In the last days of the year, almost all of us become reflective. We try to see what went on and why, we attempt to count our successes and regret our failures, and we make an effort to set out new objectives for the New Year.
Neos Kosmos English edition is the result emanating from the successful tradition and history of the 56-year-old Greek editions of Neos Kosmos. In a different time and under different historical, political and social circumstances, the Greek edition of this newspaper managed to become a mirror and a voice for the entire Greek Australian community. Neos Kosmos was also one of the main voices and one of the leading protagonists of the emerging new political and cultural landscape of Australia in the last few decades. It was one of the major contributors to the nation building process of multiculturalism.
Now, in an era when the local, regional and national interaction is affected by global influence, Neos Kosmos English edition once again this year has played its important role in documenting individual and collective lives, lifestyles and events from a Greek Australian perspective.
A perspective accepting that our heritage originates from Greece, a country and its people that we deeply care for, admire and want to assist. Our everyday lives though, and our aspirations are shaped and take place in this vast, timeless and multicultural expanse of earth called Australia that we all call home.
We belong to the greater Hellenic historical and cultural tradition. Australians of Greek origin, though, mostly belong to this land that is still defined in many respects by its colonial Anglo Celtic heritage.
As the main Greek Australian voice in English, and as one of the leading ethnic community newspapers in Australia, this year Neos Kosmos English edition attempted to inform, analyse, entertain and educate by expanding the parameters of knowledge to its readers in this country and abroad. The newspaper attempts to be a representative and reflective mirror and voice for the entire community, which expresses itself in the arts, political and business world.
We wrote about our successes and our failures and remained true to our traditions and expectations of our readers. We pressed the Greek Australian perspective on a number of important issues. The impact of the Fels changes to the taxi industry in the state of Victoria, the dangers faced by Greek studies in the education system, the treatment by local authorities of crisis-hit Greek citizens requesting salvation in Australia. The never ending negotiations between the governments of our two countries for the working holiday visa, the retreat of multiculturalism in Australia before and especially after the September 7 federal election, the arrests and the trials of the extremist Golden Dawn party, the efforts of Greece to overcome its problems, the national issues of Greece. These and other were all treated with the seriousness and detail they deserved.
Australian, Greek, and Greek Australian issues, big and small, serious, funny, news, sport, recreation as well as lives and lifestyles were highlighted in 2013. We endeavoured, and to a large extent i think we succeeded, to track the ever evolving, dynamic faces of our community, of Australia and of Greece.
This is a never ending challenge and we can promise that when we meet again on January 4th 2014, Neos Kosmos will continue to do its very best to cover the needs and expectations of our readership and our community, both in print and online.
Neos Kosmos has been a publishing success story for well over half a century. It is a leading ethnic media brand recognised by readers, leaders, experts and the broader community. This has been achieved through the hard work of all those who have been involved with the newspaper throughout its history and primarily through the close association of this publication with the wider Greek Australian and multicultural Australian communities. Neos Kosmos aims to honour our history as we endeavour to meet the expectations of our ever growing readership. This relationship will also be strengthened in 2014 by having at our disposal and utilising all the means that the new electronic media and technological environment provides us with.