Category: Greek/Australian

Source: NeosKosmos

In early 2014, the 15 storey building including the four level Cultural Centre of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GOCMV) will be open to all of the community – it will be a centre unrivalled in the global Greek diaspora. It will become the institution where we celebrate our Greek story. Bill Papastergiadis, president, GOCMV, says it is time for a change.

“From my perspective the community needed a game changer,” Mr Papastergiadis tells Neos Kosmos. “It required a plan to inspire the interest of young Greek Australians. Time was also of the essence. Broad-based contribution by talented and motivated second and third generation Greek Australians in Melbourne was urgently needed so as to develop a community which offered appropriate services and also inspired cultural productivity.”

A place of education, music, entertainment, song and dance, the centre will be seen as a hothouse of thoughts and ideas. It will offer the next generation a chance to create their new stories and cultural experience but at all times remembering and celebrating our migrant past. “The Centre should be seen as a hothouse of thoughts,” explains Jorge Menidis.

“It aims to offer spaces for the generation of new stories and the celebration of old. The Centre will collaborate and lead. It will present opinions and ideas. It will educate and entertain.”

The centre will have a collection of spaces some of which included a performance space; an exhibition space; an education space; hothouse and meeting space; and administrative space.

With support from the Melbourne City Council via an incredibly speedy permit approval process and the State Government’s $2 million contribution, and support by all the members of the Greek community, the dream of the four storey Cultural Centre has become a reality. A lot of thought was put into the actual design of the new building.

“Aesthetically, a new building would also act as a beacon for those who would take the baton going forward for our community,” explains Mr Papastergiadis. “Symbols play an important role in our lives. Symbolically, the new building would herald a fresh start.

The design of any such building would need to ensure that there would be a reference point to the past and with it incorporating a vision for the future.”

* This Thursday, Neos Kosmos will publish a supplement in Greek and English paying homage to the new Cultural Centre, but also remembering the past. We will look at the early days of not only the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria’s building, but the history of the community as a whole. For all those who have ever wondered if walls could talk – the walls of the Greek community building will speak to us about stories, events and past happenings that have shaped our community in Victoria, and Australia. We will give you a birds eye view of the architecture and symbolism of the new building, but also look at the demolition of what has been a large part of our cultural history. All in all, we – alongside the Greek community – look to the future, to create a place to inspire the next generation of proud Greek Australians.

Source: News

Sacked Channel 10 news reader Helen Kapalos. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

FORMER Channel 10 newsreader Helen Kapalos has told of her shock at her sacking, saying it was “insensitive” and robbed her of the chance to thank viewers and farewell colleagues.

The popular presenter, 41, was axed immediately after the 5pm bulletin on November 9 in a brief, clinical meeting, the day before she flew to the US on holidays.

Speaking at length for the first time after returning to Melbourne on Friday, Kapalos revealed it came as a bolt out of the blue and left her in momentary shock.

The bombshell was dropped on her by news director Dermot O’Brien and the human resources manager, and within an hour she had packed up her office and left.

Ten had initially planned to tell her during her holidays on November 12, at the same time as other readers including Bill Woods, but decided to do it in person.

She said she had felt her job was safe after asking senior managers just weeks earlier about rumours of a national Sydney-based bulletin, and was assured there wouldn’t be one.

“It was done fairly swiftly, I think I had sent my best friend a text by 6.15,” she said.

“It was explained to me that they were going to a single-reader format and that I wouldn’t be part of that format, and that those changes would take place some time in December, and there really was no point in returning before that time.

“They offered the redundancy and explained I wouldn’t be required back on air and that there were no other roles for me.

“I asked how they arrived at the decision but there was no response that I remember to that. Then shock set in, and a bit of disappointment and hurt.”

She was so oblivious to what was coming that upon entering the meeting she had said: “Can we make this quick? I have to go to the post office.”

Kapalos is one of the most high-profile of the network’s redundancies as part of cost cuts to battle a slump in ratings and losses in advertising revenue.

Her security pass was cancelled and email account closed and she even had to announce it herself, tweeting before she boarded the plane: “Fall down seven times. Get up eight. Big love to my supporters.”

“It wasn’t done in a spiteful, negative way, it was done in an insensitive way,” Kapalos said.

“I would have loved the opportunity to be able to thank viewers, to farewell colleagues, to properly pack up my office and belongings and wardrobe.”

But she is determined to stay positive and said she holds no bitterness towards the embattled network, focusing instead on her next chapter.

She has had talks with Foxtel, Sky, Al Jazeera, CBS and CNN, and was offered a summer radio gig with Triple M.

She said she was hoping to be able to announce a new Melbourne-based TV role by the end of this week.

Co-anchor Mal Walden had been “really distressed” in the one conversation they’d had, Kapalos said, and she would miss him the most.

The outpouring of support from the public and colleagues, even from rival newsreaders Peter Hitchener and Jennifer Keyte, has moved her and buoyed her spirits.

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett sent her a text message saying, “I’m sorry to hear about your boning”, while strangers on the street have said “we love you”.

Her mobile phone ran hot with support, and she racked up a $2600 bill within her first four days in the US.

“There wasn’t any time to digest it in a negative way because of all the goodwill and public sentiment. I felt almost like it lifted me… out of the mess,” Kapalos said.

“What it established for me importantly was that I had a genuine connection with viewers which is what you strive for as a presenter.

“From that point on, I thought I had to look ahead. I’m a positive force, and positive forces can’t be extinguished.”

Kapalos said it had been a turbulent year at Ten, but hoped the embattled network could “find their feet”.

She would not buy into suggestions of sexism in the industry – “I’ve seen men treated just as shabbily as women” – pointing out that male readers had also been sent packing.

“I felt like it was a business decision, I didn’t take it personally whatsoever … if he (Walden) had a year contract it was probably a sensible decision to keep him on,” she said.

“Obviously I wasn’t ecstatic about not being on there with him but I didn’t feel that there was any sexism with that decision at all.”

Despite some reports, Kapalos said she did not plan to take legal action over her sacking as she was grateful for her time at Ten.

Welcome distractions have included volunteering in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, and reporting on her blog.

Upon returning home, she has filmed a part in a movie for Tropfest, and made an appearance at the Melbourne Victory game on Friday night.

Ten spokesman Neil Shoebridge said the decision was “no reflection” on Kapalos but a cost-cutting measure as part of the move to single newsreaders, starting from tomorrow’s bulletin.

“We made the best efforts to handle this in the best way we could,” he said.

Sydney socialite, entrepreneur and racing driver Aaron Zerefos partners with Australia’s most awarded and loved lifestyle magazine OPA! to become their ‘brand ambassador.’

Aaron Zerefos is a young entrepreneur, racing driver and social figure. Having promoted the popular FIJI Water brand in Australia, through his company, Aaron Zerefos Enterprises, he has now diversified into dairy products, horse racing, real estate and polo. He is also a motoring journalist for Latte Life newspaper. He is a successful brand ambassador for Porsche and Bulla Dairy and now has re-connected with his Greek heritage to partner with and become a key member of the nation’s most popular and most awarded Greek themed lifestyle magazine, OPA!

At 2 years young, OPA! Magazine, the brainchild of publisher Steve Agi has already achieved enormous success, growth and distribution and now with becoming Zerefos’ media partner it takes it’s profile to another level.
“When Aaron approached me to look at partnering I was stoked,” explained OPA! Magazine publisher Steve Agi. “He is such a great guy who is so active and an inspiration to all. A great role model! These are the sort of people we love to get behind and celebrate!”

Outside of his business activity and success, Aaron has raced and tested in Carrera Cup Australia, Mini Series, NASCAR USA, V8 Super cars, Australian G T and the Bathurst 12hr. He has also won r aces in the Lotus 500 series, Porsche Car Club NSW and the Aroca 6hr with Team Porsche.

“It feels great to get the support from a publication like OPA! Steve and I have really connected on a number of levels, ever since they ran their first profile on me and now with a monthly column, the ‘brand ambassador’ status and their media support I feel it will take my career and profile to another level, “ comments Aaron.

Aaron will be the newly appointed ‘brand ambassador’ of OPA! Magazine as well as a monthly contributor to the title, while OPA! will take prominent branding on his race car and uniform as the official MEDIA PARTNER of team Zerefos – truly a match made in heaven

Maria Vamvakinou MP
Federal Member for Calwell

Steve Georganas
Federal Member for Hindmarsh

MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2012

Aged care, supporting the Greek Language and community mental health were top priorities for discussion at the second meeting of the Greek Ministerial Consultative Committee yesterday.

Speaking at the second meeting of the committee to be held at Parliament House, Canberra, co-chair Maria Vamvakinou MP said the committee had the opportunity to personally meet with the Minister for Education Peter Garrett and the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler to discuss their concerns.

The committee also raised issues with a senior advisor for Families and Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin.

Ms Vamvakinou said she was pleased the committee was the first to have high level discussions about issues affecting the Australian Greek Community.

Co-chair Steve Georganas said the meeting was essential in providing a further platform for Greek community members to share their views with the Government.

The committee also had the opportunity of meeting with the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic His Excellency Haris Dafaranos.

The committee was then invited to the opening of an exhibition of art by Theofilos –a folk painter of neo- Hellenic Art at the Hellenic Club in Canberra.

Ο Μέγας Αλέξανδρος έφθασε στο Σύδνεϋ
Με ιδιαίτερη λαμπρότητα εγκαινιάστηκε την Παρασκευή η πολυ-αναμενώμενη έκθεση «Μέγας Αλέξανδρος: θυσαυρούς 2500 χρόνων» στο Αυστραλιανό Μουσείο στο Σύδνεϋ. Έντονο το Ελληνικό στοιχείο ανάμεσα στου καλεσμένους με τον νέο Πρέσβη της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Εξοχότατο Χαράλαμπο Δαφαράνο, η κυρία Δαφαράνου, ο κ. Γενικός Πρόξενος Βασίλειος Τόλιος και η κυρία Τόλιου, και ο Πρόεδρος του Συλλόγου Ελληνο-Αυστραλών Εκπαιδευτικών, Δρ Παναγιώτη Διαμάντη.

Την έκθεση την εγκαινίασαν η Κυβερνήτης της Νέας Νοτίου Ουαλίας, Professor Marie Bashir. Χαιρετισμοί απύθηναν ο Πρέσβης της Ρωσσικής Ομοσπνδίας, κ. Βλάντιμιρ Μοροζόβ, καθώς και στελέχη του Μουσείου Ερμιτάζ Αγίας Πετρούπολης και του Αυστραλιανού Μουσείου.

Όπως τόνισε ο Ρώσος πρέσβης, η έκθεση στάλθηκε από την Αγία Πετρούπολη στα πλαίσια των εορτασμών των 70 χρόνων από την σύναψη διπλωματικών σχέσεων Ρωσίας-Αυστραλίας.

«Αυτή η έκθεση παρουσιάζει διάφορες πτυχές του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου», δήλωσε ο Διευθυντής του Αυστραλιανού Μουσείου, κ. Frank Howarth. «Η κληρονομιά του μέσα από τον Ελληνισμό είναι αυτά που επηρέασε – σχέδιο, πολιτική, αρχιτεκτονική, αισθητική – καθώς και αυτούς που τον θαύμαζαν, όπως ο Ναπολέων, η Βασίλισα Χριστίνα της Σουηδίας, και η Μέγα Αικατερίνη της Ρωσίας.»

Σύμφωνα με τον κ. Howarth, «ολόκληρη η έννοια του Ελληνισμού, το τι αποτελούσε ο Ελληνικός πολιτισμός» εκφράζετε με ένα μεγάλο κομμάτι της έκθεσης: το χρυσό επιτραπέζιο ρολόϊ με την μορφή του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου, εμπνευσμένο από την έναρξη του απελευθερωτικού αγώνα των Ελλήνων, της Εθνικής Παλιγεννεσίας του 1821. (βλέπε φωτό)
Από την Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Κοινότητα ΝΝΟ παρεβρέθηκαν ο πρόεδρος κ. Χάρυ Δανάλης, ο κ. Μιχάλης Τσιλίμος και άλλα στελέχοι του φορέα. Η ΕΟΚ ΝΝΟ ήταν ένας από τους χορηγούς της εκδήλωσεις για τα εγκαίνια της έκθεσης.

Σημειώνουμε ότι είναι η δεύτερη φορά που το Αυστραλιανό Μουσείο φιλοξενεί έκθεση με θέμα τον Μακεδονικό Ελληνισμό. Η πρώτη ήταν το 1988, όταν, στα πλαίσια των εορτασμών για τα 200α γεννέθλια της Αυστραλίας, η Ελλάδα έστειλε έκθεση ευρυμάτων από την αρχαία βασιλική νεκρόπολη στην Βεργίνα.

Έντονο το Ποντιακό στοιχείο
Όπως θα αναμενόταν, το Ποντιακό στοιχείο είναι πολύ έντονο στην μεγαλοπρεπή έκθεση αρχαιοτήτων. Μεγάλο μέρος της έκθεσης αποτελείτε από αρχαία Ελληνικά ευρήματα από τις Ελληνικές πόλεις στις βόρειες ακτές του Ευξείνου Πόντου.

Για παράδειγμα, στην φωτό απεικονίζετε ένας γόρυτος από το Βοσπορικό Βασίλεο (σήμερα ανατολική Κριμέα και ακτές της Αζοφικής Θάλασσας). Χρυσό δημιούργημα του 350 με 325 πΧ, το 1863 ανακαλύφθηκε σε τύμβο Σκύθων στο Chertomlyk της νοτίου Ουκρανίας.

Ο γόρυτος απεικονίζει την ανακάλυψη απο τους Οδυσσέα και Διομήδη, του ήρωα του Τρωικού Πολέμου, Αχιλλέα, ανάμεσα στις γυναίκες της Σκύρου.

Το μοναδικό αυτό αντικείμενο συνδέει τα στοιχεία της έκθεσης, με επίκεντρο το πρόσωπο του Μεγάλου Αλεξάνδρου: πανάρχαιες Ελληνικές ιστορίες, Ελληνικές αποικίες στα άκρα του τότε γνωστού κόσμου, επίδραση πολιτιστική στους γύρους ‘βάρβαρους’, …

Συλλόγοι
Η ΑΧΕΠΑ ΝΝΟ και η Ποντιακή Αδελφότητα ΝΝΟ «Ποντοξενιτέας» διοργανώνουν ομάδες για να επισκεπτούν την έκθεση. Καλούντε ΟΛΟΙ οι παροικιακοί φορείς να κατέβουν στον ιστορικό αυτό χώρο δίπλα στο Hyde Park, να δηλώσουν όσο ποιό δυναμικά γίνετε την Ελληνική παρουσία.

Θέλετε να προωθήσετε την ιστορική αλήθεια για την Ελληνική ταυτότητα της Μακεδονίας; Αγοράστε εισητήρια για την έκθεση και δωρίστε τα σε μη-Ελληνικής καταγωγής φίλους και γνωστούς για Χριστουγεννιάτικα δώρα!

Η μεγαλειώδης έκθεση «Μέγας Αλέξανδρος: θυσαυρούς 2500 χρόνων» θα βρίσκετε στο Αυστραλιανό Μουσείο στη γωνία William και College Streets στο Σύδνεϋ μέχρι τις 28 Απριλίου 2013. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες, τηλεφωνήστε στο 136 100.

Dr James Arvanitakis was presented with the $50,000 Prime Minister’s Award for Australian University Teacher of the Year this week. The lecturer from the University of Western Sydney was recognised for his innovative teaching methods that captivate and engage his students.

And now, the Greek Australian lecturer has been invited to South Africa and Europe to expose other educators to his methods of teaching. Dr Arvanitakis says he recognised for three reasons.
One is his ability to bring theoretical concepts to life and adds “it doesn’t matter if they were written in the 1800’s or today what I do is bring them to life and show how they are relevant to people in their everyday experiences”.

The second thing is he makes learning fun. For example, he has made students participate in flash mobs to showcase chaos theory and globalisation. And thirdly, he has taken his teaching to the community and spends a lot of his time and school and community education places talking about the power of a university education and teaching.

As a lecturer, Dr Arvanitakis embraces new media and social media wholeheartedly and says that “strategically”, all universities need to do, as it has revolutionised the tertiary education industry. “The lecture is almost like the physical newspaper – we all love it, but we realise we have to change to survive. I think universities are also with that.”

And he doesn’t see new media as a competition, rather he uses it to his advantage. In his lectures, he allows Facebook to be active and text messaging to allow students who would otherwise be too shy to pose a question to do so using these mediums.

This gives them a way to educate and learn using new media. However, he also says the way the content is delivered is dependant on the course itself but says a combination of new media and the face-to-face model of delivering a lecture are both needed and are almost expected by students.

“I teach a subject called ‘contemporary societies’, and you can’t teach that without engaging with that concept – new media, new ways of communicating,” he says. The child of Greek migrants, Dr Arvanitakis says his parents instilled in him the importance of an education. And this he has carried throughout his years to today where he says he is “blown away by the positive response of the students” as well as receiving this accolade.

With the $50,000, the lecturer plans on developing new ways to deliver content and educate students. One such way is to develop an online game where students can learn about sociology whilst engaging in something similar to Angry Birds.

He has also been invited to lead teaching symposiums in South Africa, Canada and Europe and also wants to invest the money in putting together different and innovative ways to teaching such as videos.

Ruling protects barber’s fortune for family

RULING: Carl Charalambous, 25, stands to inherit his grandfather’s millions. Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

IN THE first decision of its kind in Australia, a judge has allowed the 2001 will of a man who has severe dementia to be changed for estate and tax planning reasons alone.

John Matsis, 90, who is in a nursing home for dementia sufferers, will leave his grandsons $7.6 million worth of Australian property and 92 Greek properties, estimated to be worth $6.3 million.

The Greek migrant from the island of Rhodes, who came to Australia with his wife Despina in 1944, built up his family fortune from humble beginnings in a small Boundary St, West End, barber shop, the court heard.

His will leaves his $1.4 million West End home, where his grandsons still live with their mother Esther Charalambous, to youngest grandson, university student John Paul, 19.

The remainder of the estate will be equally shared by John Paul and his brothers, Carl Charalambous, 25, an Elders commercial real estate acting director, and Harry, 26, a software company director.

On November 1, Supreme Court Justice Ann Lyons ordered that a statutory codicil be made on behalf of Mr Matsis so that his grandsons’ inheritance would be held in three testamentary trusts.

The court heard that instead of receiving their inheritance as outright gifts, the trusts would protect the beneficiaries’ future businesses from exposure to any potential liability.

Justice Lyons accepted the submission from barrister Richard Williams that inclusion of the testamentary trusts was, or “may be”, a codicil that Mr Matsis, who is “gravely ill”, would make if he had capacity.

“This is the first time in Australia a judge has given effect to a statutory will, or codicil, for reasons of tax and asset protection,” said Brisbane wills and estates lawyer Bryan Mitchell, who was not involved in the case.

“This is a very surprising outcome.”

Mr Matsis’s properties include two West End restaurants, a shopping centre, shops and an office at Sandgate, a laundromat and office in Paddington, a Gold Coast unit and West End home.

Mr Matsis’s adopted daughter Esther Charalambous, who owns a one-third share of some of the Australian properties, is not a beneficiary of his will.

Mr Matsis, whose wife died in 2007, had wanted the wealth to be kept within the family, the court heard.

“It was clear to me that he took significant pride from the fact that he was the founder of the family fortune, that the benefit of his hard work would pass through the generations,” his solicitor David Bowles told the court. A small business award Mr Matsis received from former Prime Minister Robert Menzies took pride of place in his home, the court heard.

Melbourne’s own singer songwriter Anthea Sidiropoulos has been invited to present her latest music offering in the form of Anthea’s Rubies, a six-song cycle of Mediterranean Dreamtime – highlighting seeds of the diaspora – as part of the Hellenic Museum’s 60th Inaugural Diaspora Celebration. Anthea will perform with Greece’s legendary singers Maria Farantouri and Yiannis Kotsiras, composer Tassos Ioannidis and Melbourne based singer and composer Christos Ioannidis – celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the migration act between Greece and Australia 60 years ago.

This Greek Australian music offering of original works will feature a special tribute to the late Costas Tsicaderis. Greek born and Melbourne raised, Tsicaderis was a local independent music identity. Costas made a huge impact mentoring aspiring musicians in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, who were thirsty and in search of their Hellenic musical roots. Upon his passing, friends and family, colleagues, and event agency The Boite (who supported Costas’ music), gathered to produce an album of his unpublished works, aptly titled Mighty and the Humble, which was released over two concerts at BMW Edge Federation square 2006 and 2008.

Performing two of Costas’ songs within Anthea’s six-song repertoire are longtime collaborative musicians Jacob Papadopoulos on bouzouki, Spiros Papoutsis on accordion, and indigenous didgeridoo player Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie, who were part of the Costas Tsicaderis Ensemble. Joined by guitarist Nikos Kapralos, Anthea’s Rubies will perform live, to include Costas’ mesmerizing instrumental Beyond Mulamein, everyone’s favourite Η Μικροι και η Μεγαλη (Mighty and the Humble) and Anthea’s ode to all Greek migrants Μες την ξενιτια (Foreign Land) all of which were part of Arnold Zable’s compilation album The Fig Tree, which won best folk release in 2004.

Anthea’s Foreign Land continues to inspire many incarnations, like the inspirational soundtrack for student film With One Suitcase, winner of best film at Melbourne’s 2010 Greek Film Festival. It also featured as The Suitcase to Survival Song, as performed by Anthea, for the2012 Australia Day ‘what’s in your suitcase’ celebration theme, at the Myer Music Bowl.

A special performance also included is Διχως Εσε (Without You) from the recently released album Echoes, a tribute to Greek poet Nikiforis Vretakkos with music composed by Greek Australian Arthur Rorris.

As a daughter of the Greek diaspora, Anthea Sidiropoulos will delight audiences with her self-penned songs reflecting life as a first generation Greek Australian woman within Melbourne’s multicultural landscape, performed bilingually with Anthea’s Rubies on this memorable occasion: the Hellenic Museum’s 60th Inaugural Diaspora Celebration.

The performance will take place on Sunday 25 November from 2:00 pm at the Hellenic Museum Corner Williams and Latrobe Streets, Melbourne. This is a free event.