A pharmacist, a cancer researcher, a teacher and a fundraiser are among the 11 nominees for the Peloponnesian Confederation NSW Inc inaugural Greek Australian of the Year award.

You get people who are recognized, as politicians or whatever, but you get a lot of people with a lot of talent within the Greek community, who just don’t get recognized and people don’t know.

The awards are part of the Greek-Peloponnesian Festival, which starts today and runs until the 9th of October.

Peloponnesian Confederation NSW committee member and festival director, Andrew Kalavritinos, said the awards were an important step in recognizing the achievements of Greek Australians.

“We felt that, within the community, there wasn’t sufficient recognition given to people who excelled in their various fields of endeavours, whether it be business or academia or volunteering,” he said.

“You get people who are recognized, as politicians or whatever, but you get a lot of people with a lot of talent within the Greek community, who just don’t get recognized and people don’t know.”

Christina Tsatsoulis, a Sydney-based pharmacist and active member of the Greek community, said she was honoured to be among the list of nominees.

“I’m elated, I’m very honoured, I feel that it’s a privilege to be acknowledged for hard work and something you do for a passion,” she said.

A pharmacist by trade, Ms Tsatsoulis has always been involved in Sydney’s Greek community through her work with Patras Youth Association, the Greek Australian Professional Association, and the Panachaian Philanthropical Association.

“I love being Greek, I love what the Greeks represent and what they’ve done in their life, and I do try to instil that in the younger generation as well,” she said.

She didn’t have any tips as to who would win the award, though, and described the list of finalists as “very, very impressive.”

“The caliber of nominated finalists is amazing and I am very honoured to be on that list,” she said.

The general public is invited to vote for the winners, and an independent committee of six judges will recommend a winner to the Confederation for the two categories: Greek Australian of the Year and Peloponnesian of the Year.

Voting was open online until Monday, and the award will be presented this Thursday, at a gala dinner event.

List of nominees (combined for both Greek Australian and Peloponnesian of the year)

Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, cancer researcher, academic

Dr Maria (Costadopoulos) Hill, military historian
Dino (Konstandinos)

Nikias, OAM, businessman, volunteer

Christina Tsatsoulis, pharmacist

Vasilios Aligiannis, teacher

Katherine Kouvas, local community member

Peter Theophilou, OAM, business man, community member

Paul Nicolaou, fundraiser
Vicky Paranomos, community worker, volunteer

Dr George Peponis, doctor, footballer

To see full profiles of the nominees, go to http://www.morias.org.au/festival2010/