The studies and works to create a visitable museum cover for the extremely rare findings of the Mikri Doxipara-Zoni tumulus in Evros, NE Greece, are progressing quickly, the Ministry of Culture said in an update, according to amna.gr
The tumulus is the only one in Greece where wheeled vehicles were found in such a good state. Specifically, it includes the cremated remains of three men and one woman, accompanied by five chariots with their horses, and another two burials of five horses.
All accessories on the chariots are preserved, down to the decorative metal parts, while two of them include impressions of their wooden parts. The entire group is dated between 100 AD and 150 AD, during the Roman imperial years in Greece.
First excavated by Diamantis Triantafyllos two decades ago, the findings of the tomb point to the community’s great wealth and the effort to guarantee a clear social identity, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.
Photo: amna
Conservation and preparatory work on exhibiting the protected remains began in 2020, and the museum cover will allow visitors to see what the site looked like during the completion of the excavation. “The visitor will see in situ the burials of horses and the chariots, while the museum cases will show all the votives and other mobile artifacts,” Mendoni said, adding that the completion of the museum area in northern Evros will offer a development boost to the area.
The ministry’s statements said that the visitors will be able to see the cremation pits, while the bones of the 15 horses will be kept in the ground. The conserved funerary objects will be exhibited in cases by group.
There will be 18 independent stops. Among the many artifacts found besides the chariots’ and horses’ accessories, the excavation includes organic material, the largest group of bronze vessels found in Greece (19 complete vessels), and bronze medical cases with surgical tools, the best-preserved tool kits of imperial years found globally.
Former businessmen Bill Papas and Vincenzo Tesoriero orchestrated an “audacious” fraudulent scheme involving fake lease-loan agreements, defrauding three banks of more than $500 million, according to a Federal Court ruling.
According to The Australian, the decision paves the way for potential recovery actions and possible criminal charges.
On Friday, Justice Elizabeth Cheeseman ruled that Papas was the main architect behind the fraud, with his partner, Louise Agostino, also involved. The court further found that Papas’ business associate, Vincenzo Tesoriero, and former financial controller Tony Bouchahine were aware of the fraudulent activities.
Companies controlled by the men had no “legitimate” purpose other than to execute the fraud and disperse “tainted” funds, the court determined.
Bill Papas. Photo: 60 Minutes.
Papas, also known as Basille Papadimitriou, has been embroiled in legal battles alongside Tesoriero for three years, with Westpac pursuing the men and their alleged co-conspirators through at least 138 court hearings and actions before three judges.
The case initially arose when WesTrac, a West Australian mining operator, questioned nearly $12 million in loans recorded in Westpac’s books. The loans were tied to equipment leases from Forum, a Sydney-based company, though WesTrac had only financed a single printer-photocopier worth $1.6 million, which had been paid off in early 2021.
Westpac’s internal investigation revealed fraudulent invoices worth over $290 million involving major clients, including Coles, Woolworths, and waste management giant Veolia.
Shortly after suspicions arose, Papas fled Australia in breach of the country’s strict Covid-19 border controls. He initially stayed in a luxury hotel in Athens before moving to Thessaloniki, where he owned several properties and businesses.
Bill Papas in Greece.
Despite assurances to the court that he would return to face the accusations, Papas refused to come back to Australia. A Federal Court judge, Michael Lee, eventually issued an arrest warrant for him. Meanwhile, Tesoriero has remained in Australia after having his passport seized.
Investigations by liquidators McGrathNicol revealed that close to $500 million had been siphoned from Westpac, as well as from Japanese lender Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and French bank Societe Generale. Forum Finance had created false lease-loan schemes and even sold the future earnings of these fake contracts, without ever missing a payment.
Sam Konstas continues to showcase his potential as a future star, joining Ricky Ponting in the record books with another century in the Sheffield Shield.
The teenage opener put New South Wales in control of their match against South Australia at Sydney’s Cricket Central, smashing 105 runs from 225 balls after an impressive first innings score of 152.
The hosts declared at 6-282 late on Thursday, with South Australia at 1-7, chasing 389 runs for victory on the final day. Nathan Lyon struck early to dismiss Connor McInerney without scoring.
The Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOCNSW) will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) this Sunday, October 13 to review the past year.
The AGM will take place at the Greek Community Club in Lakemba, where the organisation will assess its activities over the previous year.
The agenda includes the following items:
Approval of the minutes from the previous AGM held on 8 October 2023.
Review and approval of the Financial Statement as of 30 June 2024, along with the Financial Performance report for the same year, the Director’s Report, and the Auditor’s Report.
Appointment of auditors for the upcoming year.
Any other business in accordance with the Articles of Association.
The GOCNSW has also reminded all members to renew their membership by paying their subscriptions at the office (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) or before the AGM begins.
Additionally, the organisation outlined upcoming events for the remainder of 2024, including the Greek Film Festival (15-27 October), OXI Day commemorations on Monday, 28 October (7pm), and the Polytechnic Uprising remembrance on Sunday, 17 November (4pm).
A Sydney court heard on Thursday that former English teacher Vasilious (Bill) Kafataris, accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl, allegedly sent her an explicit photo and showered her with gifts, including red lingerie.
A jury – which on Thursday began its deliberations – heard this after Judge Alister Abadee begun his summing up in the Parramatta District Court trial of Mr Kafataris.
The 56-year-old has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually touching a person aged between 17 and 18 under special care. He has entered a not guilty plea regarding two counts of grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity, as well as charges of common assault and indecent assault of a minor under 16.
Three alleged victims include a young woman he is accused of having intercourse with him in his Bankstown apartment when she was 15. The incidents allegedly spanned from January 2013 to May 2021.
Greek police investigating the circumstances of Baldock’s death said there was no suggestion of foul play.
The examining coroner found there were no signs of injuries or bruises on the deceased’s body, concluding he had died after he had swallowed water.
It was unclear whether the 31-year-old was alone or if his death had been triggered by “sudden collapse.”
Baldock is believed to have been dead “for five hours” before his body was discovered by the owner of the first-floor apartment, who jumped over a fence to access the property. The man had been asked to look for the footballer by Baldock’s concerned partner, who had remained in England with the couple’s young son, after her repeated telephone calls had gone unanswered.
Με βαθύτατη θλίψη και οδύνη, η Εθνική Ομάδα και η Ελληνική Ποδοσφαιρική Ομοσπονδία αποχαιρετά τον Τζορτζ Μπάλντοκ. https://t.co/xNv3HFUktp Η στιγμή επιβάλλει σιωπή. Συλλυπητήρια στην οικογένειά του. Συλλυπητήρια από τη δεύτερη οικογένειά του. Αντίο… 🕊️ #Rippic.twitter.com/81WmUBNu5Q
The full-back, who was born in England and had Greek roots on his father’s side, qualifying for the national team through a grandmother, moved to the Greek capital after signing for Panathinaikos in the summer.
The news of the tragic and untimely demise of the player reverberated throughout the global football community, with an outpouring of condolences and expressions of shock on social media.
The 22-time major tennis champion Rafael Nadal has announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year.
Nadal is set to hang up his racquet for good in Spanish colours and in front of a home crowd at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga next month.
In a video posted on social media, the 38-year-old indicated his decision was related to persistent injury problems that had resulted in “some difficult years, these last two especially.”
Mil gracias a todos Many thanks to all Merci beaucoup à tous Grazie mille à tutti 谢谢大家 شكرا لكم جميعا תודה לכולכם Obrigado a todos Vielen Dank euch allen Tack alla Хвала свима Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi
“I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations,” he said. “It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.
“But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s an appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”
With an immediate outpouring of sympathy coming from fans, pundits, and many of his fellow players, Nick Kyrgios was the first to send Nadal a retirement message.
Kyrgios more or less announced his name to the world when he shocked Nadal at the 2014 Wimbledon when he was still a teenager.
We had our differences but you were one hell of a warrior. Best wishes and goodluck with whatever comes next. https://t.co/ZRHMRcSqFI
Greece secured their first-ever win against England as Vangelis Pavlidis scored twice in a well-earned 2-1 victory in Nations League Group B2 at Wembley on Thursday.
Greece dedicated their victory to the late George Baldock, who was found dead at his pool in Glyfada, Athens on Wednesday. A minutes silence was held at the start of the match for Greece’s defender.
Pavlidis opened the scoring early in the second half with a precise finish, and although Greece had three more goals disallowed, they dominated a lackluster England side.
Jude Bellingham seemed to save England with an 87th-minute equaliser, but Pavlidis struck again in the fourth minute of stoppage time, slotting the ball past Jordan Pickford from close range.
The win moved Greece to the top of the table with a perfect nine points, while England, suffering their first defeat under interim manager Lee Carsley, dropped to second with six points.
When the Ecumenical Patriarch arrived on the night, he was greeted by rows of children lined up on the church stairs wearing t-shirts which spelled out the message ‘Your All-Holiness, we love you’ in Greek. The Ecumenical Patriarch greeted all the children with a smile and blessed them happily.
Youth outside the church. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
After the singing of the National Anthems of Greece and Australia by a choir and band featuring students from All Saints Grammar at Belmore, His All-Holiness addressed the hundreds of faithful who had gathered outside the church.
He began by emotionally recalling his previous visit to the Kogarah parish 28 years ago and praised God for granting him the opportunity to return for a second time to a place where the “heart” of Hellenism and Orthodoxy beats strongly.
“The cornerstone of this thriving community,” the Ecumenical Patriarch noted, “was – and continues to be – the Greek Orthodox church… which has played a vital role in maintaining a cultural connection with the homeland and fostering a sense of belonging among the Greek Orthodox faithful.”
His All-Holiness later highlighted the Parish’s contribution to the broader society, through its active involvement in charitable activities, support for schools and hospitals, and engagement in other community initiatives, as well as its cultural “openness” to people from different cultural backgrounds.
Following his speech, His All-Holiness admired the younger generation of the Parish, who performed and sang in his honour.
He then entered the church, deeply moved, accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, their Eminences Metropolitan Kyrillos of Imbros and Tenedos and Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki, His Grace Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, parish priest Father Athanasios Giatsios, and other Bishops and clergy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA).
Official VIP guests also present included the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; the Federal Member for Banks, David Coleman; the NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper; the Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure; Georges River Councillor, Sam Stratikopoulos; President of the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah, Nicholas Varvaris; and Vice President of the Parish-Community, Christos Georgiou.
Some of the official VIP guests.
Bishop Christodoulos addressed His All-Holiness with words of gratitude on behalf of everyone before members of the Parish-Community Board presented him with a portrait of himself.
The Ecumenical Patriarch, responding, once again recalled memories of his visit to Kogarah in 1996, and mentioned the humble personality of Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, later a Saint of the Orthodox Church and Patron of the GOAA.
He also referred to the 70 saints who have been added to the Church’s calendar during his Patriarchy, calling it a blessing from God and an enrichment of spirituality.
The event ended with the presentation of gifts from the Ecumenical Patriarch to Bishop Christodoulos, Father Athanasios, and other clergy. Numerous uplifting hymns were chanted by everyone gathered, creating an atmosphere of joy and hope for the future.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The Australian Hellenic Choir Inc. will hold its latest concert event ‘Rebetiko Reimagined,‘ featuring Rebetiko music arranged for the modern era, at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music on Saturday, October 19 from 7pm.
The concert will feature arrangements by Leon Vitogiannis, the Choir Music Director, and Stefanos Maragkakis, the Choir Pianist. Collaborating, they have arranged traditional Rebetika for a 30-piece orchestra featuring a modern twist. The Choir will perform a number of famous Rebetika songs.
Ahead of the event, The Greek Herald spoke with Leon and Stefanos.
Leon, you will be the Hellenic Choir of Australia’s Music Director for its upcoming concert ‘Rebetiko Reimagined.’ What has the process entailed so far?
As the Music Director for the Hellenic Choir of Australia’s Rebetiko Reimagined concert, my primary responsibility is conducting the performance. My role has also involved overseeing the musical direction and interpretation. I’ve been responsible for selecting and co-arranging the repertoire with Stefanos, ensuring it captures the essence of rebetiko while offering a fresh perspective.
Reimagining traditional Greek music is an idea I’ve had for quite some time. It’s one of those concepts that had to wait for the right moment. Shortly after I shifted my attention to rebetiko, Stefanos and I met to discuss the collaboration. We met regularly to explore what the project would look like—what music we would select, how we would reimagine it, and how deeply we could explore the meaning of each song and its significance to the genre. As we began arranging the music, drawing on both of our artistic tastes and strengths, we formed the arrangements that will premiere at this concert.
The process has included months of rigorous musical preparation and rehearsals with the choir, guiding them through musical gestures and shaping the overall sound to align with our vision of blending tradition with modern influences. Leading up to the performance, my role also involves working with instrumentalists and vocalists to ensure the show is cohesive, engaging, and true to the spirit of this iconic genre.
Practice photos ahead of the concert. Photos supplied.
Stefanos, as the choir pianist, what does your role entail for the upcoming concert?
My role, on the surface, involves solos, improvisations, and other virtuosic elements, much like what one might expect in a piano and orchestra piece. However, my responsibilities go beyond performance. As the co-arranger and orchestrator, I am deeply involved in shaping the overall sound and structure of the pieces. Both Leon and I have an intimate understanding of the music, which ensures a seamless performance without surprises.
This concert promises to feature Rebetiko music arranged for the modern era. What can people expect on the night?
On the night of the concert, audiences can expect a dynamic reinterpretation of Rebetiko music, blending its traditional elements with modern influences. The arrangements will feature fresh takes on classic Rebetiko tunes, incorporating touches of classical, Jazz stylings, and rich orchestrations that offer a diverse array of musical colour to the original compositions. This fusion will offer a unique and engaging experience, appealing to both long-time fans and those discovering the genre for the first time. The aim is to create a performance that feels both authentic and contemporary, drawing in listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
Are the music pieces original? How did they get produced?
The concert will open with an original composition. The rest of the program, while based on beloved rebetiko songs, features a significant amount of originality within each arrangement. Unique elements, such as newly composed solo lines, changes in musical style, and entirely new sections, have been incorporated, ensuring that each piece offers a fresh and creative take on the traditional rebetiko sound.
Is this the first time you are working together? What has that been like?
Despite having both worked with the Australian Hellenic Choir for a number of years, this is the first time that we’ve collaborated to this extent on musical arrangements. Being an immensely skilled and versatile composer, it has been a wonderful opportunity to have Stefanos bring his artistic knowledge to the rebetiko genre. We took on this project with pens and notepads as arrangers, and we both look forward to sharing the music with the orchestra, choir and our soloists.
Leon and Stefanos have both worked with the Australian Hellenic Choir for a number of years. Photo: Eirini Alligiannis.
As young people, why do you think it’s important to promote rebetiko music and do it in a way which is modern for younger generations?
Promoting rebetiko music to younger generations is important because music transcends cultural and generational boundaries. To introduce rebetiko to an audience that may be unfamiliar with it, particularly younger listeners or those from non-Greek backgrounds, it is essential to present the music in a way that resonates with their tastes. By incorporating elements from genres such as jazz, Latin, and cinema, we create a bridge between rebetiko and modern sensibilities. This approach can inspire the audience to connect with and appreciate rebetiko, leaving the concert with melodies that may spark a deeper interest in the genre.
For additional information about the Australian Hellenic Choir or this event, membership and auditions please call: James Tsolakis, AHC President: 0416 060 700; Despina Lucas, AHC Vice President: 0438 289 699; or email ah.choiraust@gmail.com. For Sponsorship or Benefactor Enquiries, please call: 0416 060 700.
Event Details:
What: ‘Rebetiko Reimagined’ concert by the Australian Hellenic Choir
When: Saturday, October 19
Where: Sydney Conservatorium of Music (1 Conservatorium Rd, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia)
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm AEDT
Tickets: $79 per person with $69 concession tickets available. Buy here: https://bit.ly/3SlQMPN
