The Greek government characterised Erdogan’s statements as “detrimental” and cautioned that they could hinder the ongoing efforts to foster improved relations between the two nations, according to Ekathimerini.
The ministry remarked, “Uttering antagonistic declarations proves to be detrimental and does not contribute to nurturing a climate of tranquility, collaboration, and discourse, which both Greece and Turkey are striving to establish in their interactions.”
Erdogan’s remarks were delivered on what Turkey refers to as “Victory Day,” a date commemorating Turkey’s triumph in the final battle of the Greco-Turkish War.
He recounted, “The Turkish military systematically dismantled the enemy’s defenses, inflicting substantial losses upon the Greek occupation forces and effectively paving the way to Izmir through the Commander-in-Chief’s strategic maneuvers on August 30.”
Erdogan went on to add, “A mere fortnight following the commencement of the Grand Offensive, the Turkish flag proudly fluttered in the Izmir skies, a city that had endured devastation as a result of the retreating adversary.”
Greece’s response highlights its concerns over the tone and content of Erdogan’s commentary, which it perceives as potentially impeding the establishment of a more cooperative and amicable relationship between the two nations.
Fragmented stone statues once standing on a bustling ancient settlement have been found on the coast of Despotiko island.
With previous excavations from 2001 uncovering ruins dating back to the Iron Age to the eighth century A.D, these most recent excavations have revealed several new walls and parts of a statue.
A photo taken from the archaeological site depicts the 2,480-year-old statue as a male figure who is standing upright, with his upper body and torso intact and his lower legs, arms and face missing.
One of the Kouros statues found recently on site. Photo: Greek Ministry of Culture and Sport
According to archaeologists, the statue, known as a Kouros, was probably on display at an entranceway and was once used as a tombstone, monument or as a representation of the god Apollo.
Further excavations to the site have also unearthed a four-room building with pottery dating from the fifth or sixth century B.C.
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles, announced a $15 million investment over two years for community language schools on Wednesday, August 30.
The Community Language Schools grant program aims to support students seeking to learn a language other than English.
“Languages help connect Australians to each other, and to the world. The Albanese Labor Government is committed to strengthening our social connections and facilitating the exchange of cultures by making it easier to learn a second language.” Mr Giles said.
Grants of up to $30,000 over two years will be available to eligible community language schools, enabling them to expand classes to pre-school aged children, purchase new resources, build quality learning environments, cover costs such as rent or teacher training, or provide fee-relief for disadvantaged students.
Community language schools play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage and fostering a bond between young learners and the languages spoken by their parents or grandparents. With a history dating back to 1857, there are now more than 700 language schools operating across Australia, teaching over 100,000 students in over 85 languages.
“The younger someone starts learning another language, the easier it will be for them to pick it up, so we’ve included funding to support classes for pre-school aged children. It’s an investment in their future, in Australia’s future as a proudly multicultural society.” the Minister added.
From Friday, September 1, further information about the program, and an easy-to-complete application form will go live on GrantConnect, the Government’s grant information system, www.grants.gov.au.
Applications for the Community Language Schools Grant will be open from Friday, September 1 to Monday, October 9.
The Greek Herald reports on an iconic service that has been operating and delivering meals to the community for more than 65 years in Australia.
By Martina Simos
The original concept of social support for the community was simple – to keep the elderly in their homes while providing them with a nutritious meal.
The idea of food delivery might have originated in England but it wasn’t long before Meals on Wheels began operating in Australia – with the concept of delivering meals spreading out to all the states.
History of Meals on Wheels:
There is conflicting information on the internet about the Australian origins of Meals on Wheels.
One internet site reports that Mrs E. Watts delivered the first meal in South Melbourne in 1953 on her tricycle. According to the report, she delivered soup, roast lamb and plum pudding. (The estimated cost in today’s currency is 13 cents).
One source says that Mrs E. Watts delivered the first meal in South Melbourne in 1953.
Initially the idea stemmed from England in the United Kingdom where the Women’s Volunteer service founded Meals on Wheels to provide food for the elderly who wanted to remain in their home.
Did it all start in South Australia?
Doris Taylor MBE had organised many relief efforts during the Great Depression and was instrumental in lobbying for a Meals on Wheels service in South Australia.
It was her inspiration behind the first Meals on Wheels kitchen operating out of Port Adelaide in 1954.
The late Donald Dunstan MP, who would later become the Premier of South Australia, was its first President.
Meals on Wheels Delivery, Cremorne 1965 in Australian Women’s Weekly.
In 1957, the first 150 meals were cooked in the Sydney Town Hall kitchen for inner-city dwellers and each meal cost two shillings. It was the Sydney City Council that was behind the idea of charging a small fee to be able to provide quality meals and to remove the stigma of charity.
A South Australian resident explains why she volunteers:
More than 50 million meals have been delivered to South Australians since 1954, with the help of its 6000 volunteers across the state.
Meals on Wheels kitchen coordinator, 65-year-old Frida (For Greek: Φρειδερικη)volunteers at her local branch for four hours a day, four days a week, but also plans the delivery round for the fifth day.
The mother of two adult sons Chris and Nick and grandmother to Max and Theo, hails from Kavala in Greece. She came to Australia aged 10 and her family lived in Melbourne but after she married, the opal town of Coober Pedy in South Australia became her home and later she moved to Adelaide so her sons could attend university.
Meals on Wheels kitchen coordinator, 65-year-old Frida (For Greek: Φρειδερικη)volunteers at her local branch.
Frida wanted to find a volunteer placement so she chose to help out at Meals on Wheels.
“My interest with Meals on Wheels started from Melbourne where my parents lived,’’ she said.
“My mother became ill when I was living in Greece at the time, so I arranged to have Meals On Wheels for my parents for a year until I returned back to take care of them.”
Her role as the kitchen coordinator involves doing the round sheets every day for the seven delivery rounds and sorting out meals for special needs clients who have different food requirements such as vegetarian, light bland, soft, minced and moist food.
Over 50 million meals have been delivered to South Australians since 1954, with the help of its 6000 volunteers across the state.
Frida says the Campbelltown branch is not a cook kitchen and all meals are delivered from the Hilton branch, but soups and meals are heated ready for delivery. While Greek meals are not on the menu, vegetarian moussaka that is made using lentils instead of mince is available for clients.
“In the Campbelltown area we deliver to very few Greek clients as the predominant nationality around the area is Italian,” she said.
“The Campbelltown branch is very close to my place of residence and I enjoy working with the other volunteers there.”
Frida’s working life came to stop due to knee problems and with adult sons, she found she had time on her hands to help others in the community.
“Volunteering provides me with a sense of purpose to help others that are in need,” she said.
“We hear so many disheartening stories about people nowadays and volunteering presents me with a way of doing something to make the world a better place.
“It gives me satisfaction that I have done a good deed for the community. I take pride in preparing a hot meal for our deliverers to deliver to someone who is frail, needy and alone at home waiting for a meal.
“I can imagine these people feeling thankful not only for the hot meal but also seeing someone and having a conversation.
“This thought alone brings a smile to my face and I think of my parents who were at one stage needy and Meals on Wheels provided for them and now I provide for others.”
Frida’s grandson helping her prepare meals.
Volunteering at Meals on Wheels:
There are different ways people can help out such as: assisting in preparing meals, delivering the meals to customers in their homes, administration tasks and social programs.
A spokesperson for Meals on Wheels (SA) Incorporated said their volunteers have ‘a fantastic mix of cultures, religions and perspectives.
“It is wonderful to see how everyone can get together and contribute in their own way,” Rhiannon Dyrynda, Meals on Wheels’ Workforce Administrator, said.
Sculpture commemorates 50 years of community service by the Meals on Wheels organisation in South Australia.
“Our volunteers don’t need a specific skill set – if you can peel a potato, wash dishes, do a bit of work on the computer, help out with our social programs or assist with deliveries, we could do with you. If not, we can teach you!
“Our volunteers often tell us how they gain great pleasure from the knowledge that they are helping people in their community. They can learn skills and gain friendships along the way.
“We are always looking for volunteers, both in metropolitan Adelaide and in country areas.”
Meals on Wheels Australia is the peak national body and every State and Territory is represented by their own peak body. To find out more about becoming a Meals on Wheels customer or volunteer at your local service, get in touch with the relevant State and Territory peak body below:
The President of the Governing Prefectural Committee of New Democracy of Australia, Thanasis Tsouhandaris, held several important meetings, during his recent visit to Greece.
Specifically, he visited Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis; Minister of Labor and Social Security, Adonis Georgiadis; Minister of Interior, Niki Kerameos; Government Spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis; New Democracy organizational secretary, Stelios Kontadakis and the head of the Prime Minister’s political office Saki Kypraiou. To these meetings, Mr Tsouhandaris was accompanied by Giannis Kallimanis, chairman of the Prefectural New Democracy of Sydney.
Speaking to The Greek Herald, Mr. Tsouhandaris referred to the purpose of his meetings, stating that they were “absolutely constructive and held high importance”.
Of course, the topic of the vote of expatriate Greeks was not missing from the context of the discussions, an issue that he discussed with the Minister of the Interior, Ms Kerameos, who firmly stated that this is “a national issue that transcends all parties”.
Thanasis Tsouhandaris with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Mr. Tsouhandaris referred to the issue by emphasizing “Recently, in Parliament there was a historically important consensus on the vote of Greeks abroad, which will give in the next elections, the right to thousands of Greeks to exercise their right to vote and not just to a few dozen. I wanted to personally thank both Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Ministers for their stance on the matter. In this way, Greek immigrants and Greek expatriates feel that they are given the right to vote wherever they are – in any part of the world, even in our distant Australia”.
“The Prime Minister showed me once again that the expatriate is very important to him and we even discussed the possibility of his visit to Australia. Moreover, relations between Greece and Australia are excellent. This was proven in the recent visit of the Governor of Australia, David Harley to Greece in April. Of course, it will be a huge honour for us to see the Greek Prime Minister in Australia in the coming months.”
During his meetings, Mr Tsouhandaris emphasised the important contributions of the Greek community in Australian society and the ties that have remained strong between the two countries through “hard work and a solid emphasis on culture.”
“Prime Minister Mitsotakis, myself personally and my colleagues will work together to elevate this relationship. We aim to give Greek Australians everything they need to continue the vital work of our community.”
For 65 years, Meals on Wheels has served the elderly around Australia with the delivery of hot meals.
A recent report reviewed the effectiveness of Meals on Wheels Australia (MoWA) and a projection of focus for the future.
Life expectancy is projected to double by 2057, so will two main issues in ageing – social isolation and loss of independence.
With this in mind, MoWA engaged Huber Social to measure the social impact of their service for its customers and volunteers and to understand the broader benefits of the MoWA model beyond nutrition.
Obtain evidence that MoWA has real impact beyond basic meal delivery;
and a better understanding of the key drivers of success to ensure the service is as effective as possible and resources are focused to have the most impact.
“There are clear social and economic gains for the way the elderly are supported in Australia, if services such as MoWA are able to assist people to live independently in their homes for longer,” the report said.
Meals on Wheels Australia has operated for 65 years. Photo: MoWA.
Key findings:
For customers
The majority of MoWA customers have less than one meaningful social connection a day. Only 20 per cent of MoWA customers report having one or more meaningful social connections a day.
Connection is key – of all factors relating to MoWA service that were examined, how well customers know their volunteers had the strongest relationship with wellbeing. Knowing your volunteer better was associated with higher wellbeing.
Connected customers have the most improved outcomes – of the 36 factors measured, when compared to customers who do not know their volunteer at all, customers who know their volunteers a little, somewhat, and very well were found to have significant positive improvements in 42 per cent, 72 per cent, and 83 per cent of factors measured, respectively.
Length of visit matters, but frequency does not – visits of two minutes or more were associated with higher wellbeing, while the number of visits per week was not found to have a significant relationship with outcomes
Customers living alone know their volunteers better and receive greater benefit from the service – those living alone saw greater improvements across key outcomes than others.
For volunteers
MoWA volunteers have higher wellbeing than other Australians – when compared with a sample of comparable Australians, MoWA volunteers were found to have 10 per cent higher wellbeing. When compared to volunteers of a similar age group and volunteer time commitment in a different organisation, MoWA volunteers still report having four per cent higher overall wellbeing.
Volunteering with MoWA builds a sense of belonging – long term MoWA volunteers reported significantly higher scores across factors related to their sense of belonging.
Photo: MoWA.
The report also outlined future opportunities as an area of focus – the importance of the relationship between customers and volunteers.
“While this factor was found to have the strongest relationship with overall wellbeing and program outcomes, it was also an area with clear room for improvement, with 43.1 per cent of customers reporting they didn’t know their volunteers very well at all,” the report said.
“This represents the biggest opportunity for MoWA to increase the wellbeing of their customers and maximise their impact.”
Note: Report measurements were conducted with services from New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia over a month period. The results in the report are based on analysis of 1,462 responses from customers and 1,255 from volunteers.
A donation of €50 thousand, offered by the Australian Hellenic Medical Charity and the Cyprus Community of South Australia, was officially announced on Tuesday, August 29, at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The donation was offered for equipment and to assist in meeting the needs of the paediatric clinic of Makarios Hospital.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Popi Kanari, in the presence of the Deputy Government Representative, Doxa Komodromou; and President of the Cyprus Community of SA, Dr. Andreas Evdokiou.
Minister of Health, Popi Kanari, Deputy Government Representative, Doxa Komodromou and President of the Cyprus Community of SA, Dr. Andreas Evdokiou.Dr. Andreas Evdokiou.
“On behalf of the President of the Republic and the State, we express a big thank you for the donation, because it shows that the Australian community and all expatriates are supportive of our every action in Cyprus and that their little homeland is always in their heart and soul and they show it in many ways”. Ms Kanari said in her statement.
She added that “the bridging of this cooperation was strengthened through the Deputy Government Representative, who recently visited Australia,” referring to Ms Komodromou.
Ms Kanari thanked Dr. Evdokiou, adding that with the new equipment “we will add even more quality for the children, (who are) the future of our country”. She also expressed the hope that this cooperation will continue in the scientific field, due to the fact that Dr. Evdokiou himself is an oncologist who deals mainly with breast cancer issues, noting that the excellent Cypriot doctors here could also collaborate with an Australian research university.
Minister of Health, Popi Kanari, Deputy Government Representative, Doxa Komodromou.
“We have provided support through our mammography program. This area has been upgraded, equipment is expanding the age limit for mammography for all women and a partnership will further bridge our relationships that stem from the appreciation and deep roots that exist in the souls of expatriates. And we, for our part, feel that our support for them is for a part of us that stems from our history and our roots,” Ms. Kanari said.
For his part, Dr. Evdokiou expressed his joy “for the opportunity for expatriate Greeks and Cypriots of Adelaide to contribute to hospitals that really need our help. The Organisation was founded by renowned people of Cypriot and Greek origin who, having a strong Greekness, want to promote it. I am proud of our Community which also stands by to this charitable organisation”.
Finally, for her part, Ms Komodromou said that “this initiative from Adelaide and our expatriates is appreciated and honoured. Dr. Evdokiou had this idea, which opens a window of friendly cooperation and which is an example to be imitated”.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to host Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, for a work dinner at Maximos Mansion in Athens this evening.
According to Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, the dinner meeting will focus on “bilateral and regional issues as well as topics of the European agenda”.
The issue of migration will also be on the agenda between the Prime Ministers of Greece and Italy. The countries face a large flow of migration numbers, arriving from North Africa in the case of Italy and from Turkey for Greece.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni August 31.
Prior to the meeting with the Italian Prime Minister tonight, Mitsotakis will address the wildfires in Greece in Parliament this morning, his office have said, according to amna.gr.
A government statement said, in an address to Parliament today, Mitsotakis will speak of measures to support those affected by the fires and of actions to manage the repercussions of the climate crisis.
Giorgos Iliopoulos has won a second bronze medal for Greece at the World Taekwondo Cadet Championship 2023 in Sarajevo.
Iliopoulos reached third place in the -168cm (-59kg) category where a total of 46 athletes participated. At the same time, Maria Zineli (-164cm, -56kg) was 5th, as was Enrieta Berberi (-156cm, -51kg).
Earlier in the year, Iliopoulos came first in the European President’s Cup.
This is the second medal for Greece in the 2023 Championship and the sixth overall in the history of the competition.
A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Tuesday on the island of Tinos, as a 3-year-old boy lost his life due to choking on a grape. The incident was reported by the state broadcaster ERT.
According to ERT’s report, the boy’s father acted swiftly, rushing his child to a nearby police station after the choking incident occurred at their family residence.
The child was then rapidly transported to the Tinos Health Center by a police vehicle, reported Ekathimerini.
The boy was rapidly transported to the Tinos Health Center.
Despite the dedicated efforts of the medical team, regrettably, the young child’s life could not be saved.
The police have initiated an inquiry into the circumstances, and a post-mortem examination is scheduled to take place as part of the investigation.
