On Tuesday 23 March 2021, the Society of Kalamata “23 March” organised the commemoration and celebration of the 200th anniversary of the liberation of the city of Kalamata to honour the heroic Greek women and men who fought and eventually liberated Greece, and to celebrate the events that led to the first Hellenic republic.

In the presence of our special guests the Hon Emmanuel Kakavelakis, Consul General of Greece, the Hon David Davis MP representing the Victorian Leader of the Opposition, Frs Dimitri, John and Panteleimon from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Peter Andrinopoulos from the Pan Australian Federation of Messinian Organisations, Jim Grivas from the Federation of Messinian Organisations of Melbourne & Victoria, Tony Tsourdalakis from the Victorian Bicentenary Committee, Bill Papastergiadis from the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Peter Tziotis from the Greek Orthodox Community of Oakleigh and Districts, Yiannis Kostoulias from Federation Greek Elderly Citizen Clubs, Kris Pavlidis from PRONIA, Peter Patisteas from AHEPA, Natasha Spanos from Oakleigh Grammar, Jim Papadimitriou from the Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council, Nasia Dimitrakopoulos & Taksia Tsaganas from thePammesinian Brotherhood Papaflessas, Agatha Koroneos from the Pantrifilian Association of Melbourne & Victoria, John Sklivas from the Messini Association “Pamisos”, Paul Mavroudis, OAM from the Pan Macedonian Association and the Thessaloniki Association and Michael Houdalakis from the Cretan Brotherhood. In attendance were also over 150 invited guests and members.

The event commemorated the unofficial but actual date of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence is 23 March, 1821 when 2000 Maniates, klepfts and sampasiotes under the leadership of Petrobey Mavromichalis, Kolokotronis, Nikitaras and Papaflessas liberated the city of Kalamata from the Ottoman forces after a brief siege. Thus Kalamata became the first city liberated in the Greek War of Independence without a shot being fired.

READ MORE: 200th anniversary of the liberation of Kalamata

The event started with a Doxology service presided by four priests in the church of Sts Constantine and Helen in South Yarra followed by a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Greek Australian Memorial (opposite the church) and then a celebratory cocktail party at the church hall with official speeches from the president of the Society of Kalamata “23 March”, the Consul General of Greece and the Hon David Davis MP representing the Victorian Leader of the Opposition. After the event the invited guests and members were invited to view the outside of the church of Sts Constantine and Helen in South Yarra which was bathed in blue lights to symbolise the Greek presence and honour those that fought and died during the Greek war of independence.

During his speech Sam Vlachos the President of the Society of Kalamata “23 March” provided a overview of the turbulent times in the Morea region in march of 1821 which led to the start of the Greek war of Independence and the liberation of the city of Kalamata. He stressed the importance of freedom to the Greek people were happy to die fighting for it and added that it was important that as Australians and as Greeks we remember the sacrifices made by our forefathers and most importantly the effort of unification required to achieve freedom and liberation enjoyed by us today. And reached out to Messinian community of Melbourne to find inspiration in the acts of greatness of our forbears to unite our collaborative efforts and our resources to also achieve greatness within our own community. He also took the opportunity to recite Rigas Feraios’ poem “Thourios” which was written before the Greek Revolution of 1821 but which provided inspiration to the Greek population to free themselves. He also recited the first verse of the “Hymn of Liberty” written by Dionysios Solomos in 1823 on the island of Zakynthos which would later become the National Anthem of Greece in 1865.

The official speeches were finished with a resounding
Zito I Kalamata
Zito I Ellas
Zito I Australia