Whales are a precious aspect throughout Greek mythology, and today, people from Athens to Adelaide have been protesting as part of Worldwide Anti-Whaling Day.
As a culture, we love the beach, we love going to the beach, and we don’t want to see that threatened.
Speaking ahead of the event, organiser Mary Verikios said she was expecting at least 50 Greek Australians to turn up in Melbourne to protest “the cruel and unnecessary slaughter of whales”.
“As a culture, we love the beach, we love going to the beach, and we don’t want to see that threatened,” she said.
The Worldwide Anti-Whaling Day website lists protests in over 50 cities worldwide, including Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane and Athens.
The use of social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have seen the word of these protests spread with rapid speed.
“People are so passionate, and the news of these protests has travelled very fast,” Ms Verikios said.
She said if whaling were to continue at current levels, it would have detrimental effects to not just whales, but other sea life.
“In 25 years’ time, we won’t have squid, can you imagine that?” she asked.
In 2007, the Greek government were one of several new signatories to the International Whaling Convention.
Earlier this year, the Australian government decided to take legal
action against Japan over its whale hunting.
Ms Verikios said this was a positive step, but that communities needed to continue to demand waters be protected, and whale sanctuaries to be put in place.
“Legal action could take years to achieve an outcome, but in the meantime, 1000 whales are being slaughtered,” she said.
Ms Verikios said she expected hundreds of “ordinary Australians” to turn up to the demonstrations.
“I’m really not a rallying kind of person,” she said.
“I just really love the sea.”