There was genuine bonhomie at the launch of the 17th Greek Film Festival on Wednesday in Melbourne and the Greek Film Festival launches in Sydney this week and in Adelaide last week were just as successful.

Their success recaptures the energy and excitement that one was able to experience at major community cultural events in the past.

It seems the participation in leadership roles of second generation Greek Australians across the states has breathed new life into what were fast becoming increasingly sclerotic Greek community organisations.

The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne, Victoria (GOCMV) has recently announced the near completion of the Alphington Grammar multipurpose hall.

It has also announced private sponsorship from Greek Australian business family for scholarships at the school; the type of initiative one hopes to see more of in the future.

The core funding of about $2 million for the Alphington hall comes from Greece. However this support came more than a decade ago when Greece had a buoyant economy.

As the Greek economy stalls and threatens to slip into a recession, we as Greek Australian should not expect that type of funding from the Greek government for at least the next five years. Greece is no longer our saviour.

It behoves the Greek Australians with money and skills to give more to the community and that they should put their hands in their pockets now rather than later. Especially in the critical areas of education, culture, arts and age care.

The loss of Modern Greek in Wales St Primary School, in an area with a significant number of Greeks, does not bode well for Greek language teaching.
It is a clear indicator, albeit a small one, of what can happen with there isn’t sufficient advocacy, support and even sponsorship for Greek activities from Greek Australians.

The very wealthy in the Greek community of Australia should, as part of their natural instinct as well as their better self interest, invest in the community’s core institutions and needs.

The highly skilled, (if not rich), should also consider committing some of their time, money and skills back into the community, whether it is by supporting a Greek community organisation financially or by working as a volunteer or by seriously looking at employment opportunities within the Greek community.

The Greek community is not that bad a place to be immersed in.

Let’s take the success of this year’s film festival as a portend of the possibilities and scope.