The recent development regarding the Macedonian issue could not leave the Pan-Macedonian Association of New South Wales unaffected. The organisation, which represents the Macedonian Hellenic community of the state, has called two meetings recently, with the participation of delegates from all member associations, in order to plan out a course of action in defence of the Hellenic identity and heritage of Macedonia. Favouring a “united approach, with a single show of support” as being the correct course of action, the participants decided, as a first step, to draft an open letter to ghe Hellenic Government, signed by the Presidents of the community associations with their seals.

“The protection of Macedonia’s Hellenic identity and heritage, and the defence of the territorial integrity of the Hellenic Republic are the concern of every Hellene,” reads the statement, “be they from Macedonia, Thrace, the Aegean Islands, Crete or Athens.”

The meetings were attended by delegates from all participating associations, most notably: Imathias Association “Vermion”; Greek Macedonian Brotherhood of Florina “Amyntas III”; Chalkidiki Brotherhood “Aristotellis”; Kozani prefecture “O Lazanis”; Pella Prefecture Philanthropic Association Edessa; Macedonian Brotherhood of Newcastle and District Pavlos Melas; Pan Macedonian Brotherhood “Alexander the Great”; Pontian Benevolent Brotherhood “Pontoxeniteas”; Pan Pontian United “The Virgin Soumela”; Kilkis Brotherhood Prefecture; Serres Society “Pan Serraikos”; Greek Macedonian Brotherhood of Wollongong Captain Kottas; Thessaloniki and environs Association “Ayios Demetrios”.

Also in attendance were the President of the Federation of Pontian Associations, Peter Papoulidis and the Australian Hellenic Educators’ Association President Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, among others.