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Macquarie University responds to criticism after decision to end Modern Greek program

Andriana Simos
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Macquarie University responds to criticism after decision to end Modern Greek program

In a statement to The Greek Herald, Macquarie University in Sydney has responded to criticism on its decision to discontinue its Modern Greek Studies Program.

On Tuesday, June 4, the Macquarie Greek Studies Foundation Limited (“the Foundation”) confirmed that the University was discontinuing four languages, including Italian, Croatian, Russian, and Modern Greek.

Current students enrolled in Modern Greek will be able to complete their studies without disruption until the end of 2026. New students won’t be able to enrol in Modern Greek at Macquarie starting from Semester 1, 2025.

While the Major and Diploma in Modern Greek and curriculum components are slated for discontinuation, the University has indicated that it may incorporate Greek language and culture related units of study within the new discipline of Global Cultures. The final content and curriculum design for this discipline are expected by late 2025.

Next steps to ‘revitalise’ languages at Macquarie University:

The discontinuation of Modern Greek comes after the Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University decided to proceed with a Workplace Change Proposal it released in April 2024.

The proposal will see the creation of a new School combining four discipline areas: Criminology, Politics and International Relations, Security Studies, and Global Cultures. The four languages of Italian, Croatian, Russian, and Modern Greek will be in ‘resting and teach out.’

The Foundation and its community partners, including The Greek Herald, vigorously advocated for and strongly supported the continuation of Modern Greek studies, even offering to fully cover program costs.

macquarie-university-modern-greek-program-scaled
The Greek Herald worked alongside the Macquarie University Greek Studies Foundation to launch a petition calling on the university to reconsider its decision to discontinue Greek.

A spokesperson for Macquarie University told The Greek Herald that “all feedback received during the consultation period was carefully considered in the decision to proceed with this proposal.”

“The University recognises its long-standing relationship with the Macquarie Greek Studies Foundation,” the spokesperson said.

They also stressed that the nature of teaching and research in language and culture in the tertiary sector is changing, and Macquarie University was exploring how it will best position its curriculum to align with the needs of a changing national and global context.

“Student enrolment numbers in Modern Greek studies have remained consistently low over the past decade,” the spokesperson said.

“The Discipline of Global Cultures will revitalise the University’s language offerings to focus on matters of global concern from a linguistic and cultural perspective, emphasise employability skills and deliver a curriculum that supports intercultural engagement and addresses global challenges.”

With the proposal now finalised, the spokesperson said a proposed implementation plan will be put forward for consultation with staff and stakeholders later this month.

John Tsalapatis walks free from court after killing SA teacher in crash

The Greek Herald
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John Tsalapatis walks free from court after killing SA teacher in crash

South Australian man John Tsalapatis – who caused a fatal crash at a McLaren Vale intersection in 2021 – has avoided jail, but a judge has ordered he serve a three-year sentence at home.

Tsalapatis was found guilty in March of dangerous driving causing the death of 61-year-old schoolteacher Bernice Sternberg — who was a passenger in a car being driven by her husband Rony Sternberg. 

Tsalapatis drove through a McLaren Vale intersection in 2021 without giving way despite two warning signs, on a clear day with fine conditions.

Tsalapatis was found guilty last month for causing death by dangerous driving.
Tsalapatis was found guilty last month for causing death by dangerous driving. Photo: ABC News.

During sentencing on Wednesday, District Court Judge Nick Alexandrides said there was nothing about the road conditions that explained or excused Tsalapatis’ poor attention, and his remorse had not involved taking responsibility.

Tsalapatis was sentenced to three years jail, with a non-parole period of two years and four months. He was ordered to serve the sentence on home detention. His driver’s licence was also disqualified for 12 years.

Tsalapatis has lodged an appeal against his conviction.

Source: ABC News.

Cypriot bulk carrier banned from Australian ports

The Greek Herald
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Cypriot bulk carrier banned from Australian ports

The Cypriot-flagged bulk carrier Peace has been banned from entering Australia’s ports for three months.

The Peace was first detained in Newcastle, New South Wales, on May 31, 2024.

Inspections by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) found significant flaws, including a lack of maintenance and severe deterioration of crucial fixtures and hatches.

The three month ban comes amid a string of recent complaints about Danoas Shipping ships.

In January 2024, another containership by Danoas Shipping – Suez Canal – was detained for an extended period of time due to identical structural concerns. The vessel’s detention was lifted only when the necessary repairs were completed to solve the reported faults.

Source: marineinsight.com.

John Poulos jailed for 42 years for femicide of Colombian DJ

The Greek Herald
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John Poulos jailed for 42 years for femicide of Colombian DJ

American man John Poulos has been sentenced to more than 42 years in prison by a Colombian court, after he was found guilty of aggravated femicide in the killing of a young Colombian DJ named Valentina Trespalacios.

In Colombia, femicide — the killing of a woman because of her gender — is considered a more serious crime than homicide. Under Colombian law, femicide is often punished with a higher penalty.

The killing of Trespalacios occurred in Bogotá in January 2023, and has since captured public attention in Colombia.

According to accounts from her family and lawyers who took her case, Trespalacios had been in a romantic relationship with Poulos since 2021.

Colombian DJ named Valentina Trespalacios.
Colombian DJ named Valentina Trespalacios.

In a statement after the court ruling on Tuesday, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia said its prosecutors had proven that Poulos struck and suffocated his partner and tried to hide the body in a suitcase.

The judge imposed a prison sentence of 42 years and eight months – about five years less than what prosecutors had requested.

Poulos has also been prohibited from approaching or attempting to communicate with Trespalacios’ family for 20 years, and the judge ordered that he be expelled from Colombia once he completes his sentence.

Poulos’ defence team has said it will appeal the judgement. It had argued that Poulos was innocent of femicide and that he should instead be tried for homicide, which would carry a lesser sentence.

The victim’s legal team, meanwhile, celebrated the sentence, saying it recognises that Trespalacios was a victim of various types of violence.

Source: CNN.

Mickoski says government to respect Prespa Treaty but he will personally use ‘Macedonia’

The Greek Herald
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Mickoski says government to respect Prespa Treaty but he will personally use ‘Macedonia’

North Macedonia’s prime minister-elect and VMRO-DPMNE leader, Hristijan Mickoski said on Wednesday he will respect the Prespa Agreement, but will continue to use the name Macedonia in his public remarks.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Mickoski said that “whatever the Prespa Agreement entails, including the constitutional name, the future government of VMRO-DPMNE will respect.”

But Mickoski added that in his personal statements he will continue referring to his country as “Macedonia.”

Hristijan-Mickoski north macedonia
Hristijan Mickoski.

“…it is my human right, guaranteed by numerous conventions, that I have the right to free speech and expression. I’m not mad at politicians who don’t say the full name of their country, but only use a part of that name. My homeland, in all my statements, is and will remain Macedonia,” he said.

Mitskoski’s actions come after North Macedonia’s newly-elected president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, sparked a diplomatic spat with Greece in May by referring to her country as “Macedonia,” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia.”

At the time, Greece’s government pointed out that the new president’s deliberate avoidance of the country’s constitutional name was a “gross violation” of the 2018 Prespa Agreement and warned of consequences in bilateral relations and for North Macedonia’s prospects of joining the European Union.

Tsitsipas brothers qualify for doubles at 2024 Paris Olympics

The Greek Herald
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Tsitsipas brothers qualify for doubles at 2024 Paris Olympics

Stefanos and Petros Tsitsipas have stormed into the mixed doubles quarter-finals at the French Open after defeating France’s Gregoire Jacq and Manuel Guinard.

The Greek brothers prevailed after an hour and 20 minutes of play with a 7-6(2), 6-2 win over their French opponents.

With their win, the Tsitsipas brothers also managed to secure qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which will take place in summer at the same stadiums as the French Open.

The Greek duo will next face Marcelo Arevalo (El Salvador) and Mate Pavic (Croatia) in the quarter-finals of the French Open.

Source: zougla.gr.

From Greece to Newtown: Dimitris Basis unites with students to sing ‘Music from the Heart’

Andriana Simos
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From Greece to Newtown: Dimitris Basis unites with students to sing ‘Music from the Heart’

As the sound of the bouzouki filtered down busy King Street in Newtown, Sydney on Tuesday, June 4, you instantly knew the music of Greece had made its way Down Under.

The joyful and familiar sound was made possible thanks to a music collaboration taking place inside St George’s Hall between internationally acclaimed Greek singer Dimitris Basis and students from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (NHSPA).

Dimitris Basis. All photos The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.

The concert, titled ‘Music from the Heart,’ started at 7pm and broke cultural and language barriers through music. It was proudly supported by the Greek Festival of Sydney and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW), and sponsored by the Bank of Sydney.

Basis selected music for the concert from artists he grew up with, including Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Xarchakos and Dimitris Mitropanos. The songs embodied lyrics and music that evoked a range of human emotions such as passion, love, pain, loss, struggle, joy and hope.

No one left the concert disappointed. From a solo multilingual performance by a NHSPA student alongside Basis, to a choir of students singing beautiful back-up melodies, and an orchestra featuring violins, trumpets and more – the concert really did have it all. There was even an encore of Zorba the Greek, which had everyone singing and dancing along.

The choir of students.

The concert ended with gift giving and formalities. Students thanked Basis for giving them a chance to perform with him at a concert they “will never forget,” and also expressed their gratitude to those who made the collaboration possible including the Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris, the President of the GOCNSW, Harry Danalis, NHSPA Careers Adviser and Production Coordinator, Ula George, NHSPA Music Teacher and Musical Director of Concert, Emlyn Lewis-Jones, and NHSPA Principal Dr Susan Green, among many other volunteers and supporters. They also thanked the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis for attending.

In a speech, Basis thanked the students for working together with him, and said he was “incredibly proud that Greek music was being heard and played at an Australian school.” He also said he was grateful to Emlyn for seeing the value in performing Greek music at the NHSPA.

Harry Danalis (right) giving a gift to Dimitris Basis.
Emlyn Lewis-Jones.
Harry Danalis (left) and the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis.

Emlyn first saw Basis perform in 2008 on the Greek island of Samos and was so impressed that he followed his musical journey. In 2018, Emlyn met with Basis while he was on tour in Australia and Ms Karteris arranged a meeting at the school to discuss a possible concert involving NHSPA students and Basis as part of the Greek Festival of Sydney’s program in 2019.

NHSPA students have since performed two concerts with Basis – ‘Byzantium to Zorba’ in 2019, and ‘200 Years: A Celebration of Greek Music’ in 2021 to mark the bicentenary of the start of the Greek War of Independence. Tuesday night’s ‘Music from the Heart’ concert was their third collaboration.

Mr Danalis touched on this history in his speech on the night and surprised the crowd by announcing that the NHSPA students have been invited to Greece in September 2026 to perform alongside Basis in the homeland. A true sign that this music collaboration isn’t ending any time soon and after Tuesday night’s performance, we can’t wait for more!

Modern Greek Teachers’ Association hold Annual Conference in Victoria

The Greek Herald
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Modern Greek Teachers’ Association hold Annual Conference in Victoria

By Kristian Raspa

On Sunday, June 2, I had the pleasure of attending the Annual Conference of the Modern Greek Teachers Association (MGTAV). This event was a remarkable gathering of over 50 dedicated Greek educators from across Victoria, creating a vibrant atmosphere for professional development and networking. As the Head of Hellenism, I had the privilege of working closely with MGTAV’s committee to bring this conference to St John’s College, underscoring our school’s commitment to fostering Hellenism and promoting Greek language education.

The conference featured eight distinguished presenters who delivered a variety of seminars tailored for both primary and secondary educators. These sessions provided valuable insights and innovative strategies for enhancing Greek language education, perfectly aligning with our school’s dedication to promoting Hellenism and Greek heritage.

One of the highlights of the day was the keynote presentation by Elena Pirovano, who captivated the audience with her session on engaging multilingual students in the language classroom. Her exploration of translanguaging as a pedagogical stance offered a fresh perspective on leveraging students’ linguistic resources to facilitate deeper learning and cultural connection. This approach resonated deeply with our educators, inspiring new methods to support our diverse student body.

Our language team at St John’s College actively participated in the conference, seizing the opportunity for networking and professional development. The exchange of ideas and best practices among educators was truly inspiring, reinforcing our shared goal of advancing Greek language education through contemporary tools and approaches.

Hosting this conference at St John’s College was a proud moment for our institution, not only showcasing our commitment to educational excellence but also highlighting our role in community engagement and cultural enrichment. This event reinforced our dedication to providing our students with a dynamic and inclusive learning experience by embracing innovative teaching methodologies.

The MGTAV conference exemplified the strength and vibrancy of our educational community. The collaborative spirit and shared commitment to advancing Greek language education were palpable throughout the day. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such passionate educators and look forward to continuing our journey together, inspired by the insights and connections forged at this remarkable event.

The essential value of language takes centre stage at Sydney Town Hall

The Greek Herald
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The essential value of language takes centre stage at Sydney Town Hall

A senior member of the New South Wales Government has warned that without diversity of language, Australia would become a weaker nation.

Mark Buttigieg MLC, Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism as well as responsibilities for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety, was speaking at the Community Language Schools Spectacular at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday, June 1.

Mr Buttigieg, the son of Maltese immigrants to Australia, told the audience of 1,000 parents and 600 community language-school students: “Language diversity makes us better human beings and makes us a stronger society. Language is the intrinsic link to different cultures which allows us to understand a person’s cultural inheritance.”

FCLS Spectacular
Mark Buttigieg MLC.
FCLS Spectacular
Charishma Kaliyanda MP.

The State Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda spoke of the importance of language in the future for Australia as an international destination.

“The new international airport in western Sydney, for example, will require lots of people who can communicate with our visitors. It will be an important selling point for this venture that we can say to anyone who comes from another part of the world that we have someone here who can speak your language and understand your culture and that will help you do business in this country,” Ms Kaliyanda said.

FCLS Spectacular
FCLS Spectacular

The NSW Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure, emphasised the need to “ensure that the next generation of Australians maintains and hold onto the languages of their parents because Sydney’s success as a global city in the future depends on that. The work of the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools helps ensure that it happens.”

The Schools’ Spectacular was organised by the Federation which supports the 3,500 teachers and volunteers who run classes in 461 locations around the state for over 32,000 children studying over 69 different languages.

FCLS Spectacular
Mark Coure MP.
FCLS Spectacular
Lucia Johns.

The President of the Federation, Lucia Johns, told the audience: “This a wonderful opportunity for the children of many cultural backgrounds to showcase the songs, dances and music of their parents’ homelands in this prestigious venue – Sydney Town Hall – which hosts so many prestigious events each year. I hope that this children’s Spectacular becomes a feature on the NSW events’ calendar.” 

The packed day-long programme of 67 performances featured the songs, music, dances and poetry of dozens of different languages groups living in New South Wales.

READ MORE: Macquarie University to discontinue Modern Greek Studies despite community support

Victorian Tina Stefanou awarded the Blake Emerging Artist Prize

The Greek Herald
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Victorian Tina Stefanou awarded the Blake Emerging Artist Prize

Greek Australian visual artist and vocalist Tina Stefanou has been awarded the 68th Blake Prize in the emerging artist category.

Stefanou, who lives at Wattle Glen in Victoria, was awarded for her single-channel video work with sound, titled Backbreeding.

The work intertwines vocal workshops, community rituals, and farm practices to delve into the significance of grain and wool within a Wheatbelt community in rural Western Australia.

Tina Stefanou
Tina Stefanou.

It features a massive piece of farming machinery dressed in a woollen suit. Locals spent nine days sewing the costume – made from raw wool donated from farms in the area – for the 1986 John Deere tractor.

“We dressed up the tractor and we created a performance work in the middle of a canola field,” Stefanou told ABC News. “And we pull this giant sculptural work through the field — it’s quite a surreal piece.”

The Blake Emerging Artist Prize comes with a $6,000 cash prize. Stefanou hopes to continue her creative research by following the journey of Australian grain on ships to communities where it’s processed overseas.

Source: ABC News.

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