Following his successful national launch in Canberra last month, Nick Bourdaniotis will be launching ‘The Evzones Collection’ in Melbourne today, Friday March 26.
The event is part of the many international cultural initiatives celebrating Greece’s 200th bicentennial anniversary since its 1821 War of Independence.
The exhibition gets it’s name after the historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army which today serve as members of the country’s Greek Presidential Guard.
The exhibition is hosted and organised in conjunction with the 2021 Victorian Bicentenary Committee and the Organisational Council for Greek National Day at Oakleigh Grammar Convention Centre. The exhibition will be attended by political and community dignitaries including the Consul General of Greece in Melboune Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Bishop Ezekiel, Chairman of 2021 Victorian Committee Tony Tsourdalakis among others.
“I am fortunate to be able to share my work on Greece’s Presidential Guard especially now with the 200 years anniversary since our Independence” said Bourdaniotis.
The collection was largely inspired from Bournaniotis’ first contact with members of the Greek Presidential Guard when he was appointed official photographer of the Evzones tour of Australia in 2016, at the invitation of the Hellenic Club of Sydney.
Since then, his work impressed both the public and officials, leading to the photographer continuing his work with unprecedented access to all aspects of the Greek Presidential Guard.
Event Details: Melbourne: Saturday March 27 – Sunday April 04 at Oakleigh Grammar Conference Center. Address: 77/81 Willesden Rd, Oakleigh, Victoria, 3166.
Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March: 2:00pm – 6:30pm, Monday 29 March to Thursday 01 April: 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Friday 02 April to Sunday 04 April: 2:00pm – 6:30pm
Legendary Greek conductor George Ellis conducted a special ‘Hymn to Liberty’ performance in Town Hall last night to commemorate 200 years since start of the Greek War of Independence.
Dionysius Solomos wrote his famous Hymn to Liberty in 1823, when the Greek War of Independence was at a critical stage.
In its 158 stanzas the poem relates events in the war up to that point. It was set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros, and in 1865 the first verses were adopted as the Greek national anthem.
Photo: Vasilis Vasilas
The musical composition featured an array of Greek orchestral talent led by George Ellis, including soloists George Karantonis, Maria Yiakoulis and Leon Vitogiannis. The concert was the first time this performance had been conducted in Australia, with the most emotional moment of the night being when the whole crowd stood up to sing the anthem with the vocalists.
The composition was followed by a quintet performance of Να ‘τανε τo ’21 by Stavros Kougioumtzis and a vocal solo by Maria Yiakoulis.
Photo: Vasilis Vasilas
With NSW restrictions being eased on Monday, Greeks were forced to keep to their seats as Nikos Skalkottas entertained the audience with five Greek dances for string orchestra.
A host of dignitaries also spoke at the event in Sydney’s CBD centre, including Trade Commissioner of Greece in Australia Mrs Katia Gkikiza, Themis Kallos, Michael Tsilimos, Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore, Prof Vrasidas Karalis and Angela Vithoulkas.
Photo: Vasilis Vasilas
Prof Karalis spoke about the true representation of the Hymn to Liberty, saying it represents more than the national identity and represents their constant fight against oppression.
The organisers thanked City of Sydney Council members Clover Moore and Angela Vithoulkas for helping the event go ahead.
On Thursday March 25th, two South Australian politicians of Greek background, SA BEST MLC Connie Bonaros and Labor politician Irene Pnevmatikos MLC, held a wreath laying ceremony to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence day in presence of the Greek Consul General in Adelaide, George Psiachas.
Bonaros and Pnevmatikos took the initiative to organise this ceremony as they claim the Greek Orthodox Church intentionally did not invite them to the event, held at the National War Memorial at North Terrace on Sunday March 21st while other politicians of Greek heritage were present.
Ms Bonaros, whose family’s roots are seeded in Greece’s Peloponnese region, said not receiving an invite was “deeply hurtful”.
“If I’m to believe the rumours, it is extremely disappointing organisers of an important cultural event like that … chose to politicise it,” Ms Bonaros said.
Both politicians received correspondence from Archbishop, Makarios Griniezakis, urging them to not support the SA abortion law reforms that they both voted in favour of. The letter has been obtained by The Greek Herald.
“The War of Independence celebrations are important for all Greeks whether they live in Greece or abroad. To ignore our local politicians was inappropriate and unacceptable.
“Could it be that this omission, was deliberate and somehow a punishment from the church in terms of our position on Abortion Law Reform,” said Ms Pnevmatikos.
“Whilst we all have differing views; we need to be mindful of the differing views and opinions that exist. However, there is not place in our state parliament for church-made legislation.
“Let us not return to a system that existed in Greek society under Ottoman rule,” Pnevmatikos said.
Last month, South Australia became the last state to decriminalise abortion.
The historic legislation also allowed for abortions after 22 weeks and six days’ gestation, if two medical practitioners both agree it is “medically appropriate”.
Greeks of Sydney observed the Sydney Opera House in awe last night as the historic Australian landmark was lit up with a waving Greek flag to mark 200 years since the War for Greek Independence.
In an offical ceremony led by Acting Minister for Multiculturalism Geoff Lee, a host of dignitaries spoke about the importance of recognising the Greek peoples contribution to Australia.
“Tonight is just a symbol of our appreciation for all your hard work, your achievements in business, academia, and sporting right across our community,” Minister Lee said.
Sydney celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution. Photo: The Greek Herald.
The Minister introduced the speakers including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Consul General of Greece in Sydney Christos Karras and the Very Revd Father Christophoros Krikelis. Also in attendance were Eleni Petinos MP, Mark Coure MP and Scott Farlow.
“Today is a day you don’t just celebrate 200 years of Greek independence, we celebrate the contribution many of you of Greek heritage have made to NSW, an outstanding contribution,” the NSW Premier said.
“NSW wouldn’t be the strong state it is without the contribution of Greek Australians.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Photo: The Greek Herald
“We are very proud to celebrate on the opposite side of the world to Greece, because our hearts are one with Greek people around the world as we celebrate this wonderful milestone,” the Premier concluded.
Consul General of Greece in Sydney Christos Karras said the lighting of the Opera House honours not only Greek Australians, but Greeks all over the world.
“Today, as we commemorate this landmark bicentenary, we also celebrate the long friendship between Greece and Australia,” Karras said.
Photo: The Greek Herald
Consul General of Greece in Sydney Christos Karras and the Very Revd Father Christophoros Krikelis. Photo: The Greek Herald
“We celebrate our common values that bind us as friends and we honour the great contributions Greek Australians have made to multicultural Australian society”.
“Long live Australia, long live Greece.”
Representing His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, Fr Christophoros Krikelis spoke about the relationship between the Feast of the Annunciation and Independence day, with both representing the freedom of the Greek people.
Photo: The Greek Herald
Photo: The Greek Herald
“The 25th of March has forever been engraved in the eclectic consciousness of our people, and serves as a reminder of the inseparable relationship between our Hellenic nation and our Orthodox faith,” Fr Krikelis said.
The ‘next generation’ of Greek Australian leaders, a group of school children, counted down from ten in Greek to light up the Sydney Opera House.
‘Never felt more proud’
While parliamentary and religious dignitaries gazed upon the Opera House from the other side of the harbour, below the Australian monument was a sea of Greek Australians celebrating this iconic moment in history.
The Greek Herald spoke with a few members of the Greek Australian public, who were seen parading and dancing in front of the Sydney Opera House.
Vicki and her family celebrate outside of the Sydney Opera House. Photo: The Greek Herald
“There is nothing better than being Greek and feeling proud to be Greek,” a member of the public, Vicki, said.
“We thank Sydney, Australia, and the world that we have this opportunity to be here tonight and we stand with Greece as they go through so much. We are one, we love you.”
As the flag on the Sydney Opera House waved, flags on the ground waved in unison. Many community members had Greek flags stretched across their back, with a few children handing them out for free to the local community.
The Sydney Opera House lights up the harbour with the Greek flag. Photo: The Greek Herald
“This just shows what the Greek people have done for Australia and continue to do here,” Nick said.
“This something that doesn’t happen all the time, it’s simply amazing,” Mary said.
Greek music filled the Sydney Harbour as different celebrations raged on across the Sydney CBD. Following speeches by the dignitaries, a lyra player performed for a gathering crowd of Greek and Australian audiences.
A Greek lyra player dazzled audiences in Darling Harbour. Photo: The Greek HeraldPhoto: Nicholas Papas/@Papasfilmphotography
Vandals defaced the facade of a mosque in ethnically split Cyprus on Thursday, daubing it with Greek flags and slogans and drawing a harsh condemnation from authorities.
The mosque, located west of the city of Limassol close to Cyprus’s southern coast, was spray-painted blue with stencils of the Greek flag on its stone exterior. Christian crucifixes, also in blue, were painted on its two wooden doors.
Thursday marked the bicentennial of an 1821 Greek uprising which ended Ottoman rule in Greece. Cyprus, which was also part of the Ottoman Empire, became a British protectorate in 1878, later became a colony and then gained independence in 1960.
Cypriot authorities condemned the incident, calling it “an unacceptable and senseless act of so-called patriotism which desecrated places of religious worship.”
A quote spray painted on a mosque in Cyprus. Photo: Twitter
The Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, an interfaith religious group, called it “shameful.”
Cyprus was split between its Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot population after a Turkish invasion in 1974 prompted by a brief Greek inspired coup. Countless mediation attempts have failed to heal the divide, with the United Nations poised to launch a new effort in Geneva in April.
“Malicious acts such as these do not contribute in any way to the creation of the right climate to solve the Cyprus issue and reunify our country,” Cypriot government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said in a written statement.
“Idiots of the day” wrote one user on Twitter under a picture of the mosque.
The Prince of Wales attended Athens’ military parade to honour the brave fighters of the Greek War of Independence, yet was surprised with a presentation of the capital’s highest distinction: The Gold Medal of Honour.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, attended the ceremony in Athens to honour Britain’s contribution during the Greek war of 1821, helping destroy a Turkish-Egyptian fleet in the Bay of Navarino, in the western Peloponnese.
The city’s highest honour recognises “a proven friend of Greece and Hellenism, and especially a friend of Athens, its history and its civilisation,” Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said.
Prince Charles quipped that he didn’t think he’d ever receive a gold medal “at my age”, adding he is even more grateful for the honour.
“The mayor has made such strides in ensuring that Athens becomes a great example of sustainability”, Prince Charles said.
“Because it is crucially important it seems to me that cities like Athens and all around the world are much more involved in the drive towards greater sustainability, decarbonisation of the economy and indeed a regeneration of biodiversity.”
Athens Mayor Costas Bakoyannis presents Prince Charles of Wales with the Medal of Value of the City of Athens.
The prince added: “In the meantime, I shall wear this medal with great pleasure and pride as it will always remain as something I shall treasure as a result of this visit to Athens but also of your great kindness and consideration to me after all these years.”
The Prince also received a miniature Greek uniform as a gift from the presidential guards in Athens and in return he gave them a framed photograph of his father as a child dressed as an Evzone guard.
The mayor of Athens made note of the “Terra Carta” initiative, which supports the protection of nature and biodiversity, expressing appreciation that Athens is the first city to sign on. After the event, the mayor and Prince Charles met with representatives of Greek business, who signed on to Terra Carta for the collaboration of public and private sectors.
Fighter jets flew by the ancient Acropolis and tanks rumbled past parliament in central Athens on Thursday as Greece’s celebrations for the bicentenary of its war of independence culminated in a military parade attended by dignitaries from Britain, France and Russia but no members of the public.
Greece invited dignitaries from Russia, France and Britain, the great powers that had provided vital assistance to the nation’s bid for independence from the Ottoman Empire, to attend the celebrations marking 200 years since the start of the Greek rebellion.
Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and French Defense Minister Florence Parly were in Athens for the events, along with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.
Tanks are driven by members of the Greek Army during a military parade parade in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, Thursday, March 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Charles, Mishustin, Parly and Anastasiades laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside parliament before the start of the military parade, which included a mounted cavalry section and marching troops from the army, navy and air force, as well as the police, fire department and coast guard.
Fighter planes and helicopters flew in formation above central Athens — they included a U.S. Air Force plane, French Rafale jets and Britain’s Royal Air Force Voyager aircraft in which Prince Charles flew to Greece, the Union Jack emblazoned on its tail.
Members of the Presidential Guard walk in front of the Parthenon temple atop of Acropolis Hill after the Greek flag raising ceremony in Athens, Thursday, March 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, Pool)
Unable to watch the parade in person, many Athenians came out onto balconies in the center of the city to watch the flyby.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis kicked off Thursday’s celebrations by attending the raising of the Greek flag on the Acropolis.
“Two centuries ago, a handful of determined fighters within and outside Greece, raised the banner of independence. They set in motion a process the end of which not even they themselves could have dreamed of. With the help of their allies, they fought heroically and won their freedom,” Mitsotakis said in a speech.
Throughout Greece’s history as an independent nation “we have lived through moments of triumph and of pain. Wise decisions, but also great mistakes,” he said. “But in all of humanity’s great tribulations our land was always on the right side of history.”
Mitsotakis noted that this year’s Independence Day was “unique, but also different, as it finds us in the final battle with the pandemic. With great difficulties, but with victory now visible. Besides, our national vaccination campaign is named Freedom.”
In an address via Greek television, US President Joe Biden said both the United States and Greece “shared commitment to liberty, human rights and the rule of law.”
French President Emmanuel Macron sent a message to Athens that “we will stand by your side when history is unfair to you.”
In the weeks leading up to March 25th, we asked you to celebrate by getting your children, friends and neighbours involved in remembering and honouring this iconic piece of Greek history.
Well your children certainly seemed encouraged, because The Greek Herald received plenty of submissions for the competition: The Greek War of Independence through your eyes.
For the competition, we asked you to any piece of writing or artwork that conveys the history of the Greek War of Independence. The Greek Herald received many incredible submissions, including detailed artworks, delicate poems and historical pieces.
The Greek Herald would like to congratulate Zoe Sigrimis (11), Chrysoula Kirkis (14), Emmanouela Kalaitzidi (10) as the winners of the competition and a $100 Westfields Gift Voucher!
Zoe Sigrimis
Zoe Sigrimis drew an artwork that perfectly represents the battle at Missolonghi. In the photo, the Turks are at the Missolonghi doorway, facing in front of them the Greek resistance fighters. The Missolonghi sieges were some of the longest battles during the Greek revolution.
Here’s what Zoe had to say after finding out she had won:
“I’m happy…kind of surprised because I didn’t expect to win. I was proud just to create this work to show what I’ve learnt about the Greek revolution.”
Emmanouela Kalaitzidi
Emmanouela Kalaitzidi was another artistic winner who drew the famous Laskarina Bouboulina, one of Greece’s finest warriors of the Greek War of Independence. A Greek naval commander, she spent most of her riches to supply ammunition and food for sailors and soldiers under her command.
Here’s what Emmanouelahad to say after finding out she had won:
“I feel very happy and proud about winning the art competition.”
“I drew a heroine who played a very important role for the Greek Independence. From this competition, I have learnt that Rigas’ Velestinlis poem, Thourios, motivated the Greek people to fight for our freedom.”
Chrysoula Kirkis
Chrysoula Kirkis wrote a beautiful poem titled ‘The Great and Visual Journey’, which looks to give readers exactly that. The poem describes in great detail the moments of patience, fear and most importantly, hope, experienced by the resistance fighters.
Here’s what Chrysoula had to say after finding out she had won:
“I can’t believe that I’ve won. I feel shocked and I feel ecstatic for this achievement.”
“My Greek teacher introduced this competition to us, and she told us that we’re celebrating 200 years of independence. I really felt moved and I felt a strong sense of pride and I wanted to take part and reflect upon my Greek roots and how I feel about them.”
“I’d also like to thank The Greek Herald for giving us, the second generation and third generation Greeks, this wonderful opportunity. And I would also like to give a thanks to my family for supporting me to learn about my Greek identity as well as my teachers.”
Opera Australia has confirmed its outdoor event, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, will return as of March 26 with Verdi’s popular La Traviata, after being shut-down earlier this year due to COVID-19.
Greek Australian Director of ‘La Traviata,’ Constantine Costi, spoke to The Greek Herald about his background and his excitement for being at the helm at Opera Australia for the first time.
“This is by far the biggest thing I have ever directed. I’ve got 20 dancers, 10 actors, a chorus of 40 and about 15 principles. In terms of the spectacle, it’s super exciting,” said Constantine Costi and went on to talk about his Greek Cypriot background.
Greek Australian Director of ‘La Traviata,’ Constantine Costi.
“I am Greek Cypriot from my dad’s side. My pappou came here in the late 1940s. He started a little fish shop in Lakemba and then he, my dad, his brother and his siblings all went off to start different versions of De Costi Seafoods.
“I grew up at the fileting bench next to my dad and what this taught me and I can apply in my job at the moment, are all these basic skills. About keeping your composure, about working hard. I can owe all that to my upbringing,” said the young director.
Costi also revealed that although very successful in what he does, he “didn’t grow up in the Opera.”
“I came in quite late. I always had this association that opera was something hard to understand or that it was overwhelming but what I discovered and what I love about it is that on a fundamental level it’s quite simple. It’s an incredibly beautiful, heart breaking, exhilarating story told through the medium of song and music.
Constantine Costi. Photo: Janie Barrett, The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Sometimes the spoken word is not enough to encapsulate the passion of the human experience and I think this is something the Opera does so well,” he said.
Asked what his emotions are when he watches a performance he has directed, Constantine said he’s excited but anxious.
“I always clench on my program but this is because I am aware of the immense amount of work that goes into the creation of the performance. From the lead soprano to the assistant technician, the amount of commitment, passion and the hours it takes to make this happen is amazing.
“I also love when I feel that a perfectly sculptured dramatic moment ripples through the audience and I know that everybody in this audience of hundreds of people is experiencing the same thing at the same time.
“This is some kind of magic that you can’t get elsewhere.”
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour attracts thousands of visitors to Sydney since it began in 2012 and is supported by the NSW Government and the International Foundation for Arts and Culture.
Performance Details: 26 March – 25 April 2021 (Excluding Mondays and Good Friday on 2 April), Performed in Italian with English and Simplified Chinese subtitles. Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes including one interval.
The Greek flag has been raised by the councils of Canterbury-Bankstown and Randwick to recognise the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution and the contribution of the Greek Australian community to their regions.
This is how the events went down.
Canterbury-Bankstown:
To mark the 200th anniversary of Greece’s revolution and war of independence, the City of Canterbury Bankstown held an intimate flag raising ceremony on Wednesday night at Earlwood Senior Citizens Centre.
Canterbury-Bankstown City Mayor Khal Asfour. Photos: The Greek Herald / Argyro Vourdoumpa.
The event was held at the Earlwood Senior Citizens Centre.
Present were Sophie Cotsis MP, member for Canterbury and the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Christos Karras, Fr Sotiris Drapaniotis as well as members of the community.
“It is important that we raise the flag today here in Earlwood due to many Greeks who live in this area,” said Mayor Khal Asfour opening the ceremony.
He said since the first Greeks arrived in 1829, Greek Australians now make up the seventh largest ethnic group in the country, with more than 22,000 calling Canterbury-Bankstown home.
Sophie Cotsis MP attended the event. Photos: The Greek Herald / Argyro Vourdoumpa.
Silvie Tsekouras and George Moisidis singing the Greek and Australian national anthems.
“This is something we should all celebrate not only because you came to the country but because you have created a social fabric that it’s so important to all of us,” said the Mayor.
Sophie Cotsis expressed her gratitude to the council for organising the ceremony and referred to the motion she will move at the NSW Parliament on Thursday, along with other MPs of Greek background.
“It is important that we continue with our traditions and with the same passion to be free and be democratic. This is a very proud moment for all of us,” Ms Cotsis said.
Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Christos Karras, also gave a small speech. Photo: The Greek Herald / Argyro Vourdoumpa.
Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Mr Christos Karras, said that the Greek Independence bicentenary is an opportunity to celebrate the common values that bind Greece and Australia.
The ceremony concluded with students Silvie Tsekouras and George Moisidis singing the Australian and Greek national anthems and the raising of the flags of the two countries
Randwick City:
Randwick City Councillors and local Greek Australian community members gathered outside the Council Administration building on Thursday morning to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Greece’s War of Independence.
Randwick City Councillors and Greek Australian community members gathered outside the Council Administration building. Photo: The Greek Herald / Peter Oglos.
In an intimate flag raising ceremony, Randwick City Mayor Danny Said met with some of Randwick’s local Greeks and spoke about how important the Greek contribution has been to the district’s development.
“It’s always started with the Castellorizians at Kingsford, I used to frequent the club most often, and we have a great history with St Spyridon Church and School,” Mayor Danny Said said to The Greek Herald.
The event was enjoyed by all. Photo: The Greek Herald / Peter Oglos.
“There is a great Greek community within Randwick City Council and we’re very proud to have it and it’s why we’re very proud to do what we’re doing today.”
All of Randwick’s councillors were in attendance of the ceremony, including Greek Australian Councillors Alexandra Luxford, Harry Stavrinos and Anthony Andrews.
Cr Luxford echoed the Mayor’s comments in highlighting how valuable the contribution of Greeks has been for Randwick, saying the flag raising ceremony is “the least they could do”.
The flag was raised outside the Council Administration building. Photos: The Greek Herald / Peter Oglos.
“It’s a celebration of the Greek people that came to our community, to our city and contributed and this is for them. The Greeks played a big role in Randwick City in the early years so this is the least the city can do for them,” Cr Luxford said.
Cr Stavrinos said today is a day to remember to be proud of being Greek and celebrating “one of the richest cultures in the world”.
A small crowd gathered around the pole as the flag rose to the sound of the Greek national anthem, which echoed across the Randwick street.
“To me, Greek Independence Day is an important day in our culture, Cr Andrews said.
“But the most important thing is to continue the tradition of being Greek and encourage the young people of today to always remember this day as a symbolic day of the Greek people and we do this through out Greek schools, language, culture and dancing,.”
