In 2018, the Prespa Agreement was signed, changing the name of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to North Macedonia. This agreement allegedly settled a dispute with Greece over the name of North Macedonia.
Now, ahead of North Macedonia’s elections on May 8, the leader of the country’s main opposition party, Hristijan Mickoski, said that if he is elected prime minister, he would refer to the country solely as ‘Macedonia’.
Mickoski leads the right-wing party VMRO-DPMNE.
“For me, Macedonia is and will remain Macedonia. My ancestors would be proud of me for what I do for my people and my country,” Mickoski stated.
In 2021, then-Greek and North Macedonian leaders, Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev, were awarded the Westphalia Peace Prize for the Prespa Agreement.
During a televised debate on Wednesday, the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SDSM), Dimitar Kovacevski, expressed his concerns over Mickoski’s refusal to use the country’s constitutional name.
Mr Kovacevski said this refusal may potentially lead to problems with the 2018 Prespa Agreement.
US President Joe Biden hosted his annual Greek Independence Day event at the White House on Wednesday, April 3.
The event was attended by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, and esteemed members of the Greek American community.
“I am Joe Bidenopolis,” President Biden said during the event, drawing applause from those present.
Dear Pres. @JoeBiden once again you recognize the Greek-American community with the Annual Greek Independence Day celebration at the @WhiteHouse. We are truly honored.On behalf of all I thank you for continuing this great tradition that recognizes the Hellenic roots of Democracy. pic.twitter.com/2gvkWPmDYz
In a post on X, Archbishop Elpidophoros wrote about the event, “We are truly honoured. On behalf of all I thank you for continuing this great tradition that recognises the Hellenic roots of Democracy.”
The annual celebration came after the American Archbishop met with US Vice President Kamala Harris earlier in the day. They were accompanied by Ms Kounalakis.
During the meeting, Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed his gratitude for the Biden Administration’s support on issues significant to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Greece, and Cyprus.
Ekathimerini reported that Archbishop Elpidophoros also extended an invitation from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Vice President Harris to visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul.
Greek renewable energy developer and operator Enel Green Power Hellas, in which Australia’s Macquarie Asset Management recently took a 50% stake, has relaunched with a new name, Principia Energy.
Italian utility Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL) last year agreed to co-manage its Greek unit as a joint venture with Macquarie Asset Management by selling a 50% equity interest. At the point of completing the deal in December, Enel Green Power Hellas had a 566 MW portfolio of onshore wind, solar and hydropower projects in operation or under construction.
“The Greek market is rapidly accelerating away from fossil fuels and now holds huge potential in helping to accelerate Europe’s decarbonisation efforts,” Eric Bjonerud, managing director at Macquarie Asset Management Green Investments, said then.
(L to R) Theodoros Skylakakis (Minister of Energy), Aristotelis Hadavas (CEO Principia), and Konstantinos Skrekas (Minister of Development). Photo: Naftemporiki.
“Enel Group and Macquarie Group are joining forces to make our vision a reality. With over 15 years of pioneering experience in the country, we’re now more committed than ever to driving the efforts towards energy transition,” Principia Energy CEO Aristotelis Chantavas wrote on LinkedIn today.
The company held an event to present its name and corporate identity, which was attended by Greece’s ministers of environment and energy and of development, Greek media reported. Australia’s Ambassador in Greece, Alison Duncan, also attended the event.
The Ambassador to Greece from Australia, Alison Duncan (left) was also in attendance.
Under the new structure, Principia Energy will lead energy advancements, speed up the country’s move towards green energy, and explore new solutions like storage and hybrid projects.
With a goal of creating a sustainable future and a mission to switch to renewable energy faster, Principia Energy embodies a partnership that creates more value together.
Principia currently runs 59 wind, solar, and hydro farms and is building 7 more solar farms. Together, they produce 577MW of green energy, enough for 300,000 households annually.
During the meeting, the Greek PM expressed his interest in being informed about the life of the Greek diaspora in Australia, as well as the Orthodox church.
Mitsotakis also congratulated the Archbishop on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, and sent his best wishes to all in Australia.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis meets with Archbishop Makarios of Australia. Photo: Eurokinissi.
For his part, Archbishop Makarios acknowledged Greece’s support for Hellenism abroad, particularly highlighting his appreciation for recent efforts to introduce postal voting for Greek citizens living overseas.
Both leaders also agreed to maintain communication and cooperation to effectively meet the needs of the Greek diaspora in Australia.
It’s been a year since my partner and I moved in with my yiayia.
Yiayia’s house is a little quieter these days since my pappou’s passing, but between keeping her company and growing our savings, it felt like a no-brainer moving in.
As you would with any new housemate, it took some time for all of us to get our bearings and suss each other out.
Here’s some observations I’ve made during my ‘Year in Review.’
The classic fridge gallery.
Perk: Unlimited Food
It’s quite honestly impossible to go hungry in any Greek grandmother’s home. My yiayia’s house is no exception. Yiayia will go on a grocery run and somehow come back with enough meat to last through a considerable apocalypse. As a consequence, I get granted about 15 kilos of mince from the meat arsenal. Alas, there is nothing sweeter than coming in from a day’s work in the office and smelling yiayia’s keftedakia, fried chips and homemade tzatziki.
Quirk: The guilt trip if you don’t eat
My partner, who grew up in the United Kingdom, had to learn very quickly to stand his ground. Whilst being served four fried eggs with a large helping of bacon on the side every morning was initially a dream, the gateway to cholesterol issues and needing to let out your pants two weeks in is not.
Then, at your attempt to say ‘no thank you’ in the nicest way possible you get… the face. Eyebrows furrowed and a frown, you’ve upset yiayia and to make it up to her, you compromise and just have three eggs and a large helping of bacon instead.
Perk: No shortage of crockery and glassware
There’s something special about being able to eat off the same orange and brown floral plates that my mum got to eat off of when she was in her teens. You know which ones I’m talking about. Even the glasses are the same ones from my childhood. The great thing about finishing a meal in yiayia’s home is that before you manage to put your fork down onto your empty plate, it’s already been washed.
Serious doily game.
Quirk: Where did all these doilies come from?
Nothing tips you off quicker to being in a Greek grandmother’s home than the abundance of handwoven doilies adorning every single surface. Whilst I can appreciate the countless hours of work put in by my ancestors to create these beautiful, delicate pieces of artistry, they can be a hindrance. Having to take a doily off the kettle, the toaster, the microwave, the fridge, the remote, the vacuum, my toothbrush, can get in the way of getting things done efficiently. Don’t forget to put them back!
Perk: Living rent free
It brings yiayia a lot of joy knowing she’s helping us save money towards a home of our own, and boy does it help in this economy. The ability to put what would have been rent money aside has meant that we can save for a mortgage and squeeze in an overseas trip too.
Quirk: Getting the side-eye when I spend more than $1 on anything
Turns out I’m not actually allowed to spend any money I have saved. Look, I’m not spending money on a designer bag, but I did buy yiayia a container to put her fresh chicken bone broth into, instead of the yogurt containers that never seem to close properly. “Γιατί ξοδεύεσαι;” [Why are you spending your money?] she would say to me. Yiayia chill, it was four bucks from Kmart. #notsponsored
My Yiayia and I actually lived together when I was a baby too.
Perk: Keeping my Greek sharp
Between the Greek television channels that allow me to watch my favourite Rouk Zouk, and having to translate the odd letter that comes through the mail, my Greek has definitely gotten sharper. My partner has even started picking up some Greek too and yiayia is delighted when she hears him explain that the weather outside is ‘poly kruo’ (very cold).
Quirk: 11pm phone calls to Greece on a weeknight
Whilst I love refreshing my Greek on the daily, I’m not particularly fond of doing so by way of an international phone call I can hear from two streets over at 11pm on a weeknight. I worry that speaking loud on the phone is hereditary. I’ll revise in 30 years’ time and let you all know.
Yiayia Sotiria and I.
Perk: Spending time with yiayia
I am so lucky that my maternal grandmother has been present for the entirety of my life. Since the passing of my pappou, who once graced the home I live in, his now empty chair at the head of the table that I sit at every night to have my dinner, I treasure the time with my yiayia even more. How lucky am I to have been able to experience life with all of my grandparents. I’ve learnt so much living here; from her secret recipes to new stories of her adventures with my pappou.
Quirk: I’m eventually going to have to move out
The time will come where my partner and I will have to leave yiayia’s very comfortable nest and flock to our own. We know that eventually our time living together will have to come to an end as I think she’s banking on some great-grandchildren coming into the mix. While we may not be physically living together, there’s a box full of doilies with my name on it waiting to make an appearance in our own humble abode when she comes around to visit. I’m truly going to miss living with her; perks, quirks and all.
The Sydney Comedy Festival has announced the full 2024 line-up, its biggest program ever with more than 750 artists gearing up to flood the city with laughs and more than 315 shows on from 22nd April to 19th May.
Adding to the ranks of Aussie comedy superstars performing in the festival is The Project regular panellist Peter Helliar, a hilarious night with Judith Lucy & Kaz Cooke, comedy crackpot Reuben Solo, the sassy and sardonic Gen Fricker, Lizzy Hoo loved for her Prime Video comedy special Hoo Cares!? and 2022 Australia’s Got Talent finalist Emo Majok.
Joining the long list of international stars is 2016 English Comedian of the Year Josh Pugh plus, the fierce and fiery Irish comic Shane Daniel Byrne and American history meets comedy podcast The Dollop head down under for the Festival.
Elouise Eftos.Steen Raskopoulos.
This adds to a huge list of exciting comedians appearing in the Festival, including Tom Gleeson, Reuben Kaye, Melanie Bracewell, Adam Kay, Fern Brady and more.
“This year marks a monumental chapter for Sydney Comedy Festival, as we proudly roll out our largest and most vibrant program to date with Sydney stages set to host over 750 comedians,” Sydney Comedy Festival Director Jorge Menidis said.
“We can’t wait to fill the city with a kaleidoscope of comedic talent with everything from ground-breaking newcomers shaking up the comedy scene to the household names we all know and love.”
Sydney Comedy Festival Galas:
Tuesday 23rd April – Concourse Concert Hall
Tuesday 23rd April, Thursday 25th April – Enmore Theatre
Sydney’s Cypriot community came together on Sunday, March 31 to honour the fallen heroes and heroines of the EOKA (National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) struggle against British colonial rule from 1955 to 1959.
EOKA was an underground nationalist movement of Greek Cypriot freedom fighters dedicated to ending British colonial rule in Cyprus and to achieving the eventual union (Greek enosis) of Cyprus with Greece.
This year, a Divine Liturgy and memorial service was held at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Redfern, Sydney to mark the 69th anniversary of the start of the EOKA struggle.
There were a number of official guests present including the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis; the Deputy Head of Mission at the Cyprus High Commission, Stavros Nicolaou; the President of the Federation of the Cypriot Community of Australia, Michael Christodoulou; the Co-President of the Justice for Cyprus Co-ordinating Committee (SEKA NSW), Chris Koulinos; and the President of the Cyprus Hellene Club, Panikos Achilleos; among many other leaders of local Cypriot and Greek community organisations.
Following the memorial service, attendees moved outside to the church courtyard and laid wreaths in front of the cenotaph in honour of those Cypriot men and women who lost their lives fighting for freedom for Cyprus. The National Anthems of Greece and Australia were also sung.
Later, coffee and light refreshments were served in the church hall. There were speeches by Mr Nicolaou and Mr Mallikourtis, as well as a poem recital by Mr Achilleos.
“We need to honour the heroes and the political military leadership of the struggle, and to not forget that most of the heroes did not even know how to hold a weapon. There were a lot of students and youth who died and were tortured to give us our freedom,” Mr Koulinos told The Greek Herald after the event.
The event was held on Saturday, March 30 at the Pan Arcadian Bowling Club in Ashbury, Sydney.
It was supported by the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney, AHEPA Australia and the Philoptochos at St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Randwick.
On the night, the Pan Arcadian President, George Santikos spoke about everyone’s shared heritage and welcomed all the guests.
The President of the Dareon Brotherhood, Chris Bekiaris presented a documentary on the 1821 Greek Revolution heroes and their struggles for independence. His speech was inspirational and from the heart.
On Wednesday, March 27, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) honoured the outstanding achievements of Australia’s health and medical research field, at its Research Excellence Awards in Canberra.
In a ceremony attended by the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, 14 top-ranked applicants to each of NHMRC’s major funding schemes were presented with an award, recognising their contributions to health and medical research.
SAHMRI’s Aboriginal Health Equity Co-Lead, Associate Professor Odette Pearson, was awarded the Sandra Eades Investigator Grant Award, for the top-ranked application by an Indigenous researcher in the Emerging Leadership category of the Investigator Grant scheme.
A/Prof Pearson, of Eastern Yalanji and Torres Strait Islander descent, has made significant contributions to the health of Indigenous communities aiming to improve health equity and consequently, achieve good health.
Steve Wesselingh. Photo: Sahmri.
The awards were presented by NHMRC CEO and former SAHMRI Executive Director, Professor Steve Wesselingh.
“To be identified as the top-ranked researcher across each of our competitive grant schemes emphasises the outstanding quality of projects led by the researchers celebrated this evening,” Prof Wesselingh said.
Research Excellence Awards are awarded annually to the top-ranked researchers and teams following peer review of applications to NHMRC’s highly competitive grant schemes. The awards are named in honour of some of the greatest pioneers of Australian health and medical research.
The NHMRC also announced the fifteenth edition of it’s ‘10 of the Best’ series, showcasing the most impactful research projects completed in 2021 that were funded by the NHMRC grant program, and which have significantly contributed to improving human health.
Professor Maria Makrides and Professor Robert Gibson made the list for their project, ‘Food for Future Australians’, based on redefining the nutritional requirements for a range of nutrients, primarily omega-3 fatty acids.
Professor Makrides was previously named SA Scientist of the Year. Photo: Brenton Edwards.
From 2013 to 2019 they conducted large-scale clinical trials with pregnant women, developed new technology to gather and assess blood samples more cheaply and produced findings that have already had a profound impact.
They discovered that low intakes or blood status of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) are associated with increased risk of preterm birth and that low-cost supplements lower this risk. They also proved that babies who are born very premature, who are given omega-3 fatty acids, will experience better cognitive function. Prior to this project, the role of nutrition in preventing preterm birth and in brain development after birth wasn’t clearly established.
“We’ve demonstrated that by five years of age, supplements will have improved their IQ and recovered about 30% of what they’ve lost by being born very preterm,” Prof Gibson said.
“The realisation that you’ve found clear evidence, when you see it for the first time, it literally causes the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Honestly, it’s the most incredible feeling.”
Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) Peter V’landys has said rugby is the key to fixing the youth crime crisis in New South Wales.
Project Pathfinder is a partnership between the NSW Police Force, National Rugby League (NRL) and Youth Justice NSW, and will provide at risk teenagers from regional areas with mentorships and opportunities to reach their potential.
The program will see young people provided with unique access to the NRL environment and an NRL mentor to support and engage with their families.
The NRL has helped launch the NSW Government's Project Pathfinder today in Moree as it continues to work to provide diversionary pathways for ‘at risk’ young people across NSW.
“I heard someone say, this program needs to be successful’,” Mr V’landys said.
“Well, I’m a walking example of how it’s successful, because I was in a similar situation as a youth, a migrant kid who found it hard to assimilate.
“It was rugby league that made me assimilate. It was rugby league, through a role model that came and spoke to me, that gave me that inspiration to want to succeed.
“I could have gone down a complete different path, I could be on the wrong side of the law if it wasn’t for the game of rugby league and that’s why I’m so passionate about it – because I know it works.”
