The World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (PADEE – WHIA) passed a resolution at its general assembly this year, calling on all parliaments to support a just solution to the Cyprus problem.
Cyprus has been illegally invaded, divided and occupied by Turkish forces since 1974, in violation of numerous United Nations’ Resolutions.
In the motion, the Association acknowledged it has been 49 years since this occupation and condemned the ongoing presence of Turkish troops in occupied northern Cyprus.
The motion was passed by members of PADEE – WHIA, which included eight Hellenic Australian parliamentarians. They were Former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Michael McCormick; Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas; Federal Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou; NSW Member for Miranda, Eleni Petinos; Victorian Labor MPs Lee Tarlamis, Nick Staikos, Steve Dimopoulos and Kat Theophanous; and SA State MP Olivia Savvas.
Motion in full:
The motion that was passed at the general assembly this year.
Think Greece is only famous for ouzo, raki and good wine? Think again!
Greek beers may not top lists in Europe, but there are some serious contenders. Which ones are they and why are they worth tasting? The Greek Herald shares its top four.
Mythos:
Mythos beer.
Mythos is a light straw-coloured lager beer. It is probably the most popular beer throughout the country and the most well-known Greek beer sold outside of the country. Their blond lager is definitely drunk the most.
FIX:
The “vintage” of Greek beers. It is the first Greek beer and everyone in Greece knew the brand even if they had never tasted it.
Fix Beer was first produced in Greece in 1850 and although the brewery closed down in the late 20th century, it opened again under the new administration in 2009.
Alfa:
Alfa beer.
Alfa is produced by the Athenian Brewery and it is exclusively made of Greek barley, having a light taste. It has 5 per cent alcohol and is distinguished by its aroma.
Volcan Beer:
Very special is also Volkan Beer, produced in Santorini. This beer comes in blond and black and has a special taste due to its ingredients: honey and mineral water from Santorini and citron from Naxos.
Essendon FC will debut Elijah Tsatas against West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Selected with pick five at the 2022 NAB AFL Draft, the dynamic midfielder has earned his AFL selection after dominant performances in the VFL.
Tsatas has played seven games in the VFL averaging more than 25 disposals, four tackles and three marks. He recorded a career-high 35 disposals in the one-point victory against the Gold Coast SUNS in Round 15.
Recruited from the Oakleigh Chargers and Victoria Metro, Tsatas was dominant throughout the Oakleigh Chargers’ midfield in 2022 and claimed their best and fairest from only six NAB League games.
The 18-year-old has had an interrupted start to his AFL career after suffering an acute meniscus tear during the pre-season. The club took a conservative approach with his injury to give him the best chance to recover and ensure he is physically ready for his AFL career.
A new chapter for the number five at Essendon begins this weekend.
Celebrated each year on August 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is seen as one of the most significant days in the Orthodox calendar.
Commemorating the metamorphosis of Christ on Mount Tabor, the day sees Jesus Christ appearing radiant and transfigured before his disciples Peter, James and John.
The icon showing the transfiguration of Christ at Mount Tabor
According to the scriptures, Jesus took his disciples up the mountain and when transfigured his face shone like the sun and his garments became a glistening white, and the prophets Moses and Elijah appeared alongside of him.
In the icon, Christ is seen as the central figure, radiant in the bright colours of white, gold and blue, all representing his divine glory and light.
The amendment to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 makes it unlawful to, “by a public act, incite hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of persons, because of their religious belief, affiliation or activity.”
A “public act” includes any form of communication to the public, verbal and non-verbal.
The legislation mirrors existing provisions in the Anti-Discrimination Act that make vilification unlawful on the grounds of race, homosexuality, transgender status and HIV/AIDS status.
People who do not have a religious belief or affiliation or do not engage in religious activity are also protected under the new law, which recognises that these are also positions in relation to religion which should be respected.
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley says religious vilification is “completely unacceptable.” Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS.
A wide range of stakeholders were consulted on the amendment, including faith-based organisations, community groups, multicultural associations, legal advocates and NSW Government agencies.
The new law comes into effect three months after the date of assent to the Act.
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said “vilification on the grounds of a person’s religion (or no belief) is completely unacceptable in our community.”
“Now we have a clear law to protect people from public actions that incite hatred or serious contempt or severe ridicule of them on the basis of their religious belief or lack of belief,” Mr Daley said.
NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said “it is regrettable to see any expression of vilification towards certain groups based on their beliefs.”
“This legislation sends a strong message to those people who seek to stir hatred and division in our community. It won’t be tolerated,” Mr Kamper said.
Greece and Egypt have agreed to establish a high-level cooperation council comprising several members of Cabinet, Ekathimerini reported.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the announcement on Thursday during a visit to Egypt, where he met with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.
Mitsotakis said he hoped the first council would take place in Greece in early 2024.
Συζητήσαμε νέες προοπτικές συνεργασίας, δίνοντας έμφαση στα θέματα της ενέργειας. Η διασύνδεση μεταξύ Ελλάδας-Αιγύπτου, μέσω ενός καλωδίου ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας, είναι ένα project που φαίνεται πια να απολαμβάνει και τη στήριξη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. https://t.co/k0YJZ00SHrpic.twitter.com/ADrrqS8efS
“We’re hoping… we will invest in this relationship even further, to the mutual benefit of Greece and Egypt and our two peoples,” Mitsotakis said.
When asked to comment on where relations with Egypt stand in the broader context of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Greek prime minister said ties are “autonomous and strong.”
Mitsotakis added that the meeting with Sisi was “short but productive,” with talks turning to “new prospects for cooperation, with a particular focus on energy issues.”
The Greek Summer Camp with the support of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) and Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a valuable opportunity for young Greek diaspora in Australia, like myself, to strengthen our ties with Greek culture.
The program, which was held between 1 July and 11 July, 2023, was run by the YMCA Thessaloniki who ensured that we were able to experience different aspects of Greek culture.
As the summer camp was my first-time visiting Greece, as like many others on the tour, it was important for us that the trip allowed us to immerse ourselves in the culture of Greece.
Max walking the Nestos river trail.Anne-Marie at Edessa waterfall.Photos supplied.
Our camp leader Irini Kazakou from the YMCA and Dimitris Pappas, Program Director of the YMCA Thessaloniki, supported us and ensured we were able to achieve this.
During our trip, we stayed in both the cities of Thessaloniki and Kavala. The program enabled us to learn about Greece’s rich and deep history and witness this history at locations such as the White Tower of Thessaloniki, Xanthi, the Holy Church of Saint Demetrius, and the Pella Archaeological Site and Museum.
Archaeological site in Greece.Thessaloniki sunset.Photos supplied.
We were assisted by our tour guide Yorgos Adamidis, who shared his deep knowledge about Greece’s history with us. It was an incredibly powerful experience being able to see the remnants of Greece’s history for ourselves. One of the historical sites that stood out to many of us was the Royal Tombs of Aigai, where we were able to see Philip II’s tomb.
The program also allowed us to witness the beauty of Greece at locations such as at the beaches in Kavala, Edessa Waterfall and the Alistrati caves. We were also able to immerse ourselves in the beautiful nature of Greece by hiking along the Nestos river, as well as going birdwatching on Lake Kerkini.
Group shot.Bird watching.
Most importantly, the program was unique in that it allowed us to develop strong friendships with Greek diaspora from all over Australia and has enabled us to make lifelong friends. We were also able to build friendships with the volunteer students from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, who played an integral role in the program and have since become our close friends.
At Kavala- Vicki with Vagia from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.Lion on Amphipolis.Baptistery of St Lydia of Thyatira.Photos supplied.
We were also able to enjoy free time in both Kavala and Thessaloniki, which allowed us to explore and navigate Greece on our own. This gave us the opportunity to experience Greece like a local and for many of us, to meet with our relatives living in Greece.
Nestos river- Sophie, Emmanouil and Ann-Marie.Anne-Marie’s cousin who lives in Thessaloniki that she was able to meet up with during free time.Photos supplied.
One highlight of the program for myself and many others, was the traditional Greek dancing night which we did at the YMCA Thessaloniki. We were able to learn traditional Greek dances with live music performed by the YMCA Folklore Society, whilst enjoying a variety of Greek foods, wine and local tsipouro. We were also able to learn how to cook traditional Greek foods such as dolmades with a cooking night at the YMCA Thessaloniki. It was a great experience being able to learn how to make traditional Greek dishes and develop the skills for us to continue making these dishes back in Australia.
YMCA dancing class.YMCA cooking class.
Furthermore, many of also enjoyed that the program provided us students with the opportunity to build upon our Greek language skills. We were able to practice speaking Greek with each other and also put our language skills to the test while exploring the country. The program for many of us, has sparked a further desire and passion to continue practicing and learning the Greek language.
Overall, the summer camp was an incredibly valuable and enriching experience that has strengthened our bonds and ties with Greek culture. I would highly encourage young people who are considering applying for the program in the future, to make the most of the opportunity as it was an invaluable and unforgettable experience.
The 2023 Greek Film Festival returns to Australian screens from 19 to 29 October with a selection of exciting new and classic films from the storied world of Greek cinema.
The 2023 iteration of the festival opens on 19 October with the award-winning feature film by Asimina Proedrou, “Behind the Haystacks.”
Described by Screen International as an “intense psychological study of murky morality” the film stars Stathis Stamatopoulos, Eleni Ouzounidou, Evgenia Lavda & Paschalis Tsarouhas.
Greek Film Festival will open with ‘Behind the Haystacks’ by Asimina Proedrou.
“Behind the Haystacks” is set during the refugee crisis of 2015 as seen through the eyes of three morally culpable family members with overlapping and contradictory versions of the same experience.
“Behind the Haystacks” leads a jam-packed program of award-winning features, celebrated documentaries and a tribute to the late great Irini Papa. Full program details will follow in the coming weeks.
The 2023 Greek Film Festival will play in Melbourne and Sydney from 19 – 29 October. It is presented by the Greek Community of Melbourne and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW through the Palace Cinemas group.
The Opening Night of the 2023 Greek Film Festival will play at The Astor Theatre and Palace Cinema Como in Melbourne and at Palace Norton Street in Leichardt, Sydney.
