An inaugural youth forum – organised by the Peloponnesian Confederation – attracted a strong number of second and third generation Greek Australians who spoke freely and honestly about the future of Hellenism in Australia and its relevance in Australian society.
The youth were divided into six groups and were asked to address four themes: vision – what is your vision for the next 50-60 years, in the context of the relevance of Hellenism in Australian society; engagement – how can we engage the second, third and fourth generations effectively; contribution – what further contributions can Hellenism make to Australian society; bridge – what role can Greek Australian organisations play to help bridge the gap between generations; and the future – what would you like to see happen after this forum? eg formation of working committees to explore initiatives.
Many of the youth vocalised a variety of concerns and ways that we could enhance Hellenism in today’s society. Some of them included being more involved in the Greek language; ensuring parents promote Hellenism in their children; Greek clubs and organisations being more active and allowing the youth to get involved, and creating relevant youth functions via social media.
At the end of the forum, the youth decided to form a working party of thirteen people to purse the outcomes of the youth forum.
Some senior members of the Greek community attended the youth forum to see what the next generation had to say about the future of Hellenism and felt that it was alive and well dictated by the enthusiasm displayed by the youth and attendance.
Chris Paikopoulos, who represented the Peloponnesian Confederation addressed the crowd on the day and spoke passionately about the youth forum being close to his heart and that of the confederation. He also expressed his faith in the youth of today in making the right decisions for the future of Hellenism. Guest speaker Peter Adamis, spoke of his experiences in the Greek community and told the youth what was needed to be a strong leader in promoting the message of Hellenism.
George Lekakis, CEO of Fronditha introduced and facilitated the workshops on the day. He addressed the crowd with his own personal experiences of growing up Greek in Brunswick.
The conclusion of the forum was to have a strategic plan and energy and good leadership to ensure the survival of Hellenism in today’s society.
For more information or if you’d like to join the youth forum visit www.facebook.com/groups/361677640521040