percent of Cyprus’ population are asylum seekers. He said Cyprus has the highest number of asylum applications per capita among the European Union’s 27 nations.
“It would be better to focus on how to solve these problems, how to deal with the crisis created from the flow (of migrants), rather than dealing with everyone’s criticism,” he said.
So far, according to the Cypriot Interior Minister Nicos Nouris, 92 of the 356 children at Pournara have already been relocated to hotels, while accommodations for another 150 will be found soon.
Minister Nouris said the overcrowding at Pournara will be alleviated once the migrants are transferred to a newly-constructed reception center 50 kilometres south of the capital.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has assured Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of Greece’s “full support” for his government in a telephone call on Monday.
Mitsotakis told Zelenskyy that “Greece would send aid and receive Ukrainian refugees as well as from the Greek diaspora.”
Held talks with 🇬🇷 PM @kmitsotakis. Reported on the course of countering Russian aggression. We appreciate defense, humanitarian support of 🇬🇷. Stressed the need to ensure the work of humanitarian corridors, especially in Mariopol. Also discussed 🇺🇦 movement towards EU membership
On the topic of the Greek diaspora, Mitsotakis noted the need to open a humanitarian corridor for the safe exit of civilians from cities such as Mariupol.
The Greek Prime Minister also told Zelenskyy he wanted to ensure the Greek Consul General and others trapped in the OSCE building in Mariupol could move freely.
Dramatic appeal for help by ethnic Greeks in Mariupol:
This telephone call comes as the President of the Federation of Greek Associations in Ukraine, Alexandra Protsenko, made a dramatic appeal the international community to mobilise to prevent the imminent extermination of Ukraine’s Greek communities.
The Ukrainian military has been defending Mariupol for more than a week. Photo: AP / Mstyslav Chernov.
According to Keep Talking Greek, Protsenko sent a letter to CNN Greece, from an underground shelter in Mariupol, which denounced the “genocide of the Ukrainian people and the Greeks of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.”
The President then called on the international community to organise a “green corridor” for the evacuation of Greeks “from settlements surrounded by the enemy,” as well as “the provision of humanitarian aid.”
More than 2,500 residents have already been killed in the port city of Mariupol since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said on Monday.
People fleeing the conflict in Ukraine cross the Moldova-Ukraine border checkpoint near the town of Palanca. Picture: AFP.
After several days of failed attempts to deliver supplies to Mariupol and provide safe passage out for trapped civilians,ABC News has reported that a convoy of over 160 cars left the city on Monday.
This appears to be the first successful attempt to arrange a “humanitarian corridor” to evacuate civilians from the encircled Ukrainian city.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has tested positive for COVID-19.
“I will be self-isolating in my home and work from there,” the Prime Minister said in a video posted to Instagram.
“Triple vaccination provides the best possible protection against serious disease. I’m sure everything will go well and I will be back in the office very soon.”
Mitsotakis has tested positive for COVID-19.
The diagnosis comes just one day after Mitsotakis visited Istanbul in Turkey and met with Turkish President Erdogan and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
On Twitter, Mitsotakis said Erdogan had wished him a speedy recovery from the virus during a phone call.
Thank you President @RTErdogan for your call and your kind wishes for a speedy recovery!
Excitement is growing amongst Sydney’s Greek community as much-loved international singer, Melina Aslanidou, prepares to hit the stage at Enmore Theatre on Wednesday, March 16 at 7pm.
Aslanidou arrived in Sydney last Thursday night and hasn’t wasted any time mingling with her local fans and sending a message to all Greek Australians ahead of her concert.
Speaking at a press conference organised by The Greek Festival of Sydney and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW), Aslanidou expressed her joy at arriving in Australia and congratulated the local diaspora for maintaining their Greek culture and traditions.
Melina Aslanidou at the press conference on Friday afternoon. All photos: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
“I was born outside of Greece in Germany and so I have an accurate understanding of how it feels to live away from your homeland but for it to be a part of who you are wherever you are,” Aslanidou said.
“So it will be my pleasure to put all my feelings as a Greek into songs which showcase our homeland, our culture, our ethos and our traditions because it is very important to never forget our traditions.
“We are all one… and I congratulate you all because you are far from the homeland but you have brought Greece here [to Australia] and promote our culture…”
Festival Chair, Nia Kateris (left) facilitated a Q&A segment with Aslanidou.
Later, during a Q&A segment facilitated by Festival Chair Nia Kateris, the Greek singer talked openly about what people can expect from her upcoming concert and stressed that “it will be magical.”
In response to a question from The Greek Herald, Aslanidou, who has Pontian heritage, also gave an insight into whether she will be performing any Pontian songs at her concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe this year.
“In my shows, I always have a Pontian song in honour of my roots and can guarantee there will be one on Wednesday night as well. A song sung with love and devoted to all Pontians worldwide and all those who love our music,” Aslanidou said.
“So I can’t wait for us to be united [at the concert] and for us to become one voice.”
*All photos and video copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
In late 2015, Dr Essam Daod found himself standing on a beach on the Greek island of Lesvos as numerous small boats, filled with hundreds of Syrian refugees, approached the shore.
In an interview with ABC RN’s Sunday Extra, Dr Daod details how over the course of a year, he witnessed “unspeakable suffering” on Lesvos as almost one million displaced Syrians arrived on the island in an attempt to flee the civil war and ISIS.
This, he explained, inspired him and his wife to set up Humanity Crew, an organisation devoted to making mental health a priority in humanitarian crisis responses.
“If we want to help someone going through trauma, we need also to take care of his mind. And not only his basic needs [of] food and shelter,” the psychiatrist told the ABC program about why he launched Humanity Crew.
Nowadays, Humanity Crew volunteers continue to operate in Greece, training thousands of people and mental health professionals in psychosocial work.
There’s also an online clinic, run by mental health professionals, which aims to help refugees with their mental health wherever they are.
The Greek Football Federation is eyeing off Australian youngster Dimitri Valkanis, who is the son of former Socceroo Michael Valkanis.
According to FTBL, the 16-year-old is currently turning heads in Athens as he plays with AEK’s Under 17s team, but Dimitri is so far resisting all overtures as he only has eyes for the green and gold.
“Now I have my Greek passport I was approached to join a Greece U-17s (talent identification) camp, but really all I want to do is play for Australia,” the ex-Melbourne City rookie told FTBL.
“They’re still looking at me and still want me but my heart is really with Australia.”
In his first year at AEK, Dimitri has helped the U-17s reach the end-of-season national semi-finals where they face Aris, with the promise of facing PAOK in the final.
Dimitri is the son of former Socceroo, Michael Valkanis.
Dimitri says his success is down to his “different” playing style, as well as the influence of his dad Michael.
“I’ve watched my dad playing as a kid and that’s what gave me a love for football,” the Adelaide-born centre-back said.
“I want to try and copy what he achieved and maybe one day play for even bigger and better clubs.”
For his part, Dimitri’s dad says his son is “certainly a bit different” and he’s “more than happy he wants to represent Australia.”
“When he told me I got goose-bumps. I was really proud of that,” the former Socceroo star concluded.
The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) will hold a panel discussion entitled Sexism, Misogyny and the Migrant Woman, at the Greek Centre on Thursday, March 17 at 7pm, as part of its Greek History and Culture Seminars series.
The facilitators of the panel will be Professor Joy Damousi and Dina Gerolymou, while the panelists will be Melina Mallos, Fotini Kypraios, Anatoli Amanatides and Alkistis Pitsaki.
This panel discussion will examine notions of sexism and misogyny in relation to migrant women in Australia.
Drawing from their experiences and those of Greek women in Australia from past generations, the four panellists will look into the absence of migrant women voices from the current public discourse, the biases and stereotypes that persist, and the new faces of sexism and misogyny.
The panel will also delve into the limited voices and, in many cases, exclusion of CALD women from the public discussion, and even institutions, in an era dominated by diversity.
Who are the panellists?
Melina Mallos:
Melina Mallos is Visual Art Education Lecturer within the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. She was formerly the Education Manager at the Museum of Chinese Australian History in Melbourne’s Chinatown.
For 15 years, Melina was responsible for developing education programs for families, schools and teachers at the Queensland Art Gallery ı Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA). She holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood, a Master of Education (Research) and was a Queensland-Smithsonian Fellow 2009-2010.
Her debut children’s bilingual book, Catch that Cat!, received wide acclaim both nationally and overseas. Whilst teaching at Melbourne University, Melina is finishing her PhD. Her research explores the way new media usage shapes the identities and sense of belonging for Greek migrant youths living in Melbourne.
Fotini Kypraios:
Fotini is the Founder and Principal Lawyer at Prisma Legal, a boutique commercial legal practice, specialising in corporate legal and governance advisory services where she has over 20 years’ experience advising clients in range of legal areas, including litigation, management, international tax consulting, governance and commercial legal issues.
Fotini holds Bachelors degrees from Monash University in Arts and Law, and is the Board Chair of the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI) where she actively mentors young professionals.
Fotini was awarded her Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance in 2012 by the Governance Institute of Australia and is a regular presenter of their governance certificate courses while also undertaking governance advisory roles for private clients and Not-For-Profit organisations.
Most recently, Fotini also joined the Faculty of Law at Monash University as a sessional supervisor of the Innovation and Start Up Law Clinic, teaching practical commercial legal skills to penultimate and final year law students.
Anatoli Amanatides:
Anatoli has been with the University of Melbourne since 2015 and worked across a number of different departments across Student Services, Research and is currently an International Agreements Adviser in the University’s Chancellery division. She also co-owns Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar in Yarraville, with her sister Eleftheria.
She has also worked with a range of culturally and linguistically diverse organisations including the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Japanese Society of Melbourne and ethno-specific service provider, Pronia, where she was also the youngest person elected to the Board of Directors (2016-2020).
Anatoli holds a Master of International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts (Majors in Japanese and Political Sciences) from the University of Melbourne.
Alkisti Pitsaki:
Alkisti is a young artist from Athens, Greece, that began her career as a singer/ actor on stage and TV. Upon graduating with a BA(Hons) in Theatre Arts and receiving an award for Best Graduating Artist, Alkisti directed self-written shows in Greece and Australia.
As a director, Alkisti focuses on physical theatre plays and works that explore political and social issues, such as war and violence. Since moving to Australia, Alkisti has worked on professional shows at Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and as a directing intern at “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.”
Alkisti is now focusing on her roots and aims to create performances based on Ancient Greek myths and other Greek stories.
In 2021, Alkisti graduated with a Masters in Theatre Directing from the VCA. Her graduating piece Αριάδνη / Ariadne was a self-written, bilingual audio play that explored the ancient myth of Αριάδνη / Ariadne of Crete. Alkisti aims to bring Ariadne to Melbourne as a live performance later this year.
Event Details:
When: Thursday 17 March, 7.00pm
Venue: Mezzanine level, The Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
