The blue-and-white-festooned Greek Club ballroom in Brisbane played host to a host of dignitaries who had come to celebrate the 200th Year of Greek Independence recently.

The special guests included Queensland Governor Paul de Jersey, Premier Annstacia Palascsuk, Chief Justice Catherine Holmes AC and Martha Mavrommati, the High Commissioner of Cyprus.

The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Cr Adrian Schrinner and his wife, Nina, attended with Justice Anthe Philippides and leader of the opposition David Crisafuli were there along with representatives of the Church, the armed forces and Greek community leaders.

The evening began with a speech by the Honorary Consul of Greece in Queensland, Jim Raptis OBE who said that Brisbane was holding the celebrations of Greece’s Bicentenary were on behalf of all Greece where the celebrations would have been muted because of COVID-19 restrictions.

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His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey is welcomed by Jim Raptis OBE, Honorary Consul of Greece in Queensland and his wife Helen Raptis. Photos: John Carras

Fr Romanos, from left, with Fr Dimitri, Fr Evangelildis and Fr Stavros Karvelos as they officiate in the Trisagion Service before the laying of the wreaths. Photo: John Carras

Chris Kazonis, the former president of the Greek Community of St. George and organiser of the Brisbane Paniyiri for the past 20 years speaks to the Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner, about the next Paniyiri. Photo: John Carras

The Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey delivers his speech in Brisbane. Photo: John Carras.

Jim Raptis addresses the guests in Brisbane. Photo: John Carras

Two of the people at the event in traditional Greek costumes. Photo: John Carras

The premier of Queensland, Anastasia Palaczuk, speaks in the Ballroom of the Greek Club in Brisbane. Photo: John Carras

The Master of Ceremonies for the event, Bico Athanasas introduced Dr Dimitri Kopanakis who sang the national anthems of Greece and Australia. The governor addressed the crowd and together with Mr Raptis, he toasted the people present at the event.

Two video presentations prepared by Mr Raptis’ team reflected first on the War of Independence and then on Greece’s progress in the 200 years since independence.

Many important Brisbane landmarks, including the Story Bridge, the Victoria Bridge, Qld Performing Arts Centre, Parliament House, City Hall and the Treasury Hotel, were lit with the blue and white colours of the Greek flag.

A week later, the Greek community of Townsville invited Mr Raptis to a wreathlaying ceremony at the Cenotaph at Anzac Park after the Sunday liturgy. Dignitaries attending included Deputy Mayor Cr Mark Molachino, Federal MP for Herbert Phillip Thompson OAM, Peter Millios, Scott Stewart, the MEP for Townsville, Rev Alexios Kapandritis, Nick Mihalis, the president of the Townsville Greek community and Kosta Christofides, the president of the Burdekin Greek Community.