My mother, the teacher, always reminded me we left Istanbul, where I was born, to come to Australia, for the sake of our language.
Her first teaching gig at Kontoskali, Turkey, where she later became a principal. Her ex-students, now grown up, had a fan page for her on Facebook.She taught Modern Greek to students at Kensington Primary School, and particularly enjoyed teaching other nationalities the Greek language
In Turkey back then, speaking Greek meant hushed tones; and cautious glances over our shoulders lest we be called giaours (non-believers). Despite this, for generations the Greek language survived – possibly as an act of defiance.
In our home, language was everything. My father’s Istanbul flavour of Greek was laced with centuries of Byzantine echoes. His heavy ‘l’ sound, clashed with my mother’s strict, formal instruction and efforts to be succinct – never forgetting all they had taught her at the Arsakeio Teachers Academy during the three years she lived in Athens. She also recalled Athenians labelling her τουρκόσπορη (Turkish seed) but that just made her more resolute – to succeed regardless of whether she was a ‘tourkospori’, ‘giaour’ or, later, ‘wog’.
Her 1980 class at St Spyridon College, with Fr Steven Scoutas.
She was a teacher, a guardian of the polytonic system when it was still fighting the slow death of nuance. She mourned the day I partied at no longer having to learn those nasty accents – psili, daseia and perispomeni. Abolished finally, though she still made me learn them regardless in the hope that this decision would be revoked.
Damiani (Noula) Sinanidis nee Apistola outside Arsakeio Teachers Academy where she was called tourkospori but got to meet Queen Freideriki and King Constantine who was dating Aliki Vouyiouklaki at the time.
She hated “Gringlish” with a vengeance, that lazy mix of Greek and English, fearing we’d lose our native tongue if we weren’t careful.
Her fears seemed unfounded at the time, but – as in most things – she was infuriatingly right.
A language untended fades, slipping through the cracks of generations.
Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for lime pistachio cake with The Greek Herald. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!
Ingredients:
2 large or 3 medium size zucchinis
2 limes zested
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
½ cup pistachio kernels finely chopped
¾ cup almond meal
2 cups S.R. flour
2 tsp ground cardamon, sifted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
Ingredients for the lime glaze
60g unsalted butter
Juice from 1 lime
1 cup pure icing sugar – sifted
Extra ½ cup finely chopped pistachios.
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C fan force.
Brush a fluted deep 22 cm ring tin (bundt tin) with softened butter and dust with flour.
Grate the zucchini using the large hole on a grater – do not strain zucchini. Set aside.
Finely grate the rind from 2 limes. Set aside.
Sift the flour, cardamon, cinnamon and cloves into a bowl. Set aside.
Place the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla paste and lime rind into the bowl of a stand-alone mixer. Using the balloon whisk, whisk till mixture is thick and well combined (3-4 minutes).
Add the almond meal, the sifted flour and spices and whisk till just mixed thru – 30 seconds. Don’t overbeat the batter at this stage as it will deflate the mixture if you over do it. Using a wooden spoon, add the zucchini and pistachios and mix till combined, making sure batter at the bottom of bowl is thoroughly mixed.
Pour into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for approximately 50-55 minutes. If it browns too quickly on top, cover it with some baking paper to stop it from burning. Insert a skewer to check if cooked and also check to see if cake has pulled slightly from the sides of the tin – another indication that its ready.
Once cooked, take it out of the oven and let it rest in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Then, turn it over onto a cooling rack till completely cold.
While waiting for cake to completely cool down, prepare the Lime glaze. Place the butter and lime juice into a small/medium pan.
Stir over a low heat till the butter melts. Add the icing sugar and stir to combine. Return to heat and stir for 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly and pour over the cooled cake.
Decorate with extra finely chopped pistachios and serve.
Cake keeps up to 5 days and is suitable for freezing. This cake took an hour and 5 minutes in my oven to cook (I do have an older oven. Be guided by your oven as to how long the cake needs to be cooked).
On the occasion of International Greek Language Day today, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Kotsiras highlighted the significance of the Greek language as a global cultural pillar.
“The celebration of International Greek Language Day is a unique opportunity to reflect on the universality and timelessness of the Greek language – a language spoken continuously for centuries, serving as the ark of Greek identity through time. A language that has made an unparalleled contribution to global culture, science, and the arts – a language that unites, interprets, and gives meaning,” he wrote in a message.
The Deputy Minister emphasised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to promoting the Greek language on an international level.
“Through a series of initiatives, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is systematically working to highlight the Greek language globally. The promotion of Greek language learning is one of the key objectives of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan for the Greek Diaspora 2024–2027. This plan also includes the celebration of February 9, the establishment of which was a long-standing demand of the Greek Diaspora,” he said.
As part of this initiative, the Ministry has strengthened educational collaborations.
“With the aim of reinforcing the Greek language, history, and culture, we signed a Cooperation Protocol with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. […] We have strategically strengthened Greek studies chairs and programmes around the world. At the same time, we signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with ‘Study in Greece’ to connect Greece’s academic community with the Diaspora and to internationalise Greek higher education,” Mr Kotsiras said.
Addressing Greeks abroad, Mr Kotsiras underscored the importance of safeguarding the language for future generations.
“With pride in our linguistic heritage, together with our diplomatic and consular authorities abroad, Greek schools, and our Diaspora organisations, we continually highlight the contribution of the Greek language to global culture. A language forged through our long and shared historical journey, carrying Greek civilisation, universal concepts, and timeless values. We must safeguard this proud imprint on the world as a treasure of immeasurable worth,” he said.
International Greek Language Day, celebrated annually on February 9, is a moment of reflection and celebration for the Greek Diaspora and all those who cherish the richness of the Greek language.
The Greek government is one of the few to send some of its more qualified teachers abroad.
Acting Coordinator of Educational Affairs of the Greek Consulate of Melbourne, Moira Triantafillou, a seconded teacher herself, told The Greek Herald there are currently 10 seconded teachers in Australia and New Zealand, down from a peak of around 80 a decade ago.
“I will make every possible effort to support and strengthen Greek language education, so that the Greek language and our culture remain alive and are passed on to future generations,” Triantafillou, who assumed her role in July 2024, said.
She has been actively engaging with the community and reporting to the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports about the situation in Australia.
These teachers play a pivotal role in preserving Greek language and culture, but face significant challenges: financial strain, bureaucratic hurdles, and the evolving nature of the Greek Australian identity.
Bouncing from school to school
Maria Harissi, a seconded teacher in NSW for eight years, has experienced the diverse nature of the work.
“I have taught all levels, from kindergarten to tertiary, including the NSW School of Languages and universities,” she said. “This mix is motivating, but you don’t know where you may be placed.”
Former seconded teacher Syrmo Kapoutsi echoed this, explaining that placements based on school needs make it difficult to decide where to rent a house.
Manos Tzimpragos left Australia with a heavy heart.
“No matter where you go, you’ll still need added time and expenses for transport,” she said.
Manos Tzimpragos, who spent 12 years in Australia, added that the agreement often restricts seconded teachers to aide roles in morning classes.
“Our colleagues are lovely, however we could be used more efficiently as highly experienced educators,” he said, remembering a secondment where he was referred to by the principal as the “intern” for four years. He notes that in Victoria, the lack of a VIT restricts their roles. Similar restrictions apply elsewhere.
Kapoutsi believes seconded teachers could contribute more broadly to educational matters, including policy.
Meeting the students
The teachers’ experiences with their students vary. Harissi felt prepared, having previously lived in Australia as a PhD student at the University of Technology, Sydney. Tzimpragos came with no expectations.
Kapoutsi, however, experienced “shock.”
“Coming here in 2019, I hadn’t expected that I would be teaching third, fourth, and fifth-generation students who have lost all contact with Greek and need to learn it as a foreign language,” she explained, adding that outdated resources are a problem she is now addressing by creating new materials for the Greek Orthodox Community Schools of Melbourne and Victoria as part of her non-seconded role.
Harissi recounted a story of a teacher who left within a week, unprepared for the range of age groups and school settings.
Tzimpragos, who also served as an advisor with other language teachers at Victoria’s Department of Education as part of his secondment, highlighted the need for more preparation.
“We had the opportunity to influence and create opportunities,” he said, lamenting that this role no longer exists.
Adapting to Australia
Adapting to Australia has been necessary for all.
Kapoutsi described the need to adjust communication styles. She shared an anecdote about a student being offended by the word “fat” during a vocabulary lesson about body shapes.
“In Greece, communication between students and teachers is more direct, and I have found myself curbing my spontaneity with both students and colleagues to better adapt to Australia’s work culture,” she said.
Financial strain
Tzimpragos, however, found the transition easy.
“I felt I came home,” he said, though noting that the cost of living was more manageable then.
Mary Harissi says she feels satisfied ensuring that the Greek language and culture continues to thrive in Australia.
“These days, with the rise in the cost of living but seconded staff teaching rates still the same, it is harder for teachers. Who will get up and go to a Australia for an amount where they won’t make ends meet?”
Harissi stated bluntly, “Were I to depend on my wage as a seconded teacher, we would not survive.”
While her initial secondment included a salary grant, renewals only include the basic salary.
Kapoutsi explained that the adjusted monthly salary (approximately 1,200 euros) doesn’t cover rent.
“Remuneration needs to be reviewed to reflect inflation,” she said, noting that the grant only applies to the first four years.
Other teachers who spoke to The Greek Herald on the basis of anonymity shared stories of having to work additional jobs to make ends meet while worrying about healthcare costs and transport expenses.
Each year, following the initial three-year secondment, contracts need to be signed annually.
“It is like being in quicksand,” Harissi said. “You never know whether you will be kept for another year. It depends on need.”
In 2011, many non-language and primary teachers had to be recalled, and as an English teacher, Tzimpragos had to return to Greece.
“Directly inspired by my first secondment in Melbourne, I went back and did post-grad studies in eLearning, and then came back a second time,” he said.
In 2015, seconded teachers wrote about their difficulties, calling for a memorandum between Greece and Australia to allow them to teach morning classes, greater stability in placements, and a decent wage. The number of seconded teachers since then has dwindled.
Kapoutsi noted that in other countries, communities sometimes help with accommodation and expenses.
Huge benefits
Despite the challenges, the seconded teachers emphasised the program’s profound benefits.
Harissi described her secondment as “opening horizons” and seeing the Greek language “thriving, living, breathing, reviving” outside of Greece.
“As both a teacher and a mother of young children, I want to be part of this growth. It is important for me,” she said.
Tzimpragos felt “reborn” in Australia and believes his time there made him a better teacher.
Kapoutsi saw it as an enriching experience that allowed her to explore and understand education from all angles.
They all expressed a deep commitment to preserving Greek language and culture for future generations in Australia while enriching the Greek education system upon their return.
Since last April, a noble effort had begun for the UN member-states to recognise an International Day for the Greek Language. This effort was undertaken by a group of scientists, mainly linguists and intellectuals, and a long struggle began to submit the relevant demarche to the UN and its members, highlighting and justifying the reasons why this honorary distinction should be bestowed to our small Great Greek Language.
Scientists, linguists and philologists, intellectuals and artists took part in this struggle and serious consultations followed in Paris, where UNESCO is based, and our Greek Ambassador there, Georgios Koumoutsakos, a political scientist, former member of Parliament, intellectual and diplomat.
The presentations of Prof. G. Babiniotis and Prof. Christos Clairis and others formed the basis of a treatise that highlighted the reasons why our language, Greek, should emerge as a language with Global Recognition that should be honored on a specific Day by all countries.
Last year I had the opportunity to present from this column of The Greek Herald the reasons why the Greek language is a unique case of a world heritage language that has remained as a continuously spoken language in the Western world for 3500 years. Since then, there have been many consultations, cooperation meetings, contacts initiated by Mr. Koumoutsakos with Ambassadors of European, Asian, African and American countries.
This experienced diplomat and politician with sensitive interventions and suggestions, for months, has been trying to bring the issue of recognition to the UN by May 2025. The assessments so far indicate optimism and I believe that all relevant diplomats will have been properly prepared to vote in favour of Greece’s proposal, which will be supported constructively by dozens of countries that appreciate the contribution of the Greek language to the global linguistic and scientific culture. Besides, as I have already pointed out in my previous articles, Greek may not be used as such by millions or even billions of people, but words, phonology, morphemes, and the syntax of Greek coexist and live together in dozens of languages and are used without their users being aware of their Greek origin.
Historical, intellectual, cultural, academic, ethnological, socio-economic and emotional reasons determine and weave the importance of the Greek language as a means of communication, teaching and expression, in at least two European countries (Greece and Cyprus) as well as in the “other Greece”, i.e. the global Greek Diaspora.
A special reference to the “other Greece” is attempted here, because more than five million Greeks and people who maintain ties with Greece and Greeks use and promote Greek as a language of expression and a symbol of identity. It is noted that in many Chairs of Hellenic Studies in the Diaspora, Greek is used as the language of dissertations and postgraduate dissertations.
The main reasons that make the Greek language great with a universal dimension can be summarised as follows:
Greek is the language of communication of 20 000 000 people related to Greece and Greeks.
It is the only living language of Western civilization with a continuous living tradition of use of 4 000 years.
Greek is the only modern variety of the Greek branch of the Indo-European language family.
It is the source language of the phenomenon of linguistic transfer and the nurturing language of all Indo-European languages and the languages of the East. In English-speaking countries, sociologists of language and academics of comparative linguistics teach: “Learn Greek to improve your English…”.
Greek is the language in which the monumental texts of Western civilization and the Scriptures of Christianity were written and transmitted.
Greek is classified by linguists, despite the relatively small number of its users, as the “main world language”, due to its importance in matters of education and culture.
Greek was spoken, used and composed by personalities who shaped world affairs, Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Herodotus, Thucydides, Plutarch, Hippocrates, the Church Fathers, the great Hymnodons, natural scientists, mathematicians. The concepts of science were born through the words of the Greek language, leaving their traces in the so-called European civilization. These Greek words are the basis and the quintessence of the creation of languages: “Our words are children of many parents,” Seferis said, to make Greek, paraphrasing Elytis, “this great little language.” Greek is perhaps the only language in the world that has been universally engineered as a language of mechanism and genesis of newly constructed terms and new concepts.
The most basic requirement for a person who wishes to know himself, to know the world and society around him and to know and use another language is to first learn and have a clear and sufficient knowledge of his mother tongue. Therefore, the knowledge and use of the Greek language is essentially for all of us the opus vitae.
The time has therefore come, and the conditions have matured for the formal establishment by UNESCO and the UN of the International Greek Language Day. Also, at the same time, the time has come to demand the recognition of Greek classical education as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Every Greek should see himself as a contributor to the formation of pressure groups and collaborators in a common appeal to the UN.
Certainly, the Greek language does not have the demographic sizes of the colonial peoples, France, Spain, Britain, the multi-country spoken Arabic and Slavic, but it is the only small but universal language, thousands of words of which are inherent and incorporated into all the languages I mentioned above.
I would like to close this note on the Greek language with a quote from our great Nobel laureate poet, Odysseas Elytis, who taught creation and measure, which refers to the Divine Greek language, and reads as follows:
“I was given, dear friends, to write in a language spoken by only a few million people. Nevertheless, a language that has been spoken for two and a half thousand years without interruption and with few differences. This seemingly absurd dimension also corresponds to the material-spiritual entity of my country. Which is small in space and vast in time. And I mention it not at all to boast, but to show the difficulties that a poet faces when he uses for the most beloved things the same words that a Sappho or a Pindar, for example, used — without, however, having the impact that they had on the extent of civilized humanity at the time.
If language were merely a means of communication, there would be no problem. But it also happens to be a tool of magic and a carrier of moral values. Language has acquired over the centuries a certain ethos. And this ethos gives rise to obligations. Without forgetting that in the course of twenty-five centuries there was not one, I repeat not one, who did not write poetry in the Greek language. That is the great burden of tradition that this instrument carries. It is presented in relief by modern Greek poetry…”
*Professor Anastasios M. Tamis taught at Universities in Australia and abroad, was the creator and founding director of the Dardalis Archives of the Hellenic Diaspora and is currently the President of the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS).
After an emotional screening in Yarraville in Melbourne’s inner West in November 2024, director Kay Pavlou is taking TWO HOMELANDS in February 2025 to the northern suburbs of Melbourne where many Greeks and Cypriots reside.
51 years after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, TWO HOMELANDS is both a commemoration of war and a celebration of community as six senior Australian Greek Cypriots give emotional eyewitness accounts of the cost of war, their migration to Australia and their desire for peace for all Cypriots. As diaspora, they speak of having their heart in two homelands.
Both screenings of TWO HOMELANDS – Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16 – will be preceded by short film GHOST TOWN and followed by a Q&A with Pavlou.
Northcote’s MP Kat Theophanous, born of Greek Cypriot migrants, will be introducing the screening on February 15th at 4.30pm at Thornbury Picture House.
“For so many of us, the journey of migration is more than just a story – it’s embedded in our identity. TWO HOMELANDS captures the resilience and hope behind these journeys. It reminds us of homes left behind, of new beginnings, and of the strength of our spirit,” Ms Theophanous said.
Event Details:
When: Saturday, February 15, 4.30pm-6pm & Sunday February 16, 3.30pm-5pm
Where: Thornbury Picture House, 802 High St, Thornbury 3071
The ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition (ATHENA IOOC) is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025. The only major international olive oil competition organised in Greece will take place in historic Chania, Crete in May. Its unique efforts to spotlight olive oil in Greece involve chefs, restaurants, judges, olive growing areas, and special events.
ATHENA Supports Olive Oil Producers by Including Chefs and Expert Judges
Organisers will invite distinguished chefs to participate as guest judges in order to create more “ambassadors” of olive oil. The chefs’ evaluation will not count toward award determination. Rather, their participation could help open a path to the Greek premium olive oil market. In addition, both on the day of the competition’s awards ceremony and throughout the year, tastings of awarded olive oils will target chefs and other HORECA professionals. Moreover, the ATHENA IOOC will award restaurants with an olive oil list with the ATHENA Olive Oil Award.
The ATHENA IOOC is the competition with the largest number of judges per number of olive oils, enabling more attention for each sample. Olive oil evaluation takes place under impeccable conditions and exclusively in the morning hours, which is ideal. The competition’s international jury always consists of knowledgeable, experienced tasters of international scope and prestige. Judges come from across the globe, especially from olive-producing countries and nations with significant olive oil purchasing activity. The ratio of foreigners to Greeks is 3:2 in favor of foreigners.
Photo: Vinetum.
ATHENA Competition Highlights Olive Growing Areas in Greece
Since 2016, the ATHENA IOOC has been held in nine Greek cities that are especially significant for olive oil: Athens, Pylos, Delphi, Nafplio, Spata, Mytilene, Sitia, Kavala and Sparta. The competition changes its venue annually to highlight the country’s many different olive-growing regions and indigenous olive varieties. In some cases, the distinction of olive oils of little-known varieties at the ATHENA IOOC is followed by new plantings of those varieties. In all cases, actions and events take place to promote each competition venue. In this way, the ATHENA IOOC contributes to the cultural heritage of Greece, where the olive tree and its products have been central for millennia.
With its productive actions and events, the ATHENA IOOC has been constantly improving the prominent position it has enjoyed for some time among the most respected international olive oil competitions, both in and outside Greece. There has been an upward trend overall in the number of participating samples. Olive oil samples are arriving from more countries and from increasingly important olive oil producers throughout the world.
The ATHENA IOOC will celebrate its tenth edition from May 8 to 10, 2025, in the historic, emblematic olive oil producing region of Crete. The city of Chania, capital of the Regional Unit of the same name, was chosen because, like the entire island, it has been directly and inextricably linked to the history and cultivation of the olive tree for more than 5,000 years. Olive oil has been produced and consumed there throughout this time. The Regional Unit of Chania contains the second most olive trees in Crete—8.2 million. It produces an average of 26,000-30,000 metric tons of olive oil each year. In 2025, the ATHENA IOOC judging will take place in a historic building in Chania, the Great Arsenal.
ATHENA Competition Dates and Details
Results will be announced May 23, and the awards ceremony will take place June 7 at the Zappeion Megaron in Athens. The ATHENA IOOC is organized by the communication and exhibition organization company Vinetum, which has no other relationship with olive oil or its producers. More information is available at (+30) 210 766 0560 and info@vinetum.gr.
An award from the ATHENA IOOC can contribute to the growth of sales by upgrading the image and the negotiating value of olive oil in international markets. Registration for the competition has begun and will continue until April 7, 2025 at the competition’s official website, www.athenaoliveoil.gr. However, time is running out for olive oil companies to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration offer, which ends February 10.
*Originally published on Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (greekliquidgold.com). See that site for recipes with olive oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and food tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and information.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis is no stranger to success. At 23, he has already won two Super Bowls and is now chasing a historic third straight title with his team.
Drafted 30th overall in 2022, Karlaftis quickly made an impact, starting every game as a rookie, including Super Bowl LVII. His success comes from a disciplined routine focused on training, recovery, and preparation. “You give it your all, and if you make a mistake, make it at 100 miles an hour,” he said to meanshealth.com. “Then you can’t be wrong.”
His approach was on display in the playoffs, leading the Chiefs with three sacks against the Texans and making a game-changing play against Josh Allen in the AFC Championship. His ability to play with both aggression and control has solidified him as a key part of Kansas City’s defense.
Karlaftis follows a strict regimen, combining strength training, mobility work, sauna sessions, and chiropractic care. “It’s all about trying to be consistent,” he explains. Even in the offseason, he keeps his body in shape to avoid setbacks.
His background in water polo and jiu-jitsu has helped him develop explosiveness, leverage, and body control. “With jiu jitsu, a lot of it is leverage—and leverage is specific to my position,” he said.
As he prepares for his third Super Bowl, Karlaftis remains focused. “Every opportunity is unique. Every challenge is unique. And I’m just excited to play these guys.”
Among the more than 2,000 PAOK fans who traveled to San Sebastián for the match against Real Sociedad, one supporter stood out for his incredible journey to be there.
According to metrosport, Michalis Soumelidis flew all the way from Sydney to Spain, covering 10,700 kilometers just to watch his beloved team play. Although he lives in Australia, his heart belongs to PAOK. Originally from Thessaloniki, he grew up in Eptalofos and became a dedicated fan from a young age, influenced by his close friend and best man, Vangelis Pozatzidis.
This isn’t the first time he has traveled such a long distance for PAOK. Two years ago, he made a similar trip to watch the team in Ghent. With his PAOK banner in hand and his unwavering passion, he doesn’t let cost or fatigue stand in his way.
For Michalis Soumelidis, PAOK and his family come above everything else. And his journey doesn’t end here—on February 20, he’ll be in Bucharest to support his team once again. Missing a match is simply not an option for him.
Thessaloniki is set to become home to Greece’s second crematorium following the official publication of a presidential decree in the Government Gazette, granting authorization for its construction.
According to ekathimerini, the decree allows for the establishment of a crematorium and related facilities within the city’s first cemetery.
“The publication in the Government Gazette of the approval of the zoning plan for the location of the crematorium frees our hands to immediately carry out all the necessary procedures required and proceed as soon as possible with the issuing of the expression of interest for the construction of the crematorium,” Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis stated.
He emphasized that after “years of stagnation,” the city was now “taking the first and most decisive step to secure the – self-evident – right of every person to make a free choice” regarding burial or cremation.
Greece’s first crematorium was established in 2019 in Ritsona, Viotia, 15 years after cremation was legalized in the country.
The Orthodox Church of Greece remains opposed to cremation, arguing that it constitutes “desecration of the dead.”
