Following the release of the Australia Day 2023 Honours List, Greek welfare provider PRONIA issued a statement congratulating their Patron Justice Emilios Kyrou for his appointment as Officer of the Order (AO).

“Today we (at PRONIA) also feel very proud to be associated with Hon Judge Emilios Kyrou, a truly inspirational figure of our community whose clear vision, mission and commitment to integrity and public service shines a light upon all of us,” said Pronia’s CEO, Tina Douvos-Stathopoulos.

“Mr. Kyrou’s generosity of spirit resonates with PRONIA’s purpose of community service. His award is a

big honour for PRONIA and our community.”

The Honourable Emilios Kyrou was awarded the AO for his distinguished service to the judiciary and to the law, to professional associations, and to the community.

Since accepting in 2014 PRONIA’s invitation to be their patron, Justice Kyrou has stood by the side of the organisation committed to advancing its work servicing the Greek Australian community.

“As an organisation, the society excels at making elderly Greek Australians feel welcome and cared for […] My generation, which has benefited immensely from the sacrifices of my parents’ generation, needs to do more to acknowledge our gratitude for those sacrifices and to actively promote the welfare of that generation,” Justice Kyrou has stated of his patronage.

Currently serving at Victoria’s Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Kyrou is also the Victorian Patron for the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association and had assisted with the launch of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association.

Among various appointments over the years, he has served as an inaugural member of the Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity, while awards and recognitions he received include the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour from the President of Greece in 2015.

The Supreme Court Judge is one of 11 Greek Australians awarded in the 2023 Australia Day Honours list.

In a statement to Neos Kosmos the Hon. Emilios Kyrou said he was “deeply honoured to receive the Officer of the Order of Australia award.”

“I regard it as an award not just for me but also for the organisations with which I am associated – including the Supreme Court of Victoria, the charity ‘Pronia’ and the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association – and their people.”

“I hope that the award inspires young people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities or with disadvantaged backgrounds not only to pursue their chosen careers but to excel. We are very fortunate that Australia provides genuine opportunities for advancement based on merit and hard work.”