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2024 Paris Olympics: Everything you need to know

The Greek Herald
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2024 Paris Olympics: Everything you need to know

With the Olympics fast approaching, here’s everything you need to know.

The Games will run from July 26 to August 11 French time and July 27 to August 12 for Australia. Events that will start early include football, rugby sevens, handball and archery.

The 32 sports are scheduled to broadcast free-to-air on Channel 9 and 9Gem. There will also be more than 40 live channels dedicated to the Olympics on 9Now.

New to this year’s Olympics are breaking (breakdancing), sport climbing and surfing.

The opening ceremony will encompass a parade to the Seine, making history as the first Olympic Summer Games to host their ceremony external to a stadium.

Due to the time difference, the opening ceremony will take place on the following times on Saturday, July 27 for viewers in Australia:

  • 2.24am AWST: Western Australia
  • 3.54am ACST: Northern Territory and South Australia
  • 4.24am AEST: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria

The more traditional closing ceremony will take place a few hours after the final event (the women’s marathon) on Monday, August 12 for Australia.

  • 2am AWST: Western Australia
  • 3.30am ACST: Northern Territory and South Australia
  • 4am AEST: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria

The Paralympics will begin following the Olympics, running from August 29 to September 9.

This year, 4,400 athletes will be competing.

Source: ABC News.

Greece attempts to diffuse tensions after Turkey deploys warships near Kasos

The Greek Herald
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Greece attempts to diffuse tensions after Turkey deploys warships near Kasos

Greek government officials have scrambled this week in an attempt to respond in a diplomatic manner to reduce tensions in the southeastern Aegean as Turkey deployed warships after a research ship entered international waters.

The research ship of concern was the Italian-flagged Ievoli Relume, that had been surveying the area near Kasos to assess suitability for the future installation of undersea cables to connect Crete and Cyprus – the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI).

Plans for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). Photo: IPTO.

Concerns rose after Turkey deployed five vessels over 24 hours to the area near Kasos, as they claimed the Turkish continental shelf had been dishonoured.

According to Ekathimerini, Greek warships were said to also have been deployed.

Turkey sent two frigates and a corvette, while only one Greek gunboat Aittitos was present. The arrival of two Turkish missile cutters however, provoked the deployment of Greek frigate Nikiforos Fokas.

Greek frigate Nikiforos Fokas. Photo: Wikipedia.

Later, two more Turkish Navy vessels arrived in the area while Athens retreated rather sending out a coastguard patrol vessel to the area.

In response, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis told Skai radio that while Greece is seeking dialogue, sovereign issues are not up for discussion.

Source: Ekathimerini.

‘Memory Speaks’: Greek Australian Cultural League’s poetry event focuses on Cyprus

The Greek Herald
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‘Memory Speaks’: Greek Australian Cultural League’s poetry event focuses on Cyprus

July 20, 1974 was a day of tragic events for Cyprus when Turkey invaded the island and unleashed an unprecedented persecution against Greek Cypriots. Hundreds of Cypriot soldiers fell defending their country, and many more were taken prisoner, only to get executed later in a cowardly manner. Thousands of innocent civilians were killed and those who managed to get away became refugees in their own country. Τhis was the fate of Cyprus 50 years ago, the result of Turkish aggression which continues, an act which Turkey still claims was an operation to bring peace to the island.

Fifty years later, Greek Cypriots all over the world commemorated this tragic event, still waiting for a solution that will re-unify the island and allow them to return to their homes. Their cry for justice “We Do Not Forget,” “Justice For Cyprus,” and “Turkish Troops Out Of Cyprus” continue to echo in places where the commemoration of this tragic event takes place.

Emmanuel Kakavelakis
Emmanuel Kakavelakis.
Antonis Sammoutis
Antonis Sammoutis.
All photos by Vassilia Hatzieleftheriou.

This is the backdrop against which several commemorative events took place in Australia on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and the unlawful division of the island.

In Melbourne, the Greek Australian Cultural League, in collaboration with SEKA Victoria, organised a poetry afternoon which took place at Steps Gallery in Carlton, to coincide with the annual Antipodean Palette exhibition.

Angela Costi (poet)
Angela Costi (poet).
Andrea Demetriou (poet)
Andrea Demetriou (poet).

The event brought together several Greek Australian poets who spoke, expressing their thoughts and reciting their feelings about the invasion in poetry. The theme for the day was ‘Memory Speaks.’

Featured poets were Pavlos Andronikos, Angela Costi, Koraly Dimitriadis, Andrea Demetriou, Andrea Garivaldis, Iakovos Garivaldis, Kaiti Georgiou, Jim Ioannou, Maro Nicolaou, Fivos Panagiotou, and Erma Vassiliou.

Dr Erma Vassiliou (poet)
Dr Erma Vassiliou (poet).
Pavlos Andronikos
Pavlos Andronikos.

The Poetry Afternoon was coordinated by George and Monica Athanasiou, both members of the Administrative Committee of the Greek Australian Cultural League. Among the guests were the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis, the Greek Consul General in Melbourne Emmanouel Kakavelakis, and the President of the Cypriot Community of Melbourne, Theo Theophanous.

Mark Nicolaidis: Greek Australian beach volleyball sensation heads to Paris Olympics

The Greek Herald
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Mark Nicolaidis: Greek Australian beach volleyball sensation heads to Paris Olympics

By Despina Karpathiou.

When Mark Nicolaidis from Brisbane, Queensland began playing indoor volleyball at school at 14, he never dreamed that 10 years later he’d be representing Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They say the best things in life happen unexpectedly, and that’s exactly what happened to this Greek Australian.

Making his Olympic debut in just a few days, Mark and his beach volleyball partner Izac Carracher’s selection mean Australia will field two men’s beach volleyball teams in the Olympics for the first time since 2004 in Athens.

Apart from that, the two are the youngest male beach volleyball team from Australia to compete in an Olympics, only surpassed by Julien Prosser and Leo Zahner in Atlanta in 1996.

A third-generation Greek Australian, his grandparents came from Kastoria and made many sacrifices for their family, like most immigrants. 

Born in Auchenflower in Queensland, Mark contributes his sporting successes to “having the right people around you.”

Between 2016 and 2019, Mark played for the undefeated Queensland Pirates, who took home four Australian Volleyball League championships. Fast forward to 2017, he had also started dabbling in beach volleyball, and then he and fellow Pirate James Takken won bronze in the Bahamas’ Nassau at the Commonwealth Youth Games. However, his career really took off in 2022, when he teamed with Carracher. The two won gold in their first international tournament as a pair.

Sand aside, Mark also graduated from Queensland University of Technology in 2021 with a Bachelor of Property Economics and aspires to build a career in the real estate industry in the future.

The Greek Herald sat down with Mark to talk about his Olympic Aspirations and journey to Paris.

Congratulations! How does it feel to make the 2024 Olympics team?

It really is a dream come true! Nothing compares to representing your country at the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s an opportunity that only comes around every four years and I feel very fortunate to be part of it.

What’s been your process up to this point?

In 2021, I was a training partner for the Women’s Beach Volleyball team in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics while I finished my university degree. I joined the National Beach Volleyball Program in Adelaide at the start of 2022. Since then, Izac and I have chased summer around the world taking every opportunity we could to compete on the Beach Pro Tour. Recently we switched our focus to the Asian Continental Cup which we won alongside another Aussie team and that’s how we qualified our spot for the Paris Olympic Games.

Who would you say is your biggest motivator or who do you look up to?

There’s not really an individual person that I look up to, but I’m motivated by the success of others every day. This helps me to strive to reach for more and become the best I can.

Who’s your biggest supporter/s?

My biggest supporters are my family (mum Karen, brothers Zach and Alex, and my partner Madi Cox). I genuinely wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for them. My mum has always provided unmatched support and created the opportunity for me to do everything I have wanted to do with no judgement. I don’t think I would be as competitive as I am if it wasn’t for growing up with my brothers and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Madi was the main reason I pushed to play beach volleyball full time before starting a corporate job and that changed my career path entirely.

Why beach volleyball?

I’ve always loved all sports and I played basketball for five years before I even started playing volleyball. As soon as I played my first match I fell in love with it. I really enjoyed how much fun it was and that you had to be a team player to be successful. I then started beach volleyball in the summer and only having two people on the court, you really had to be a jack of all trades and winning and losing relied a lot on your individual performance.

What’s your advice for the next generation of athletes and those hoping to go where you’ve gone?

The biggest and best piece of advice I could give is that you really have to take risks and go after any opportunity you can and that means sometimes creating your own journey. The biggest learning I’ve had is that you can always go and work a corporate job anytime in life but you can’t always play sport.

What would you like to achieve in these Olympic Games?

Whilst getting into the Olympics is an achievement, I wouldn’t be satisfied by just participating. I would love to go as deep in the draw as possible and ultimately ending up with a medal around my neck is the target.

Where to watch Mark? Saturday 27th of July is his first game. Channel Nine will broadcast the Games free to air, with coverage spread across its main channel and 9Gem. 9Now will stream every moment of every event across more than 40 dedicated channels.

AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site

The Greek Herald
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AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site

AHEPA Australia is commemorating its 90th anniversary in 2024, marking a significant milestone since its establishment in 1934. As part of the celebrations, AHEPA has organised a series of lectures in collaboration with the Australian Archaeological Institute of Athens (AAIA) at the University of Sydney.

On Friday, July 19, the Greek Community Club in Lakemba was the venue for an engaging evening featuring Dr Stavros Paspalas, the Deputy Director of the AAIA. Attendees were also treated to a culinary delight prepared by Chef Aris, setting the stage for an informative and enjoyable event.

Dr Paspalas delivered an insightful lecture on the archaeological site of Zagora, located on the island of Andros. Zagora is renowned for providing unique insights into ancient Greek history, particularly the ninth and eighth centuries BC. It is the best-preserved known settlement from this period in the Greek world, a time marked by the establishment of Greek settlements across the Mediterranean, the development of the Greek alphabet, the crystallisation of the Homeric epics, and the early stages of the Greek polis.

AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site
AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site

Drawing on the results of Australian excavations, Dr Paspalas vividly recreated the key aspects of life for the ancient inhabitants of Zagora. He highlighted their interactions in the expanding Greek world, which included regions from Italy and Sicily to the coast of the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, and Israel). The Zagora site, excavated by an Australian team, has garnered worldwide attention for its historical significance.

The co-directors of the Zagora Archaeological Project – Dr Paspalas, Dr Lesley Beaumont, Dr Paul Donnelly, and (until 2019) Professor Margaret Miller – have expressed their gratitude to the Greek Ministry of Culture for its support, particularly colleagues in the Archaeological Directorate of the Cyclades. The project has also introduced scores of Australian students to the excitement of on-the-ground archaeology in Greece, fostering a deeper appreciation for ancient history and cultural heritage.

Dr Paspalas’ passion for archaeology was evident throughout his presentation, captivating the audience with his enthusiasm for Zagora. After the lecture, attendees eagerly engaged with Dr Paspalas, asking numerous questions which he kindly addressed.

AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site
AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site
AHEPA Australia holds insightful lecture on Zagora Archaeological Site

The feedback from members and guests was overwhelmingly positive. Comments such as “The Zagora lecture was very interesting,” “I learned something new today,” and “I am from the Cyclades and was not aware of this archaeological treasure” echoed the general sentiment. One member remarked, “Those who did not attend missed out on a very informative presentation.”

As AHEPA Australia continues to celebrate its 90th anniversary, events like the Zagora lecture highlight the organisation’s ongoing commitment to education, culture, and community engagement.

CrowdStrike’s Australian president Michael Sentonas apologises for global IT outage

The Greek Herald
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CrowdStrike’s Australian president Michael Sentonas apologises for global IT outage

Michael Sentonas, the Australian President of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has apologised for the global IT outage which shut down about 8.5 million computers worldwide on Friday, July 19 likely costing billions.

Speaking with Sky News in his first interview since the tech outage, Mr Sentonas said he “personally apologises for what happened.”

“We understand the disruption and the distress that we caused a lot of people,” he said. “And firstly I think it’s important to say that we put out an update which we do regularly and we’ve been doing for over a decade and we got this very wrong.

“We’ve learnt a lot and ultimately we have to get better, and we let our customers down and that’s something that we have to address.”

The global crash was sparked by a CrowdStrike update that resulted in a ‘blue screen of death’ for millions of computers, knocking out critical computer systems in a range of services and businesses like supermarkets, banks, and airports.

Mr Sentonas said CrowdStrike was “absolutely” anticipating litigation or demands for compensation.

“Those conversations have to happen and will happen,” he said, while stressing that the company was currently rolling out updates to stamp out the bug.

Source: The Australian.

Port Pirie Greek community celebrates centenary

The Greek Herald
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Port Pirie Greek community celebrates centenary

More than 350 people attended a ball on Saturday, July 20 at the Northern Festival Centre to celebrate the centenary of the Greek Community of Port Pirie in regional South Australia.

Official guests at the ball included Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, and Fathers Achilleios Karamanidis, Panagiotis Fotakis, and Stavros Psarommatis, who have all served at the Saint George Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Port Pirie.

Federal MP Rowan Ramsey, State Representative Geoff Brock, Mayor of Port Pirie Leon Stephens, and President of the St George Parish-Community Fotios Seindanis, were also present.

In an address on the night, Archbishop Makarios paid tribute to the pioneers who established the Parish-Community and emphasised the importance of continuing their legacy in the coming decades.

The Greek Community of Port Pirie was established in 1924, making it South Australia’s oldest Greek community club and Australia’s second oldest at 100 years.

Commemorations held in Australia’s capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion

Andriana Simos
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Commemorations held in Australia’s capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion

The Cypriot community in Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on Monday, July 22, with a number of solemn events.

The events were attended by Panayiotis Palates, Commissioner of the Citizen of the Republic of Cyprus.

Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion

Mr Palates first took part in a guided tour of the Australian War Memorial and was moved by the Hall of Memory and the wall of names detailing all those who had fought for Australia in military campaigns. He later attended a Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. During the ceremony, Mr Palates laid a wreath on behalf of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.

Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion
Mr Palates in the Hall of Memory.

Other wreaths were also laid by the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis; the Ambassador of Greece in Australia, Stavros Venizelos; Father Petros from St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Kingston; President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Canberra, Pana Tsironis; President of the Cyprus Community in Canberra, Nectaria Volis; National President of AHEPA Australia, Sophia Notaras; Assistant Secretary Europe Political Branch DFAT, Geoff Bowen; and President of the Hellenic Club of Canberra, Andrew Satsias.

Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion
(L-R) Mr Palates and Mr Venizelos.
Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion
Mr Tsironis.

Later that night, guests attended a dinner held at Fillos Taverna at the Hellenic Club of Canberra hosted by the Cyprus Community of Canberra.The night featured an exchange of gifts and speeches.

Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion
Commemorations held in Australia's capital to mark 50 years since Cyprus invasion
Gifts exchange.

In one of the speeches, Mr Satsias expressed that the 50th anniversary of the invasion was an important day to him personally as he was living in Cyprus and was only four years old when the island was occupied.

Mr Satsias stressed that he wasn’t expecting how moving the Last Post Ceremony earlier in the day would be, and thanked Mr Palates for attending as a representative of the Cyprus government.

Fatal Melbourne hit-and-run driver Peter Koutsogiannakis jailed

The Greek Herald
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Fatal Melbourne hit-and-run driver Peter Koutsogiannakis jailed

A dangerous driver with a terrible driving record who ran a red light in a stolen car, killed a cyclist, and then set the vehicle on fire has been sentenced to nearly eight years in prison.

Peter Koutsogiannakis was found guilty by a jury of dangerous driving causing death and failing to render assistance after a crash. He appeared in the County Court on Monday, July 22 for sentencing.

The 30-year-old received a sentence of seven years and 10 months, with a minimum non-parole period of five years and three months.

Koutsogiannakis caused the death of 58-year-old cyclist Makaro Manapori at the intersection of Pound Rd and Hallam Rd in Hampton Park on January 6, 2022.

Despite being a disqualified driver, Koutsogiannakis did not stop after the crash. Instead, he drove another 20km to Brentwood Reserve on Maylands Crescent in Glen Waverley, where he set the stolen Holden Cruze—taken from an apartment’s underground carpark in Doncaster—on fire and fled the scene.

Manapori died at the scene, and his bike was found 48 meters away.

Fatal Melbourne hit-and-run driver Peter Koutsogiannakis jailed
Beloved cyclist Makaro Manapori was killed when a disqualified driver slammed into his bike at an intersection in Hampton Park.

Judge Frances Hogan stated that Koutsogiannakis was seen driving at an estimated 100km/h shortly before the crash and ran the red light 14 seconds after it had turned red.

The impact was so severe that Manapori was thrown approximately 45 meters from his bike and landed on his back. Motorists stopped to help, but Manapori showed no signs of life and died at the scene. A post-mortem revealed he died from a fractured spine caused by the collision.

After an appeal for information, Koutsogiannakis’ lawyer contacted the police. Despite attending the Melbourne West police station, Koutsogiannakis contested the charges and went to trial.

Judge Hogan noted that when officers approached him at the station, Koutsogiannakis stood up, raised his hands as if surrendering, and said, “I couldn’t live with myself.” When asked for clarification, he mentioned the crash and said he had wanted to come to the police station the night before.

Judge Hogan highlighted Koutsogiannakis’ extensive criminal history for driving and dishonesty offences, including stealing number plates, dating back to 2013.

Less than three weeks after causing Manapori’s death, Koutsogiannakis committed further driving offences, making his eventual arrest necessary for public safety.

“It was only a matter of time before you killed someone, given your scant regard for the law. Within a short time of causing his death, you again offended. This would be likely to shock the conscience of members of the community,” Judge Hogan said.

She described Koutsogiannakis’ driving on the day of the crash as “selfish and immature” and said he displayed a sense of entitlement regarding dishonesty and road safety.

Koutsogiannakis has been disqualified from obtaining a driver’s license for 10 years.

Source: The Herald Sun.

Aphrodite and Cyprus: AHEPA NSW hold first ever school holidays event

The Greek Herald
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Aphrodite and Cyprus: AHEPA NSW hold first ever school holidays event

Painting. Pottery. Pittes. Passion. These words sum up AHEPA NSW’s first ever School Holiday event held on Thursday, July 18 at its premises in Rockdale, Sydney.

Almost 40 students, presenters and carers enjoyed learning about Aphrodite and the island of Cyprus, a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus.

Led by artist Angela Kiki and educators Charoulla Themistocleous, Toula Moutevelis and Anna Skribias, students explored mythology and history through various art forms.

As AHEPA NSW Inc Vice-President Nia Gitsas stated following the event: “Congratulations to the amazing teachers who made this event possible!”

An initiative of Ch Antigone and Ch Chiron, the School Holiday event was coordinated with a view to engage young Australian-born Hellenes with the heritage and identity of Cyprus without the use of electronic devices.

Participants rotated around three activity stations closing the event with a presentation of their artworks and lunch.

Such activities have multiple objectives, including engaging young people with their Hellenic identities in the Australian context. This has been the core of AHEPA NSW Inc’s Mission Statement since its formation in 1934.

Keep an eye on AHEPA NSW Inc social media for the next School Holiday event in early October.

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