The Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria, gathered to celebrate the new year on Wednesday and cut the Vasilopita in a private event at Ladadika in Northcote.

To be more precise, there was not one, but three Vasilopites offered while the members of the Federation officially put a challenging 2021 behind them in an atmosphere of friendship, womanhood and multiculturalism.

The large Vasilopita in the middle was made by one of the ladies, Anastasia Papaioannou. It was a lovely traditional handmade Vasilopita with a coin and the year 2022 on top of it.

Invited guests were all the Hellenic Women’s member groups who all wore gold halos and sang a traditional song with lyrics of ‘πάει ο παλιός ο χρόνος’ και ‘καλή χρόνια, χαρούμενη χρήση πρωτοχρονιά’.

Other invited guests in the photo from left to right: Lina Hussein – Victorian Arabic Social Services; Kris Pavlidis – Pronia; Sofia Mastoris OAM – President; Mary Lalios – former Whittlesea Mayor; Leilla Alloush – CEO Victorian Arabic Social Services; Kat Theophanous MP – state member for Northcote; Cr Emily Dimitriadis – Darebin Councillor; Ange Kenos JP – Former Moonee Valley councillor

The ladies from Victorian Arabic Social Services wished everyone ‘χρόνια πολλα’ in Greek and presented Sofia Mastoris OAM, President of the Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria with flowers.

“Women are the flowers of the world and it is lovely to celebrate and share our Greek traditions by cutting the Vasilopita. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year,” Ms Mastoris OAM said welcoming everyone in the sharing of traditions.