One of the most popular stories of all time. “The Little Prince”. It excites young and old. A masterpiece that was born in a correspondingly difficult time, like today’s. World War II. A lesson in life and humanity, which you can listen to below.
Giota Staneloudi’s “King Koronoios” is a short story, aimed at preschool and early school children. It is a story that humorously describes the unprecedented situation that our planet is experiencing these days. Everything is going smoothly when King Coronius decides to go to war with his people. He seeks to rule them. How do the people react? Will they be able to remove him? Download the story from the address below.
If you just want to hear a fairy tale with the voice of the famous Greek actress, Xenia Kalogeropoulou, sit back and listen to “House with Cats”. You will appreciate it, especially if you have a pet.
A legendary figure in Ethnic Community Broadcasting in Australia, George Zangalis was recently awarded a Life Membership by the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV).
“I acknowledge and accept with deep appreciation and a sense of profound solidarity the honour of life ECCV membership,” George said, upon receiving the award.
Awarded only to six other individuals over ECCV’s five-decade history, ECCV Chairperson Eddie Micallef said this award is of high honour.
George Zangelis. Photo: ECCV
Born in Greece in 1931, George came to Australia in February 1950. He was one of ECCV’s Founding Fathers and a leading contributor to the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia support for migrants rights.
He pioneered Ethnic Community Broadcasting, serving on the ABC State and National Advisory Councils and the SBS Board in the early 1980s.
George also acted as the former President of Melbourne’s ethnic community radio station 3ZZZ, where he is still involved as a current affairs broadcaster. He is also a former President of the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council of Australia.
“We look forward to an opportunity to celebrate George Zangalis’ Life Membership and his lifetime achievements after the current public health crisis has passed”, Eddie Micallef, said.
“On behalf of our Board, staff and members we thank George for his leadership and service to the ECCV and multicultural communities in Victoria.”
Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas released a YouTube video on Tuesday titled “FREEDOM – OXYGEN OF MY SOUL”, speaking about his positive take on freedom in recent months.
Set in the enormous Jordan desert, Tsitsipas visualises his journey of peace and prosperity to his audience. In the description of his YouTube video, Tsitsipas speaks of the growing feeling of anxiety in the world today.
“A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives,” Tsitsipas writes in the video description.
“We are more connected, yet feel more alone. Unlike my smartphone, there is no ‘slide to power off’ function for anxiety. But the question remains, how do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious?”
The one minute clip directed and produced by Atelje Sthlm, can be watched through the link above.
Tsitsipas narrates that he worships freedom more than anything else in his life, and values its ability to help him “freeze time and think”.
Tsitsipas turns to YouTube
Stefanos Tsitsipas’ YouTube channel has so far collected over 171,000 subscribers. The tennis star makes about 3-4 videos per month on his tennis journeys, meetings with other celebrities and simple piece to camera vlogs.
“Sharing with you the best moments and experiences I gain on my tennis journey,” Tsitsipas’ YouTube bio says.
The Tennis superstar recently made a vlog that reached over 40,000 viewers. In the vlog, Tsitsipas speaks about his personal experiences in the past month, as well as providing his viewers with a mental health update.
Stefanos Tsitsipas made his first video 5 years ago, and recently reached a total of over 4 million views for his channel.
In a world plagued with coronavirus news, the skies will lay upon the world a beautiful phenomenon in the form of a pink “supermoon”. Seen all across the globe, the supermoon will be observed at 5:35 am on April 8 in Greece.
While the pink supermoon won’t actually appear pink to the eye, It’s close proximity to Earth will make the moon appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point from Earth.
April’s 2020 Pink Supermoon is named after phlox, the pink flowers that bloom in spring. These brightly-coloured flowers are native to North America, and they often bloom around the time of April’s Full Moon.
A runner makes his way along a trail on a butte in front of the supermoon over Papago Park in Phoenix in May 2012.Darryl Webb / Reuters
The pink supermoon will approach the Earth at its closest point for this year, at a distance of 356,907 kilometres (200,000 miles.)
The term “supermoon” was coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle. It has become an increasingly more popular and media-friendly term in the decades since then. According to NASA, it’s used by the media today to describe what astronomers would call a perigean full moon: a full moon occurring near or at the time when the moon is at its closest point in its orbit around Earth.
The first Full Moon in April is also known as the Paschal Moon in the Christian calendar, because it is used to calculate the date for Easter; the first Sunday after the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday.
Germany plans to take in up to 50 unaccompanied minors staying at overcrowded refugee camps in Greece, while Luxembourg has agreed to accept 12, government officials said Tuesday.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer will propose to the Cabinet on Wednesday a plan to bring the children to Germany and recommend that “the transfer should begin in the next week, if possible,” a statement from his ministry said.
A dozen children are expected to be transferred from the Greek camps to Luxembourg in the coming days, the Greek government said, expressing thanks to the small European country.
The relocation is “being achieved despite the difficult circumstances of the (coronavirus) pandemic and has created a positive example to other European partners, ” Giorgos Koumoutsakos, Greece’s alternate minister of migration and asylum minister, said.
More than 42,000 people currently live in the overcrowded camps on the Greek islands, including about 5,500 unaccompanied minors. Around 10% of them are under 14-years-old, according to police agency Europol.
Migrants play next to their makeshift tents outside the perimeter of the overcrowded Moria refugee camp on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece, Wednesday, March 11, 2020. AP Photo/Aggelos Barai
The European Union said on March 13 that a group of member countries had agreed to take at least 1,600 children who reached Greece traveling without their parents. But restrictions EU member nations adopted to slow the spread of the coronavirus complicated efforts to start putting the deal into effect.
Children moved to Germany will spend their first two weeks in quarantine and then sent to various German states, the German Interior Ministry said.
In addition to Germany and Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Ireland, Finland, Croatia, Lithuania, Belgium and Bulgaria also said they were prepared to take in children from the Greek camps, the ministry said.
“Because of internal challenges” in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, “there are understandably delays in some countries at present,” the ministry’s statement said. “But Germany has the clear expectation that these countries will keep to their commitment.”
Hospital doctors have staged protests around Greece to press demands for the government to hire additional medical staff and use more resources from the private sector.
Doctors and other staff members led the silent demonstrations Tuesday at the front entrance of Greece’s largest hospital in central Athens, wearing surgical and protective gear.
The protests were held outside more than a dozen hospitals, organizsd by the national hospital doctors’ union. It also had the backing from the Greek Communist Party, which sent lawmakers to several of the demonstrations.
Holding up banners reading “We fight for you. Shout for us,” the doctors said more resources were needed to deal with the pandemic in Greece. The national coronavirus death toll reached 79 on Monday and still remains below the number of fatalities attributed to seasonal flu.
The Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini were placed in partial lockdown on Tuesday. The new measures on Mykonos came after a second case was confirmed on the island on Saturday. Inspections are ongoing to trace the contacts made by the two women who tested positive for Covid-19.
Movement on the two islands is prohibited every day from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Tuesday published a video on social media hailing the efforts of Greek medical professionals in celebration of World Health Day.
The Greek president praised scientists, researchers, doctors, nurses and paramedics who are battle against the coronavirus pandemic in Greece and other parts of the world.
“We are proud and we thank them,” the Greek president said in a post accompanying the video, which shows a gallery of scientists and medics on the front lines of the crisis.
Αφιερώνουμε την Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Υγείας στις ελληνίδες και τους έλληνες επιστήμονες, ερευνητές, γιατρούς, νοσηλευτές και τραυματιοφορείς που δίνουν τη μάχη κατά του κορωνοϊού εντός και εκτός Ελλάδας. Νιώθουμε υπερήφανοι και τους ευχαριστούμε. #worldhealthday2020#Covid_19pic.twitter.com/6AzlzgOlAy
According to the World Health Organisation, 7 April 2020 is the day to celebrate the work of health professionals and remind world leaders of the critical role they play in keeping the world healthy.
This year, WHO has dedicated World Health Day in support of nurses and midwifes, celebrating the incredible work they are doing at the forefront of the COVID-19 response.
“Nurses and other health workers are at the forefront of COVID-19 response – providing high quality, respectful treatment and care, leading community dialogue to address fears and questions and, in some instances, collecting data for clinical studies. Quite simply, without nurses, there would be no response”, the world health organisation says.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday sent a message of support to all diaspora Greeks, giving extended sympathies to COVID-19 victims in the United States.
“We have won the first battle. And every day we are winning the second one. Through the government’s bold and swift decisions. Through the mobilisation of the state. And with the responsible behaviour of all citizens, in cities and villages,” he underlined, adding that his thoughts are with the Greeks, wherever they may be, and especially with those living in the USA.
The coronavirus death toll in the United States has surpassed 10,000 and infections have risen to nearly 400,000.
“In these difficult hours, my thoughts also go out to our brothers and sisters beyond our borders, to Greeks wherever they may be – and especially in the United States and in New York.”
Mitsotakis has called on Greeks abroad to abide by social distancing and sanitation measures, which has been proven to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
“The experience in our country shows that calmness and solidarity bring results. So stay home, taking care of your personal hygiene and those who are most vulnerable. And stay next to each other. Our Embassy and Consulates will always be open to you. The organisations and our Church are a stable network of contribution and mutual aid,” he underlined.
The prime minister also urged Greeks abroad to contact their relatives and familiarise themselves with the new platform: greecefromhome.com.
“We will succeed,” he said, adding: “With responsibility and discipline, the ordeal of the pandemic will soon be over. And we must be healthy and with as few losses as possible. To meet again, united and strong, in the summer, at home.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to the growing concerns of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, affirming to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia that private easter ceremonies conducted in the church will not be interrupted by members of authority.
Scott Morrison stressed that Easter Holy Week services for the Orthodox churches are “a special ritual that requires the presence of more than two or three people” and concluded by noting that “The Australian Government will show understanding during this period for the Churches of the Orthodox Archdiocese.”
His Eminence thanked the Prime Minister on his consideration and understanding that the Holy Week for the Orthodox Church is a special event for all Orthodox Christians.
Mr. Makarios has remained in constant communication with the Federal and State Authorities of the country from the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, a statement released by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia reveals.
The announcement by the Prime Minister followed the Archbishop’s concerns regarding the broadcasts of the ceremonies via the internet. “I do not want them to see from the broadcasts that there are more people in the Temple (priest, deacon, right-wing chanter, left-wing chanter, young priest, ministers) and to consider us illegal. I don’t want police officers to come and knock on our doors during the procession”, said His Eminence.
The Minister of Multiculturalism, Mr. Geoff Lee, also sent congratulatory letters to religious leaders in Australia. The minister particularly thanked the Archbishop for his strong leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Orthodox Church being the first Australian church to take steps to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent panic buying throughout Australia’s supermarkets, who can forget the incredible queues, the empty shelves and even brawling customers? How many times did we visit supermarkets to look for certain items and realise they were still unavailable? And yet, people still persisted with supermarkets, as the uncertainty and fear set in, and continued with the daily cycle of visiting supermarkets and coming away in disappointment.
Passing by my local supermarket at 6.45am, on my way to work, and I was
shocked at the long lines of customers waiting for the 7am opening; whether it
was seniors morning or public health service workers, the long queues were the
same length… And when I did finally go shopping on various days, I noticed the
same people in the queues and believed they surely had bought enough for
certain item and were now buying for their children and grandchildren.
In all this madness, Earlwood’s Trianon Cake Shop stepped up to support locals in their efforts to find items such as flour, sugar and even rice. Up went the sign in Trianon Cake Shop’s window that flour, sugar and rice was available there.
James Pitsiniagas offering customers flour at the Trianon Cake Shop.
The Trianon story goes back a very long time; it is a story of joy and sorrow, and a triumph over all adversity. Andreas Efthymiou and his κουμπάρο Dimitrios Christou opened up the Trianon cake shop in Morfou, Cyprus. Despite being such a successful business, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, with Morfou subsequently coming under Turkish occupation, the Efthymiou and Christou families lost everything and became refugees.
Life has its wonders and ironies. Both Andreas and Dimitrios, and their families, migrated to Sydney, Australia; Both men worked at the Alaska Cake Shop in Kingsford; and they would come together, again, to buy a cake shop in Earlwood. And they named their new business, Trianon.
The Efthymiou and Christou families worked the business together for eight years; they parted ways when Andreas and his family took the opportunity to run the Athens Cake Shop at Maroubra Junction. In 1994, the Christou family decided to sell Trianon and it is Andreas and his two sons, Arthur and Chris, who take over. These days, it is Andreas’ son, Arthur, and his son-in-law, James Pitsiniagas, who run the shop, so all the sweet delicacies have passed onto the next generations- Trianon Cake Shop is a third-generation business!
Trianon Cake Shop is now selling flour and sugar.
Like so many small businesses, COVID-19 has greatly hurt the Trianon Cake Shop’s business. James was very upfront about the whole situation, ‘Business just dried up. The flow of customers into our shop became a trickle. As a result, it was very sad to stand down our employees for the time being.
Easter is just around the corner. This time of year, we are meant to be getting the Cypriot flaounes and tsourekia ready. This year, we have no idea of what to make because we cannot gauge what people want. There is so much uncertainty at the moment as workers are losing their jobs and they don’t know what is going to happen. People are hesitant and reserved about everything.
As Greeks, we all look forward to Easter; this year’s Easter will be like no other as we will not be able to go to church and we cannot even celebrate with relatives and friends. To give you one item as an example of how things have changed is the candles godparents give to their godchildren; we have so much stock but who will buy these candles if they cannot visit their godchild or go to church? Both the supplier and us lose out.”
James Pitsiniagas is adjusting to a new reality after the Federal Government’s coronavirus restrictions.
Asked about how the initiative to begin selling flour, sugar and rice came about, James explains, “Our customers kept on coming into our cakes shop and recounting their experiences of how shelves were empty as a result of the panic-buying. They were very stressed and anxious about the whole situation. We just kept getting customers asking for flour and sugar.
“So, we just wanted to do
something for the community- to relieve our customers of all this stress. We
rang up our supplier and enquired about his supply of items such as flour,
sugar and rice, and he had stock.
“And our customers keep coming
in and asking for these items, and they are very appreciative about this
initiative. They are happy about this.”
With the uncertainty about the
Federal and State Governments’ next measures and how they will affect the
community, James remains hopeful about the dire economic situation, “We are all
hurting and there will be more hurt to come, but I am hopeful it will pass and
we will all return to some normality.”
