The year-long program of events to celebrate the centenary of the liberation of Thessaloniki and Western Macedonia was officially launched by Vassilios Tolios, the Consulate-General of Greece in Sydney. He urged the community to support the events held to promote Greece and Macedonia Hellenism.
Highlights of the celebrations, which will run from 29 August until the end of the year, includes a course on the history of Macedonia from the Hellenic Open University of Sydney, covering topics including ‘Hellenistic and early Roman periods’, ‘Christianity and Islam in Macedonia’ and ‘The Revolution of the Nation-State’.
Talks and lectures will also be held across Sydney, with topics covering ‘The Liberation of Western Macedonia Through the Australian Media’ (AHEPA Hall), ‘Alexander as a Hellenic Hero’ and ‘The Contributions of the Macedonians in the Hellenic Struggle of 1821 for liberation from the Ottomans’ (both at Macedonian Club).
The community will also have the opportunity to celebrate their culture and heritage at the annual dinner-dance of the Pella Association of NSW at the Seven Sins Restaurant on October 13 and at ‘The Cycle of Life’, a production celebrating the Hellenic heritage featuring the Greek Folk Dancers of NSW on October 14 at the Marana Auditorium.
The celebrations launch also featured a book launch by Greek Australian writer Paul Hansen, the award-winning action-packed fiction Macedon: Child of a God.
Dr Vasilis Adrahtas of Macquarie University describes Macedon as “Harry Potter meets Herakles”, with “characters who have personalities consistent with their roles in the Hellenic world”. The novel, the first in a series of four books, draws inspiration from the earliest stories of Hellenic history and mythology, and tells the untold story of Macedon, the mythological ancestor of the Macedonians.
Coordinator of the 2012 Dimitria Festival, Dimitri Kametopoulos was also present to announce this year’s 30-event program, which includes an exhibition of Alexander the Great in Sydney’s Australian Museum.
Among those who in attendance at the launch night were George Vellis (Australian Hellenic Council NSW), Tom Christopoulos (Bank of Cyprus), George Goutzios (Secretary of the Pan-Macedonian Association of NSW) with committee members, State Presidents of AHEPA John Theodoridis and Litsa Diakovasili, George Lianos (Kostis Palamas Literary Society), Dimitris Kouklidis (President Pontoxeniteas Brotherhood) with committee members, and many more community representatives.
For more information on the program for Sydney’s celebration of the liberation of Thessaloniki and Western Macedonia, contact macedonianfestivalsydney@yahoo.com.au.