Bill Papastergiadis delivered the Hellenic Australian Lawyers (HAL) annual oration in Adelaide. The annual HAL Oration is in commemoration of the life and contribution of the late Honourable Justice John William Perry – the first Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia with a Greek background.
Mr Papastergiadis OAM is a managing partner at Moray & Agnew and the president of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Victoria (GCM).
The lawyer and GCM president’s oration, ‘Unification of Greek Communities and its Importance to Maintaining Hellenism in Australia for Future Generation’ was optimistic when laying out the future of Hellenism in Australia.
He emphasised how “numerous organisations in Melbourne play a vital role in the successes of Melbourne’s multicultural community.”
Mr Papastergiadis stressed Greece’s continued dialogue with the Diaspora from the Hellenic government as “key to cultural survival and growth.”
“The idea of a ‘homeland’ in the Diaspora has changed with the passing of generations. The prevailing attitude is no longer nostalgic, filled with a melancholy sense of loss, but rather, there is now a growing sense of vitality and energy that comes from the Diaspora, that needs to be tapped into and Greece must continue to open itself to the rest of the world and adopt a pluralistic and multicultural view of itself which is one of the key benefits and learnings we gained living in the Diaspora.”
He went on to highlight various initiatives by the GOCMV aimed at being relevant to the “next generation of Greek Australians.”
He said that many of the new members also come from mixed marriages and partnerships, of “Greek Australians and non-Greek Australians” and hailed that as a success of multiculturalism.
The initiatives include a “significant infrastructure programs such as the construction of the fifteen-storey cultural centre, and new building works to Alphington Grammar.”
Mr Papastergiadis also talked of educational initiatives such as “more afternoon schools, and involvement at a tertiary level through Melbourne University and the Chair for Global Hellenic Diaspora.”
He mentioned the return of the “highly successful Antipodes festival and the unveiling of a Parthenon Sculptures replica at the Greek Centre in Lonsdale Street,” and agreements between state, federal and Hellenic governments, that “paved the way for outcomes such as the bilateral tourist working visa agreement and the negotiations on the double taxation agreement.”
“These activities allow us to build connections and demonstrates our commitment to engaging with others and addressing issues that are relevant to our internal and wider community interests.”
“Developing trust and demonstrating relevance to this new generation will be vital to our survival,” Mr Papastergiadis said.
Other attendees at the HAL annual oration included Nikolaos Chardalias the Deputy Defence Minister of Greece, Vice Admiral Efthymios Mikros, with the consent of Her Excellency Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the Hellenic Republic (accompanied by the Presidential Guard of the Hellenic Republic), George Psiachas Head of Mission at the Greek Consulate of South Australia, and South Australian parliamentarians such as, Tom Koutsantonis the South Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Energy.
HAL Co-Chair Peter Tantalos after the oration by Mr Papastergiadis said that “events such as these, and with leaders like Bill Papastergiadis” who champion Hellenism and chart a “path forward, we can ensure that the Greek Diaspora maintain their cultural spirit and actively engage with their communities to ensure the preservation of Hellenism for future generations.”
The Hellenic Australian Lawyers (HAL) provides opportunities for Hellenes and philhellenes to engage in a professional environment that celebrates Hellenic ideals, philosophy, law, and culture, while also advancing cultural harmony and diversity in the Australian legal profession.
