As the sun sank over the horizon on Friday, March 1, the darkness was kept at bay by bright neon lights, flashing rides, and the fireworks that lit up the sky.
The Alphington Grammar School Twilight Festival ran from 4 to 9pm and saw over 2500 attendees come through the school gates to partake in the festivities. This included members of school council and the Greek Community.
Students on the Dodgem Cars. Photo: Supplied.
The festival hosted a wide variety of rides, activities, and food and drink stalls. From dodgem cars and a petting zoo to souvlakia, loukoumades, burgers and even Vietnamese street food. There was something for everyone to enjoy in celebration of the multicultural community underpinned by Hellenic values that the school has become.
While attendees were enjoying the attractions and activities, the stage was home to student performances, DJ Thomas Nico, and guest alumni appearances that entertained children and adults alike throughout the night.
One of our bands on the stage. Photo: Supplied.
At the official Opening Ceremony at 7pm guests were also honoured by a Welcome to Country smoking ceremony led by local Aboriginal Elder, Uncle Yarra.Other performances on the night included the Greek Band, Latin Band, Drumline, Greek dance items, and a dragon dance, among many others. Students were given the chance to shine in front of their parents, peers, and members of the local community.
There were fireworks at the Twilight Family Festival. Photo: Supplied.
Staff, parents, and older students also volunteered their time at the stalls speckled throughout the Oval. They could be seen grilling skewers at the Souvlaki stand, supervising games of giant inflatable dart soccer, or sitting with children as they made masks for Carnavale out of sequins and glitter. The Beer Garden, which stocked the usual wines and beers plus a refreshing Aperol Spritz, was a definite highlight, as were the ice cream cart, fairy floss, and frappe stand.
School board members ( L to R) George Doukas, Voula Kallianis, Mannuel Tsirmiris, Dr Vivianne Nikou, Vicki Kyritsis and Steve Siolis. Photo: Supplied.
Adding to the atmosphere and the source of much of the excitement were the rides and attractions. The younger children were thoroughly entertained by the turbo tubs, laughing clown game and chair-o-plane; while the older children (and adults) lined up for the dodgem cars, atomic drop slide and cyclone until the late hours of the night. It was against this backdrop of fun and laughter that many attendees sat, either at the colourful tables or on picnic blankets, as they enjoyed the night and each other’s company.
LOTE teachers at the Festival. Photo: Supplied.
The night was brought to a close by a fireworks display at 8:45pm. The stunning showcase was the perfect way to end the festival and celebrate 35 years of excellence.
“We would like to express our thanks for the support of our school and wider community on the night. It was an amazing display, not only of how far the school has come, but of the strong school spirit and values our community continues to uphold,” said the Principal, Dr Vivianne Nikou.
Register now for Alphington Grammar’s Open Day on Saturday 16 March 2024, 10AM to 1PM at alphington.vic.edu.au.
A personal intervention order placed on former President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand (CFANZ), Tony Tsourdalakis, has been extended by a Victorian magistrate until Thursday, June 13.
This comes after a hearing for Mr Tsourdalakis’ case at the Ringwood Magistrates Court on Thursday, February 29 was adjourned.
In an open letter published in The Greek Herald in July, Mr Starakis voiced concerns around the more than $30,000 in earthquake relief funds raised by the CFANZ and the Pancretan Association in 2021. Mr Starakis wrote that he wanted answers from Mr Tsourdalakis and his Board about where these funds had been allocated after it was announced they were given to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Crete.
Following the publication of this letter, Mr Tsourdalakis was arrested after Victoria Police were made aware of an alleged threat he made against Mr Starakis.
No criminal charges have been laid but legal proceedings were launched for the personal safety intervention order.
Tony Tsourdalakis.
During the first court case on Thursday, November 16, Mr Starakis told the Magistrates Court via video link that Mr Tsourdalakis had reportedly sent a text message to a mutual friend which was perceived as threatening.
“The friend was asked to go find someone who Mr Tsourdalakis could pay, and I’m quoting verbatim, ‘who I can pay to break Starakis’ arms and legs’,” Mr Starakis told the court.
Mr Tsourdalakis’ lawyer said “there was no immediacy” with respect to an intervention order because there were no prior issues between the pair and Mr Tsourdalakis was “well-regarded” within Melbourne’s Greek community, so the threat “was likely never to happen again.”
Besides being the former President of the CFANZ, Mr Tsourdalakis is also a Director at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Victoria; Board Member at AGAPI Care; President of the Inter-communities Council of Victoria; Member of the Board of Directors of “Aetolian College”; Chairman of the Victorian 2021 Bicentenary Committee; and Chairman of the Victorian Council for Greek National Day.
In response, the Judge said even though the alleged threat had been made to a mutual friend and not Mr Starakis, the threat had still been made and it was an immediate cause for concern.
When handing down his interim order, the Judge said Mr Tsourdalakis must not have any contact with Mr Starakis and cannot be within 200 metres of where he lives or works. He must also remain within 5 metres of him.
Mr Tsourdalakis’ lawyer argued that in instances where Mr Tsourdalakis and Mr Starakis attended events of mutual interest within the Greek and Cretan community, the 5 metre restriction was not acceptable. The Judge said in those instances, the restriction would be reduced to 2 metres.
These orders now remain in place until the case goes before the courts again in June.
Melbourne funeral director Peter Tziotzis is continuing his fight for justice after news reports by A Current Affairs (ACA) in November 2022 and March 2023 alleged he had stolen clothing and jewellery off a dead woman’s body.
As part of the story, Victoria Police were filmed attending the business.
The news reports were also re-published in various Channel 9 publications, including on the 9Now website and The Age, as well as on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts associated with Channel 9.
At the time, Mr Tziotzis, who is the director of Peter Tziotzis Orthodox Funeral Services, denied all allegations against him and said that ACA’s version of events “is incorrect and without factual basis.”
Victoria Police confirmed on February 26 this year that there was insufficient evidence and that the matter would not be proceeding any further.
Mr Tziotzis and his business will now continue with defamation proceedings launched on 8 September 2023 against Channel 9, the relevant producer and the reporter responsible for the news report.
Australia have defeated Uzbekistan 2-0 in their second AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2024™ group match at JAR Stadium, Tashkent.
First half goals from midfielder Daniela Galic and forward Peta Trimis set up the CommBank Young Matildas for a comfortable victory over the stoic hosts.
Head Coach Leah Blayney made three changes to the side that started against Korea Republic. Newcastle Jets’ Lara Gooch came into the starting XI after a standout second half on Sunday, alongside fellow first game substitutes Melbourne Victory’s Alana Murphy and Sydney FC’s Shay Hollman in midfield. Millie Boughton, Indiana Dos Santos, and Zara Kruger made way for the trio.
Photo: Football Australia.
Photo: Football Australia.
Photo: Football Australia.
Australia’s opening goal came early as Maddie Caspers played the ball to Trimis in the box, who found Galic in front of goal. Galic was able to turn away to find space to shoot. The Melbourne City midfielder made no mistake once she found the angle, placing it calmly into the bottom corner.
Trimis was rewarded for her industrious performance later in the half. A clever touch after a long ball from Hollman in midfield set it up perfectly for the Central Coast Mariners striker to have a 1v1 opportunity with the goalkeeper. She slotted it into the back of the net tidily to net her second goal of the tournament.
Photo: Football Australia. Photo: Football Australia.
With six points on the board, the CommBank Young Matildas moved to the top of Group A, and to within one point of qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Colombia 2024™.
Chinese Taipei will be their final opponents in group play with the match kicking off at 7.00pm AEDT on Saturday, 9 March at Do’stlik Stadium, Tashkent.
All Australia’s match action during the tournament is available live on 10 Play.
The renowned Greek singer, songwriter and composer Dimos Moutsis passed away on Wednesday, March 6 in Athens at 86 years old.
Born on August 2, 1938, in Piraeus, Athens, Dimos Moutsis began his musical journey at 7 years old, and by the age of 21, he had completed his music studies, and earned a top prize as a soloist on the violin.
As one of the most prominent Greek composers and of his time, Moutsis had a career that spanned five decades.
He followed in the footsteps of the iconic Mikis Theodorakis, where he blended poetry with melody. He was also known for introducing synthesizers into his acclaimed 1975 album “Tetralogia.”
Moutsis’ career spanned 50 years. Photo: Voice of Greece- ERT.
Ekathimerini reported that he was known for his collaborations with many prominent figures in the Greek music scene. These included poets and lyricists such as Nikos Gatsos, Manos Eleftheriou, and Kostas Tripolitis, as well as esteemed singers such as Grigoris Bithikotsis, Manolis Mitsias, and Dimitris Mitropanos.
Dimos Moutsis was also a candidate for radical leftist party MeRA25 in the 2019 European Parliament elections, however his party membership was suspended following allegations of sexual abuse – these allegations were not tested in court.
One of his career highlights includes his album “Agios Fevrouarios,” which was released in 1972 and featured lyrics by Eleftheriou and vocals by Mitropanos and Petri Salpea.
Two sailors were killed in a Houthi missile attack on Wednesday, March 6 on the Greek-owned freight vessel – ‘True Confidence’ in the Red Sea.
Ekathimerini reported that British and US officials said this marked the first fatalities from the Houthi’s since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.
The attack, which the Houthis took responsibility for, took place around 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen’s port of Aden. Greek operators reported that there was no information available about the status of the 20 crew and three armed guards on board at the time of the blaze.
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) March 6, 2024
Britain’s embassy responded in a statement on X, condemning the attack.
“At least 2 innocent sailors have died. This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping,” the statement read.
“They must stop.
“Our deepest condolences are with the families of those that have died and those that were wounded.”
A US official also confirmed the death of the two soldiers.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received the report of the incident, which was 54 nautical miles southwest of Aden, near the entrance to the Red Sea. They added that the vessel was abandoned by the crew and was “no longer under command”.
“Coalition forces are supporting the vessel and the crew,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said.
Although the militia has declared intentions to target vessels associated with the United Kingdom, the United States, and Israel, shipping industry insiders have warned that all ships may face potential risks.
On Wednesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared continued support for Ukraine in its quest for freedom following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Odesa.
In his first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Mitsotakis emphasised Greece’s commitment to stand alongside Ukraine, stating, “My presence here reflects the respect of the entire free world for your people and underlines Greece’s commitment to remain by your side.”
Είμαι διπλά συγκινημένος που βρέθηκα σήμερα στην Οδησσό. Μία πόλη-μνημείο του παγκόσμιου πολιτισμού, από όπου η Φιλική Εταιρεία άναψε τη φλόγα της Ανεξαρτησίας της Ελλάδας. Αλλά και στον τόπο-σύμβολο όπου αντιστέκεται ο ουκρανικός λαός, παλεύοντας για τη δική του ελευθερία. pic.twitter.com/921fFPLlGm
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) March 6, 2024
As a NATO member and a staunch ally of Ukraine’s aspirations to join the military alliance and the European Union, Greece has offered military assistance to Ukraine. Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis discussed strategies to enhance security in the Black Sea, focusing on the expansion of the security space. Zelenskyy emphasised the need for additional air defence measures.
Confirming Greece’s participation in a peace formula summit in Switzerland, Zelenskyy also shared Mitsotakis’ commitment to contributing to the reconstruction of Odesa. The city’s historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in January 2023. Mitsotakis, while meeting with representatives of the Greek diaspora, underscored Greece’s ongoing support for Ukraine within its capabilities and without compromising Greek defence.
During their visit, the two leaders toured a residential building in Odesa, the site of a Russian drone attack that claimed the lives of 12 people, including five children. As the leaders concluded their tour, a large explosion echoed through the war-torn southern city, serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict. Mitsotakis characterised the blast as a “vivid reminder” of the war’s impact and emphasised the stark contrast between hearing about the conflict and experiencing it firsthand.
Ευχαριστώ τον Πρόεδρο της Ουκρανίας @ZelenskyyUa για τη θερμή υποδοχή και τη φιλοξενία σήμερα στην Οδησσό. Η Ελλάδα θα εξακολουθεί να στηρίζει την Ουκρανία στον δίκαιο αγώνα για την προάσπιση της εθνικής της ακεραιότητας. https://t.co/0m6n0O4P8apic.twitter.com/6IfILDJl0k
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) March 6, 2024
“We heard the sound of sirens and explosions that took place near us. We did not have time to get to a shelter. It is a very intense experience,” Mitsotakis said through a translator.
Zelenskyy noted that the explosion resulted in an unknown number of casualties, expressing frustration with the indiscriminate nature of the attacks. Russian officials made no immediate comment on the incident.
Mitsotakis’ unanticipated visit to Ukraine preceded his scheduled trip to Romania for a two-day conference of the European People’s Party.
I remember kicking a football with a chubby kid with an intense gaze and accented English at the back of the stands at South Melbourne Hellas’s Middle Park stadium in the early 70s.
My dad was warming up on the pitch. His dad was in the stands. My dad was the captain Stevie Walker, a Glaswegian, a Ten-Pound (not quite) Pom, drawn to Australia by lack of opportunities at home, football or otherwise, and to the club by a pay-check supplementing his full-time salary.
Mum says the kid was Ange Postecoglou. His dad was drawn to Australia after losing his Athenian business to the Regime of the Colonels, and drawn to South Melbourne Hellas by its inherent Greekness – its name, its colours, its language- a home away from home.
‘Hellas’ has been removed from the name in an effort to de-ethicise Australian football, but the players’ kit remains blue and white, and spoken Greek mixes with the smoke from the souvlaki giros in the air.
Friendships were forged between those who became Australians at Middle Park. Francis Awaritefe is third from right on the back row, Paul Touliatos is second left on the front row. Photo: Paul Touliatos.
Us kids would all kick the ball around in the dusty dirt car park until kick off when we would run through the tunnel under the stand to watch the game. My brother and I, together with Jimmy McKay’s and Jimmy Armstrong’s kids, ran to the seats at the front reserved for the players’ families.
The chubby Greek kid went to sit with his father in the stands. The South Melbourne crowds cheered as the players’ names, mostly of Greek and Scottish origin, were called out. The biggest cheer was for my dad. Hellas won more often than not. They won trophies almost every year back then. But they have been moved on, the stadium having been bulldozed and every March GP Formula One cars fly down the track laid down over where it once stood.
Postecoglou says that as the son of hard-working immigrants, football was the only time he would get to spend with his late father Jim.
“All I remember,” Postecoglou said, “is my father working hard. He’d be gone for work before I ate my breakfast and come home at night, have dinner, sit on the couch and fall asleep and go and do the same thing the next day.
“The only time I ever got to see any joy in my dad was when we went to the football on a Sunday. So that did make an impression on me, because I made a quick connection that football is something that makes him happy… so if I love this like he does, it will get me close to him.” It was time well spent.
Middle Park in its last days. Photo: Paul Touliatos.
Both lovers of the Beautiful Game, Postecoglou said “my motivation is always to produce teams [my] dad would enjoy watching.” He still does and wishes Jim was watching still.
Ange would go on to play for and coach both his adopted club and his adopted country, winning trophies at both, although it could be asked who adopted who. He is proud to be both Australian and Greek, as my father was to be Australian and Scottish.
Postecoglou loves both Association Football and Aussie Rules football. It was not easy for him though. He worked in a bank before he got his first full-time coaching job at Australian underage level, his dread of returning behind the counter spurring him on.
After his contract was not renewed, he coached in the Greek third division before returning to Australia struggling to make ends meet. For a period, he and his wife lived with her mother as he coached an amateur team and ran football clinics in suburban Melbourne. But that is what people like about Ange. He could have gone back to the bank, sought security in a stable job, but like his parents he trusted his instincts outside of his comfort zone.
His path as a manager was not orthodox. South Melbourne, Patras, Brisbane, Melbourne again, Yokohama, Glasgow and now London.
Ange Postecoglou is the only person to have been involved on the field in all four of South Melbourne’s NSL title-winning teams. Photo: South Melbourne FC.
He can spot talent, his first-team squad at Celtic contained five Japanese players, none likely to have been signed by any other coach in a British league, including Scottish Premiership Player of the Year Kyogo Furihashi, and his Tottenham selections have been superb.
Ange’s success is our success, for the club, for the country, for anyone who steps out of their comfort zone and makes a go of it.
Ange Postecoglou with his Australia Under-20 squad in 2001 Photo: Allsport Robert Cianflone.
I have not had Ange’s footballing successes, but like him I have lived around the world and cheered on clubs such as Urawa Reds, Partick Thistle, Southampton and RCD Espanyol – a typical Aussie, always cheering on the underdog. But for both Postecoglou and I, South Melbourne Hellas is where it began.
During the first pandemic summer of 2020, I couldn’t get back to Australia and was stuck in Europe. Able to travel amongst some border restrictions I took a ferry from Barcelona to Civitavecchia near Rome and rode my Suzuki through vacant Italy and Greece.
I had learnt plenty of Greek words from the other boys in those South Melbourne days, and forty-five years later, before I even set foot in Greece, I laughed when I heard the truck drivers use the same words amongst themselves, some naughty, some nice, through their facemasks on the empty ferry from Brindisi to Patras.
Ange Postecoglou – 2024 Manager of the Year.
Three weeks in tourist free Greece brought back memories of my childhood weekends largely spent at South Melbourne Hellas (or “Hellas Melbourne” as it is known over there).
Smells, music, faces and language from a time before there was a national Australian league and Victoria was considered the football powerhouse. Memories of my parents coming home late and telling us about dinners with Pele and George Best. Memories of long-lost Stevie Walker articles clipped from the Soccer Action newspaper, memories of my dad listening to the radio in the kitchen to get the Scottish football results.
It did seem as though Partick Thistle always lost. Memories of going to more Greek Orthodox weddings and baptisms than any other ones. In the post-game dinners, I tried grilled squid before I tried kangaroo steak. I enjoyed a cheeky sip of ouzo before my first beer.
Stevie was my step-father and he and my mother divorced many years ago. I did not know him well man-to-man, but back when every second taxi driver was Greek, they all knew him. He died twenty years ago, ironically going into hospital the day before Greece won the UEFA Euro Cup 2004 and lasted six weeks later until the day after the Athens Olympics closing ceremony. I don’t remember much of either.
He gave me and my brothers a love of football, Scotland and Hellas. He never got to Greece, but he would have loved it, as the Greeks in Melbourne loved their Πάτερ Γεώργιος – Papa Yiorgo – Father George.
But he was my childhood hero, as Postecoglou’s father was to him, and during that sad, blazing, empty summer, alone on a terrace in the shade of an olive tree, I had some Alfa beer and ouzo to all our memories.
The catchcry for this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) is “Inspire Inclusion,” a sentiment perfectly embodied by Emily Dimitriadis.
Juggling multiple roles as a pharmacist, lawyer and currently suspended Darebin City councillor, Emily’s story is one of resilience and advocacy.
In addition to her professional pursuits, she embraces her roles as a mother to a toddler and a baby, all while proudly identifying as an Australian of Greek and North Macedonian descent – two sides politically at odds. As if that weren’t enough to juggle, she also actively engages in community initiatives, such as hosting an International Women’s Day event at Fairfield Bowling Club on Saturday, March 9 at 2pm.
Emily Dimitriadis (second from right) and her husband (left) at Zach”s Christening.
For this event, she teams up with former health minister Jenny Mikakos and women’s rights activist Maria Dimopoulos, along with other migrant women: Former Muslim child bride-turned-activist/restaurateur Hana Assafiri OAM, Afghan soccer player Mursal Sadat and Dr Judy Tang, an advocate of multiculturalism and the LGBTQ community. Through meaningful conversations and shared experiences, Emily hopes to challenge existing norms and amplify women’s voices.
Emily’s voice may be soft, mellifluous and with a rising inflection, but she doesn’t shy when it comes to speaking up for what she believes. (Hence a suspension).
“I would like to see more migrant and refugee women genuinely present and engaged in different political and public domains,” she tells The Greek Herald.
“Because when migrant and refugee women are involved and their voices truly heard, they change the face of gender and intersectional equality. They alter assumptions, expand horizons, and push boundaries.”
Emily believes we should address issues head-on rather than sweep problems under the carpet. She points to many examples where women are overlooked, including the recent figures of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s report on the gender pay gap. The data highlighted the ongoing challenge of gender pay disparity in Australian workplaces.
Emily says, “It’s worse for migrant women who don’t have a voice. They aren’t included in societal issues. We need to shed light issues that affect them.”
Bicultural upbringing:
Emily’s journey and interest in helping marginalised communities is deeply rooted in her bicultural upbringing.
“My parents didn’t have the opportunities I had, and school wasn’t the nicest place for them. They couldn’t afford to play sport like I was able to,” she says.
Emily with family when she was little.
Emily and her pappou.
“They had to go to work early, and my mother didn’t finish Year 12 either, and this meant I was the first person to go to university from our family.”
Seeing her own parents’ struggles as they navigated the system made her want to help. But being brought up in a family where she could experience harmony in the home despite being raised in two cultures politically at odds also helped give Emily greater insight into what can be achieved through empathy and understanding.
Her parents, stay-at-home mum Helen and builder Dimitri, came with their families for a better life in Australia.
Emily, her siblings and parents.
Emily and her siblings.
“My parents were both born in Florina but met and fell in love in Australia. They eloped because there was tension in the family – not necessarily because he was Greek, but mainly because he was a little bit older than my mother,” Emily says. “That didn’t go down well on mum’s side, especially with her father.”
By the time Emily, the eldest, was born, any objections to the marriage had faded and normalcy set in with Emily and her siblings happily embracing both sides of her heritage.
“It wasn’t hard to do because many of the customs and traditions are similar,” she says, adding that it was beneficial to be exposed to all traditions.
“We absorbed and enjoyed traditions from both sides of the family. Above all, we were taught to be good people.”
Macedonian was initially spoken with her mother, but she also went to Greek school and couldn’t speak any English when she got to school. Now fluent in all three languages, she remembers acing Greek in Year 12.
Her memories are so positive that she sends her daughter, Cleo, to Greek school every Sunday, and even her Irish husband is learning to speak Greek.
“The more languages you know, the better it is to help people. Knowing additional languages has helped me immensely when working in the emergency wards of hospitals where I can communicate with both Greek and (North) Macedonian visitors. It’s a big benefit, and I’ve never had any issues,” Emily says, adding that at school she had friends from both cultures.
“I’ve always enjoyed learning and being challenged. When I started pharmacy, I saw many people who couldn’t speak English and found it hard to navigate the system. I found that some of them weren’t treated fairly and I felt a law degree would help me assist them.”
Running for Council was just the next step.
“I thought it would be easier to help more people in the community,” she said.
Emily makes it look easy, but it isn’t.
Emily graduating.
“Studying for a Law degree when my mother passed away was not easy. Nor was it easy giving birth and being in Council at the same time,” she says, admitting that it takes a lot of organisation and support to juggle but it is worth it.
For Emily there is huge satisfaction in helping people. This applies to helping cast recognition on the Greek community’s contribution to the region through the naming of Kalamata Square or helping a person of any racial background navigate the system to better understand their rights.
“I just want to keep doing this, but it isn’t easy juggling all my roles,” she says.
Panayiota ‘Peta’ Antypas has been awarded a $12,500 Medical Student Research Scholarship by the Clifford Craig Foundation as part of its commitment to health education.
The scholarships are designed to provide fourth-year medical students with the financial support they need to conduct a selected independent research project at the Launceston Clinical School and Launceston General Hospital.
After a competitive selection process, Antypas was announced as a recipient for 2024-25, alongside Josephine Read, who are both studying a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with the University of Tasmania.
