The European Commission formally launched “EUNAVFOR ASPIDES” on Tuesday, a European military operation for maritime security and freedom of navigation in the midst of the Red Sea crisis.
This operation will help to improve maritime security in major sea routes including the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf.
Today #EUMC was briefed by Commodore Vasileios Gryparis 🇬🇷 who is the Operation Commander for the #EU CSDP Operation “EUNAVFOR ASPIDES” in the Red Sea. He & his team demonstrated under enormous time pressure a commendable ability & commitment to deliver critical planning products pic.twitter.com/UlEpCmQs98
— Chairman of the EU Military Committee (@ChairmanEUMC) February 13, 2024
According to amna.gr, Greek Commander in Chief, Vassilios Gryparis will lead the operation, with the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES Operational Headquarters based in Larissa.
Under the regulatory framework, EUNAVFOR ASPIDES will cooperate closely with EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, an EU military operation formed in 2008 to help to maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.
EUNAVFOR ASPIDES’ original mission will be 12 months from the date of its inception, with the option of being reviewed before the end of its validity term.
For those who love giving gifts and expressing yourselves and your feelings in the form of red rose bouquets, boxes of chocolates, cringey romantic cards, love letters and expensive dinner dates – this one’s for you.
The international day of love (Valentine’s Day) has come around again. Held on February 14 every year, the holiday that celebrates love has quite the unique history.
It dates back to the 1300s, when the Roman Pope, Galasius, officially declared February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.
Let us run through you through some of the history behind it all.
The legend of Saint Valentine
Valentine’s Day ties both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. In the Catholic church, there were at least three different saints named Valentine (or Valentinus) and all of which were martyred.
It was believed that one of the saints, Valentine, was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.
During his time serving, Emperor Claudius II believed unmarried men were better soldiers, so he decided to ban marriage for young men. As Saint Valentine disagreed with this law and thought it was unfair, he secretly continued conducting marriages for young couples.
After the Emperor found out, he ordered Saint Valentine’s death.
Another legend follows the story of a different priest, also a Saint Valentine, who was jailed and while being locked up, he fell in love with a young girl who began visiting him as he served his time. Allegedly, she was the prison warden’s daughter.
Before Saint Valentine died, he was believed to have written the girl a letter, signing it off as “from your Valentine,” which is an expression widely known and associated with the international holiday today.
Ancient Greece and Valentine’s Day
Did you know, Valentine’s Day also has ancient Greek ties?
Remember Cupid, the little naked cherub that holds a bow and arrow? He’s often portrayed on those Valentine’s Day cards that supermarkets start selling two months before the actual holiday.
In Roman mythology, Cupid was known as the son of Venus, the goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war.
Despite his Roman origin, Cupid also had roots in Greek mythology, and was believed to be the Greek God of love and desire, Eros.
According to the ancient Greek poets, Eros was a handsome immortal who played with the emotions of Gods and men. He was most known for launching arrows to make people fall in love. A barbed golden-tip bow was used to make people fall in love, and a silver-tip bow was launched to make people fall out of love and even hate a person.
Cupid later became a major symbol associated with Valentine’s Day.
Although there are many different myths and legends associated with the holiday, Valentine’s Day remains a special day every year to show the people around you how much you love them, to spoil them and to treat them with all the love, happiness, and appreciation they deserve.
Much-loved Father Nicholas Bozikis from Sydney has passed away at the age of 79.
Father Nicholas was born in 1944 on the Greek island of Zakynthos. He received his Orthodox education at the Ecclesiastical School of the Holy Monastery of Saint Anastasia the Pharmacolytria in Vasilika, Thessaloniki.
Emigrating to Australia in 1964, he initially settled in Melbourne before relocating to Sydney in 1970 at the invitation of late Archbishop Ezekiel of Australia. There, he was ordained to the priesthood and served within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney for more than 50 years.
For 18 years, Father Nicholas served at the Parish – Community of the Holy Cross in Wollongong before returning to Sydney in 1988.
Father Nicholas was a parish priest at St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Kingsford from 1989 to 1994. He also served at St Stephanos in Hurlstone Park until 2011.
Despite health challenges in 2011, he eagerly resumed his priestly duties and served for an additional six and a half years in various parishes in NSW.
In recognition of his dedication to Greek Orthodoxy, Father Nicholas was honoured with the Offikion of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 2021.
Father Nicholas is survived by his Presbytera, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Father Nicholas’ funeral service will take place on Wednesday, 21 February 2024 at 10 am at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Marrickville, Sydney. The burial will take place at Rookwood Cemetery.
Have you ever met a person and instantly clicked, only to find they live on the other side of the world?
Newlywed couple Anastasia and Dimitri Markakis know all about long-distance love, the joys, excitement, sacrifices, struggles, and making it work after 10 years together.
The couple’s story began in September 2013 when Anastasia left Athens, Greece to study in Australia.
Dimitri’s grandmother suggested he take Anastasia out, as she worked with Anastasia’s theia, and this led to their first date at Max Brenner.
“I remember my yiayia was like ‘you’re single, take her out, why not? You never know, something might happen’,” Dimitri tells The Greek Herald.
“I ended up agreeing and asked her to go out for a coffee – we went to Max Brenner for hot chocolates and hung out for hours.”
Anastasia had the intention to study in Australia, but she was on a tourist visa.
“In order to get my student visa, I had to start studying, this meant I had to have an advanced level of English,” she says.
“It was suggested I stay six months in Australia, but my theia suggested ‘do it for a year to just make sure that you know your English well enough to be able to go to uni and understand everything’.”
The 29-year-old ended up enrolling in a 9-month course at Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), which cost her $10,000. Anastasia found it challenging to pay her fees upfront as she was an international student, but was offered a payment plan for the first six months. She then switched to a nursing course for 18 months.
“I was told if I did a diploma of nursing, I would find work straight away, which would help me pay my expenses,” Anastasia says.
A year later, in July 2014, Anastasia told Dimitri she would return to Greece. She said Canberra wasn’t the place for her as she didn’t have friends, was away from her family and all she did was work and study.
“Dimitri then said, ‘I really like you and I think this will work between us’ – that we should give it a go basically,” Anastasia says.
On her return to Greece, the couple would call each other every day for two-months straight.
“It was a little bit difficult due to our time difference and routines, but we made it work,” Dimitri explains. “I then thought, a good way to keep her here and not forget about me was to make us ‘Facebook official’.”
This didn’t make it any easier for Anastasia to tell her family she was moving to Australia for good.
“When I got home, I tried to tell my dad I wanted to go back for study, but he wasn’t happy,” Anastasia says.
“I told my mum I’d go regardless. I said, ‘it’s either Dimitri pays for my ticket, or you help me’… my mum ended up giving me the money and we told my dad that Dimitri paid.
“When it was time to leave, my dad didn’t come to the airport.”
When Anastasia returned to Australia, Dimitri’s dad called her family to explain where she would stay.
“My dad had called Ana’s family to say, ‘she’s going to stay with the yiayia, we’re good people and we will look after her’,” Dimitri says.
“Six months later, we got our own place, and when Ana told her dad… he didn’t talk to her for almost eight months.”
Eventually, Anastasia’s dad had a change of heart.
“It was really difficult being only 19 with so many changes happening at once,” Anastasia says.
“I was really lucky because when my dad came around, my parents supported me financially as they saw I was happy.”
In 2018, after four years together, Anastasia and Dimitri booked a trip to Greece.
“It had been a while since Ana had seen her family, so we decided to take a trip so that I could show her things were progressing with us and I wasn’t wasting time,” Dimitri said.
“Little did she know, I planned on proposing to her. Ana’s sister, Liza, ended up helping me. She took me to see Ana’s dad who was in hospital at the time so I could ask for his blessing.”
The couple got engaged on the Greek island of Zakynthos in July 2018.
After many years, and thousands of dollars in visas and student loans, Anastasia finally became an Australian citizen in October 2020. Their sons, Alex and Ares, were also born during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The newlywed couple planned to tie the knot in Greece in 2020, but COVID-19 forced them to postpone. They officially got married on 16 September 2023 in Canberra.
Although their 10-year journey together wasn’t easy, the couple wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The best advice I can give is always give 100%. You both need to be on the same page and have good, clear communication,” Dimitri says.
“Being able to adapt and have resilience is also important,” Anastasia concludes.
Some members of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) have put forward a motion asking the Board of Directors to name a specific level of the Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street in honour of former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou.
According to the motion:
a. in 1994, during the prime ministership of Andreas Papandreou, the GOCMV was provided by the Greek State a grant of $4,750,000 AUD for the repayment of its loan debt to the National Australia Bank, which could not be serviced by the Community which at that time was in receivership.
The Greek Community of Melbourne could name a specific level of the Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street in honour of former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou.
b. in 2003, during the prime ministership of Costas Simitis, the GOCMV was granted a further $2,680,000 AUD to serve the needs of the necessary expansion of Alphington Grammar School.
The members want to rename a level of the Greek Centre in honour of Papandreou to recognise his contributions towards the GCM when he was Prime Minister.
The motion has been moved by GCM member Kostas Karamarkos and seconded by Michalis S. Michael. It will be discussed at the GCM’s upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, February 18.
Property valuer John Katsis was having coffee with a friend one day when he reminisced over the early days of migration. Driven by the memory of a community where language and solidarity fuelled mutual support, Katsis co-founded the Hellenic Networking Association Inc (HNAI). This fledgling group, with just 15 members, taps into a timeless tradition: Greeks helping Greeks.
Lawyer Paul Antippa welcomes new members. Photo: Supplied.Its not all shop talk as bonds are forged over social networking.PhotoL Supplied.
At their recent Chadstone function at Citifields, the experience resonated deeply. Memories flooded back of my Sydney childhood where Dr Giallousis was our family GP, Harry Mavrolefterou handled our finances, Voula Sourlangos styled our hair, and the Andreou family from next door built our home. These were just the first of denizens of Greek Australian tradies, butchers and other professions that catered to my family’s needs growing up.
The HNAI is taking a slow and steady approach to bringing back that sense of community, carefully curating its membership to prevent any one profession from dominating. Members are also cherry-picked for their good character.
Harry Pavlou from The Block is eager to build connections. Photo: Supplied.
“We also actively encourage women to join… and we prioritise them in professions where we have reached our quota,” lawyer Peter Antippa says.
New member Dr Kathryn Theodosis, a chiropracter from Oakleigh, found herself drawn to the group after networking with Katsis on LinkedIn.
Dr Kathryn Theodosis is excited to be part of the HNAI. Photo: Supplied.
“Connecting with other Hellenic business owners and professionals across different fields is invaluable,” she says. “While traditional meeting points like churches once served this purpose, their influence has waned.”
Psychologist Kathryn Astrinakis bookkeeper Effie Frangopoulos chiropracter Dr Kathryn Theodosis and HNAI treasurera Lee-Mitropoulos who is also an accountant. Photo: Supplied.
Building trust is paramount, with the goal of serving the network’s collective interests.
Katsis shares a recent example: “My insurance renewal wasn’t ideal, so I reached out to a network broker and secured a better deal.”
Relaxing moments on the terrace. Photo: Supplied. Social Selling Warrior- Con Sotidis chats with optometrist Leonidas Vlahakis. Photo: Supplied.
These “little things” happen frequently within this grassroots group, contrasting it with larger, corporate-focused national business chambers.
Con Sotidis, social selling warrior (social media/marketing), highlights the geographically diverse yet tightly knit nature of the network, united by their shared Greek heritage and community spirit.
There’s always something new to learn as professions get together. Photo: Supplied.
HNAI Treasurer Lee Mitropoulos and John Katsis who thought of the network over coffee with a friend. Photo: Supplied.
“The HNAI is more than just a business network; it’s a revival of a cherished tradition, weaving a new tapestry of support and opportunity for the next generation of Hellenic professionals,” he says.
Twin YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou took out eight gongs at this year’s 2024 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards.
According to The Australian, the brothers’ horror film ‘Talk To Me‘ won awards for best film and best director, and Sophie Wilde beat out Cate Blanchett for the best lead actress trophy.
After debuting internationally at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, ‘Talk to Me,’ which was made on a $7 million budget in 2022, caught the eye of the cool kid distributor A24 and was picked for a “high seven figures” sum.
The film then raked in more than $140 million worldwide.
This success not only claimed the spot as A24’s top-grossing horror film, but also secured its rank as the second-highest-grossing film in the studio’s history.
On Friday, February 9, Oakleigh Grammar in Victoria inducted its 2024 school leaders from the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.
Attended by students, staff, parents and the Board, the assembly opened with an Acknowledgement of Country and the National Anthems of both Australia and Greece.
Photo: Supplied.
Father Stavros conducted an Opening Prayer and Bible reading before Principal Mark Robertson took to the stage to welcome those in attendance. He spoke of the important role our School leaders’ will play in inspiring students to make a positive impact on their peers, their teachers, their community and their environment.
Photo: Supplied.
Students were formally presented with 15 Senior School students, 13 Middle School and 14 Junior School students accepting their badges from Mr Robertson.
Photo: Supplied.
The following students were appointed to leadership roles:
Senior School Leaders
School Captains: Sotiris Bakalis, Jessica Peraic
Vice Captains: Victoria Khatchmanian, George Zikas
Life and Culture: Georgia Christofi, Ruby Dewar-German
Student Wellbeing: Daniel Carmody, Zoe Karkanis, Jordan Keramidas
Bradman House Captains: Vasileios (Bill) Delichristos, Rahnia Siachos
Fraser House Captains: Arietta Apostolopoulos, Ella Whyte
Rose House Captains: Joanna Tsoulakos, Eleftheria (Ellie) Tziotzis
Photo: Supplied.
2024 Middle School Leaders
Middle School Captains: John Aivaliotis, Constantina (Connie) Lekkas
Middle School Life and Culture Leaders: Eliyah Mawal, Vasia Kosmas
Student Wellbeing Leader: Olivia Frank
Social Justice Leaders: Mary Khatchmanian, Irene Koutsovasilis
Bradman House Captains: Santosh Upadhyaya, Issam Alaeddine
Fraser House Captains: Ilya Umarov, Elly Alexopoulos
Rose House Captains: Eleftherios Makarios, Ellie Woodhams
Photo: Supplied.
2024 Junior School Leaders
Junior School Captains: Athina Giannou, Alexander Rasin
Junior School Vice Captains: Olympia Milonas, Thomas Jolley
In just 11 days, the festival will unveil 90 pop-up stalls, an array of delectable Greek food vendors, exhilarating competitions, thrilling rides, and three stages showcasing the talents of over 700 performers.
Over 700 performers are expected at this year’s festival. Photo: Constantly Flashing.
The festival’s stages include the Main Stage, the A&A Holdings Stage, and the #LoveLonsdale Stage, each offering a unique lineup of performances to delight attendees.
They will range from traditional to contemporary dancing. Photo: Constantly Flashing.
From traditional dances to contemporary beats, the Antipodes Festival promises a feast for the senses that has become a cherished cornerstone of Melbourne’s cultural calendar.
This event invites all Greeks and philhellenes to come along. Photo: Constantly Flashing.
Central to the success of the Antipodes Festival are its valued partners and sponsors, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in bringing this spectacular event to life.
From presenting sponsors to Festival partners, media sponsors, and beyond, the Greek Community of Melbourne is truly grateful for the continued support.
It’s set to be an unforgettable weekend. Photo: Constantly Flashing.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements as people gear up for an unforgettable weekend of festivities at the 2024 Antipodes Festival!
CEO of the state-owned workers’ compensation insurer, icare, Richard Harding, earned $1,053,000 in 2022-23 and was the highest-paid person in the NSW bureaucracy.
John Hatzistergos. Photo: Renee Nowytarger.
The Minns government passed legislation in 2023 to freeze pay for the top executives for two years, but it is now under pressure to deliver on a key election pledge to cut the number of public sector senior executives by 15 per cent.
A spokesman for the NSW Government said agencies are “currently in the process of implementing this policy.”
The plan to freeze pay and reduce executive numbers was predicted to save $745 million over four years.
