AHEPA Australasia held their 58th National Convention in Sydney last week at the AHEPA Hall in Rockdale with over 75 delegates from all over Australia attending.
The National President of AHEPA Australasia, Mr Elias Doufas, chaired the Convention accompanied by many of the National Lodge members with three special guests from America, including Joanne Saltas, Grand President of the Daughters of Penelope AHEPA USA.
The convention began with an official opening on Sunday 7 October at the Venus Function room preceding a church service at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Marrickville. Consul General for Greece in Sydney, Mr Vassileos Tolios spoke at the official opening and gave a detailed account of the current issues affecting our motherland Greece.
The business side to the convention began on Monday. The delegates were involved in various conferences and events exchanging many opinions and ideas on important educational, philanthropic and cultural issues as well as discussing new strategies for the future of the organisation and ways of encouraging new membership.
It was unanimously decided that AHEPA coordinate a National Fundraising Campaign in support of compatriots who are suffering hardship in Greece due to the financial crisis. Other organisations will be invited to assist with this very urgent and important effort. The convention discussed and endorsed resolutions concerning the important National Hellenic Issues such as the Macedonian, Cyprus, Pontian and Asia Minor genocides, Theological College of Halkis and the restoration of the Parthenon Marbles.
Mr Elias Doufas was re-elected as the National President for AHEPA Australasia for another year. Mrs Christine Lynch of NSW was re-elected as the National Vice President, along with a team of another 16 members of the National Lodge.
The Convention heard that the total donations of $200,000 were made by AHEPA throughout the past year to various large and small charitable, educational and medical research institutions. This is a similar amount that is contributed each year. A substantial amount was also donated to the Children’s Hospital in Sydney.
It was also decided that next years convention will be held in Brisbane and the historical 60th national convention to be held in Armidale, NSW, close to where AHEPA began in 1954.