Month: December 2012

Minister unveils Melbourne’s revitalised cultural precincts

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Nicholas Kotsiras officially launched the final component of a four-year, $10.2 million joint project between the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne to upgrade the city’s much-loved cultural precincts.

The fund has covered the revitalisation of key laneways, street beautification, art work, landscaping and lighting as well as promoting the historical and cultural links to the migrant communities.

The project has revitalised Chinatown, Carlton’s Lygon Street and the Greek precinct of Little Lonsdale Street.

Mr Kotsiras paid tribute to those migrants who settled in Melbourne’s three key cultural precincts with snapshots of the cultural history and colourful characters of these important migrant precincts.

Mr Kotsiras said the precincts exemplified Victoria’s history of welcoming and embracing multiculturalism.

“The Victorian Government believes that recognising and supporting the multicultural heritage of diverse citizens, who have helped build this State and nation, has led to a more unified and cohesive society,” Mr Kotsiras said.

“Melbourne’s Chinatown has been a thriving precinct since the Gold Rush era, and its enduring popularity is a testament to the vitality of our State’s significant Chinese community.

“Lonsdale Street has been the heart of Victoria’s Greek community for decades. The restaurants, cafés and music stores that line the precinct created a home away from home for Greek migrants, many of whom came to Melbourne after World War II.”

Mr Kotsiras said the Italian Cultural Precinct provided a fascinating window into the history of the characters and landmarks that shaped Lygon Street in Carlton into the historic heartland of Melbourne’s Italian community

“The stories of these landmarks and the characters who shaped the precinct are fascinating. They are part of Victoria’s rich migrant history, and they are stories that deserve to be shared,” Mr Kotsiras said.

“Visitors to the area will be able to be transported back in time, to learn about the history of the buildings, shops, restaurants and the people who have made this neighbourhood what it is today.

“As Victorians, these areas are close to all of our hearts, as a place to eat, to socialise, and to experience the cultural diversity that we are so privileged to experience and enjoy here in this State.”

Mr Kotsiras thanked representatives from the Chinese, Greek and Italian communities, and local traders for their enthusiastic involvement in the project.

“Melbourne, and indeed the entire State of Victoria, is home to well-established and fast-growing migrant communities, that have greatly enriched every aspect of life in this State and have become an integral part of our harmonious, multicultural society,” Mr Kotsiras said.

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Dean honours, two years running, Melbourne National scholarship, and the Deutsche Bank Penultimate year scholarship, made graduate Elias Vitsentzatos a man to remember at his graduation.

Vitsentzatos was given the honour of the valedictory speech to his fellow classmates after graduating this year from his Bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University. In his speech he praised the strong relationships created in class and outside.

“Today I’m part of a group of diverse and very talented individuals, who have the strength and ability to pursue their goals in life with great vigour and intensity,” he said.

“We have all grown as individuals during our time at university and in the future I am sure we will all continue to better ourselves and excel in all aspects of personal and professional life.”

He took the time to thank his parents and specifically his brothers and his grandparents. On the cards for Vitsentzatos is a budding career at Deutsche Bank as an analyst. He starts next year.

 

When Christmas shopping this year, stop for a moment and think of Greece. Think if you purchase something that was made in Greece, how many people benefit from that choice.

From the farmers, to the truck drivers, manufacturers and banks, every purchase has a roll on effect to help Greece. And during this current time, Greece needs our help more than ever: that’s why we are urging everyone to buy Greek this Christmas.

Food is a great Greek export. From the local olive oil, the feta and cheeses, the olives, the herbs, the wines, the Greek beers, the sweets, the juices and soft drinks, the mineral waters, the Greek pastas (zimarika) – they all taste so much better.

So why not make sure that the arni you have on the souvla this Christmas is lathered in Greek olive oil and mountain grown and exported rigani and that baklava in the oven is soaked in Greek honey. Make sure your Christmas table is decked out with Greek delicacies from the olives, tinned dolmathes and feta as snacks, to the drinks that you have on the day.

Drink Greek wine and beer on Christmas day and Greek soft drinks and juices for the young ones. Even with the presents you buy, get a Greek bottle of wine as a gift. Create Christmas hampers using all Greek products and help food importers and distributors keep bringing Greek products to Australia.

You’re spending money anyway so why not showcase our culture and help Greece at the same time? And if we keep doing this it won’t be long before we see products available at more outlets, perhaps even supplying a mainstream supermarket or even sponsoring our community events.

So have a great festive season and do yourself, your family, Greece and Greek culture a favour: Buy Greek this Christmas.

 

Please find below a link to an interview on Australia-Greece relations, conducted as part of our Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s ‘Our Ambassadors’ series, for your information (available at http://www.dfat.gov.au).

I would like to thank you most sincerely for your kind cooperation and support of efforts to further strengthen the Australia-Greece relationship, and to wish you an enjoyable and restful Christmas and new year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu7e9phgFcA&list=PL5F07956D606BE0BA&index=18

Jenny Bloomfield
Australian Ambassador to Greece