Greece’s Minister of Interior, Niki Kerameus, and the Ambassador of Australia in Greece, Alison Duncan, met on Tuesday.
According to The Greek Herald’s sources, during the meeting the Minister referred to the emblematic initiative of the Greek Government to establish postal voting for Greeks abroad. The voting reform is a big and essential step to strengthen the participation in the electoral process of Greeks abroad.
Minister Kerameus and Ambassador Duncan both also agreed to explore further ways of cooperation between Greece and Australia.
Great to meet Minister of the Interior @nkerameus to discuss important bilateral issues, including Greece’s aim to facilitate voting in the upcoming European elections for the Greek diaspora in Australia.
— Australian Embassy, Greece (@AusAmbAthens) March 12, 2024
After the meeting, Ambassador Duncan expressed her satisfaction with the constructive meeting in a social media post.
“Great to meet the Minister of Interior Niki Kerameus to discuss important bilateral issues, including Greece’s aim to facilitate voting in the upcoming European elections for the Greek diaspora in Australia,” she wrote.
In her recent exclusive statement to The Greek Herald, Minister Kerameus said, “the establishment of the postal vote meets the requirements of a modern society. Above all, the introduction of postal voting broadens and deepens democracy. As the Ministry of Interior, we will not stop trying to constantly facilitate the citizen in the exercise of his very important right – the right to vote.”
Melbourne City midfielder, Terry Antonis, has helped to get his team a thumping 7-0 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers with an extraordinary goal that lives among the best seen in the A-League Men competition.
Kept out of the limelight while playing for his previous team, Western Sydney Wanderers, it was only fitting that Antonis’ moment in the sun came during this game.
According to ABC, this was the Wanderers’ heaviest defeat since joining the league in the 2012/13 season.
Do not scratch your eyes…
Terry Antonis scores from inside the centre circle!!!! 🔥🔥
30-year-old Antonis latched onto a defensive clearance in the 82nd minute, knocking the ball over the head of Oscar Priestman.
Antonis then smacked a half-volley from inside the centre circle over goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas’s head and into the net.
The now Melbourne City star has been unwilling to speak publicly on what happened during his days with the Wanderers and did not want to speak to media after his super goal on Tuesday night.
A ship transporting roughly 200 tons of food to Gaza departed a port in Cyprus early Tuesday in a pilot project to provide a new maritime channel for help to those on verge of famine.
The charity ship “Open Arms” sailed out of Larnaca port in Cyprus, towing a barge containing flour, rice and protein.
The 200-mile (320-kilometre) journey across the eastern Mediterranean to Gaza, with a hefty tow barge, could well take up to two days, Cypriot officials have speculated.
.@WCKitchen “Operation Safeena”, (boat,vessel) on its way! First trip to the shores of Gaza, learning. At the same time as @openarms_fund is moving, construction of the Jetty is well underway….we may fail, but the biggest failure will be not trying! Thank you to all that made it… pic.twitter.com/vKavoczEJN
According to Ekathimerini, the mission, funded mostly by the United Arab Emirates, is organised by US-based charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), while Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms supplied the ship.
“Our goal is to establish a maritime highway of boats and barges stocked with millions of meals continuously headed towards Gaza,” said WCK founder Jose Andres and chief executive officer Erin Gore in a statement.
WCK says it has a further 500 tons of aid in Cyprus ready for dispatch.
If successful, the mission will mark the first easing of an Israeli naval embargo imposed on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas gained control of the Palestinian enclave.
The Olympiacos youth team made history on Tuesday, qualifying for the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League after defeating Bayern Munich 1 – 3 in the quarter-finals.
Olympiacos, already the first Greek quarter-finalists, went a step further thanks to a burst of three goals in nine first-half minutes.
Bayern had much of the early play but Olympiacos went ahead just past the half-hour when home goalkeeper Max Schmitt was caught in possession and his intercepted clearance was turned in by Christos Mouzakitis for his fifth goal of the campaign.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 as Antonios Papakanellos cut in from the left on the byline and beat Schmitt from a tight angle.
It was 3-0 almost immediately, Charalampos Kostoulas pouncing on a loose ball just outside the box and lashing in a half-volley to join Mouzakitis on five Youth League goals.
In the 63rd minute, Robert Ramsak pounced on the rebound from a parried Lovro Zvonarek shot to pull one back. Zvonarek then headed against the post but Olympiacos held on to become the first team from their club to reach any UEFA competition semi-final.
Olympiacos will face Nantes in the semi-final on Friday, April 19 in Nyon, Switzerland.
The event began with an official blessing by Father Michael from the local St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.
The blessing.
On the day, there was also live entertainment by Tommy Tsonis on the bouzouki and Niko from Zeibekiko Journey. Panagia Soumela Sydney’s musicians and young dancers also took part.
This celebration was enjoyed alongside some delicious food by the Souvlaki Boys, including souvlakia and loukanika (sausages).
Tommy Tsonis provided entertainment.The Alepidis family with John Loukadellis.
The Alepidis family, who own the shop, thanked all for attending on the special day.
“A big thank you to everyone for their help and support,” a Facebook post read.
The Panipirotiki Enosis of New South Wales celebrated the 111th anniversary of the Liberation of Ioannina on Saturday, March 9 with a dinner dance at Mytilenian House in Canterbury, Sydney.
The venue was filled with fellow Epirotes and many of their friends, such as the Pan-Macedonian Association of NSW and its President Anastasia Karakominakis.
The Vice President of the Panipirotiki Enosis, Vicki Tomaras was constantly involved in the organisation of the evening. She, along with President Nicholas Siafakas, were commended for their speeches on the night.
“This evening will stay with us,” Mr Siafakas said.
George Tsitsos, Assistant secretary.
President Nicholas Siafakas.
The night ended with entertainment by popular Greek band, IHO NYX.
Commemorations for the liberation anniversary were also held on Sunday, March 3, with a memorial service at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Belmore.
For 23-year-old Kayla Nassis, she’s always hoped to turn her dreams into a lifestyle.
The Sydneysider from Cronulla is a pro Muay Thai fighter and told The Greek Herald her fighting journey began when she was only 13 years old.
“I started off with a type of martial arts called Hapkido, which is like a mix between karate and taekwondo,” Kayla said.
“I continued it for seven to eight years until I got my black belt. Then I decided to move into Muay Thai, which is a bit more of a physical competition kind of sport that originated in Thailand. It’s very similar to kickboxing, except you also use your elbows and knees.”
Destined to be a fighter
Kayla said she always wanted to be a fighter.
“I saw the value that it gave me and loved the discipline of having to train every day and the rewarding feeling I get when I do it,” she said.
“I get to push myself too. Now I can’t really like imagine my life without it.
Kayla Nassis.
“I also didn’t know anyone who had pursued fighting before, so it felt nice to take a different path than say my parents and other families did and to find so much joy in it.”
The 23-year-old said to commence Muay Thai, there was a certain age requirement.
Kayla Nassis training.
“I waited until I turned 18 to commence Muay Thai,” Kayla said.
“Within a year I had already turned pro, and I had my first fight in March 2022. At first, it didn’t feel like I was at that level, but I had been training nonstop from when I first started, so I improved pretty quickly.”
Student by day, fighter by night
Kayla trains more than 20 hours per week, as well as studying engineering at the University of Sydney.
“When I’m training for a fight, during fight camp, most days I will be training twice a day. I’d do my Muay Thai training every night and then I do extra training in the morning like strength and running,” Kayla explained.
Kayla Nassis fighting.
Focused on the fight.
“Outside of fight camp, I’m training Muay Thai every day, and most sessions are 2 to 2.5 hours each, so it’s quite a lot.
“This year I also went back to full time uni as well, so I’ve kind of got to balance that, as well as work a couple days a week, so I’ll be able to live.”
Kayla said although there is not enough money in the sport as of yet, she hopes to gain some sponsors this year to continue pursuing her dream as a pro fighter.
Women in sport
Although there aren’t as many women involved in Muay Thai, Kayla said it was definitely growing.
“I think that a lot of women may feel intimidated or too scared to start training, which I totally get, so that’s definitely something that I want to show to other young women, that you really can do anything you put your mind to,” she said.
Showing her strength.
“It doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it seems and there’s lots of opportunities out there for young women as it is becoming bigger.
“For me, starting at a young age definitely helped me build a lot of confidence in knowing I could do these kinds of things and that’s one of the main things you can gain as a woman starting in this sports industry.”
Kayla said she encourages all young women interested in fighting to be brave and put themselves out there.
Future plans and life advice
The 23-year-old fighter said she had big plans over the next few years, including completing her degree and receiving a state or national title in Muay Thai.
“I would also love to fight internationally a little bit more,” Kayla said.
“I fought in Thailand a couple of times in the past, which was amazing, and on a professional level which was actually on TV too, and I just hope I can do that again.
“My end goal would be to gain a world title or to fight on ONE Championship, which is probably like the pinnacle of Muay Thai.”
In 2023, Kayla had 3- 4 fights at a professional level, and in 2022, she fought in 8 different fights as an amateur.
“This year, I’m planning to have around four to six fights,” she said.
“My next one is in six weeks on the 15th of March.
“It’ll be my first fight since last May because I had one cancelled in December. It’s been a while out of the ring, so I’m really excited to get back into the fold.”
First generation Australian of Greek Cypriot heritage Helena Kidd has won in the ‘Literature’ category at this year’s Cyprus Diaspora Awards 2024.
The awards were part of this year’s Cyprus Diaspora Forum in Limassol, which aimed at bringing together Cypriot diaspora communities, influential figures from the public and private sectors in Cyprus, media, academia and civil society.
Helena said she became an ‘accidental’ author a few years ago when she found her mother Maria Avraam’s secret diary and with her permission, Helena gave a voice to its buried contents in her novel, When The Past Awakens.
Helena said she became an ‘accidental’ author a few years ago when she found her mother Maria Avraam’s secret diary and with her permission gave a voice to its buried contents in her novel.
The novel was shortlisted for The Victorian Community History Awards in 2020. Maria passed away eight months later on 16 November 2021 aged 98.
From 2022 to 2024, Helena was compelled to write a companion novel, When The Past Is Left. Finalising Maria’s long life with her heartfelt emotional story, encompassing topics of grief and caring for an ageing mother.
Following her award win, Helena told The Greek Herald she was honoured.
“Being nominated then winning the award has made me realise I represent Australia in literature for all writers of the Cyprus diaspora. We are important in the community in telling our stories in our own ways and expressions,” Helena said.
“Cyprus as a small island is thriving today and so is its Cypriots and its Diaspora. I am proud of Maria Avraam for taking the chance and traveling to Australia in 1957 when Cyprus was not what it is today and giving us, her children, a chance at a better future than she had. With this, Maria has been successful in taking herself from thinking she was ordinary to being ‘Extraordinary’.”
Mr Kostoulias said he will be resigning from the position due to health reasons.
John Koustoulias (left) at the Stars International Reception Centre in Preston, where the Federation of Greek Elderly Citizen Clubs in Melbourne and Victoria held a Christmas celebration in honour of members and volunteers.
In response, the Federation will be holding an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to elect a new board of directors on April 5 at 7 Union Street, Brunswick from 11am.
For those who are interested in running for candidacy, it is requested that you submit a nomination by March 20.
