The annual parade for the Revolution of 1821 returned to the city of Melbourne after a three-year hiatus, on Sunday, 19 March with pride. The impressive parade began 1pm at Albert Park’s Lakeside Stadium. Greek Australians, officials and members of the clergy paid their respects, celebrating Greece’s National Day of Independence.
The parade is held at this venue after the decision by the custodians of the Shrine of Remembrance not to allow it to be held there due to incidents in the recent past by far-right activists against the former Syriza Greek government spokesperson George Varenos. They protested the Prespes Agreement in which the name North Macedonia was accepted as the official nomenclature for the jurisdiction north to Greece which had been a focus of conflict between Greece and its northern neighbour after the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s Balkan Wars.
Students and members of the community attended the customary Doxology for the National Palingenesia at St. Eustatius Cathedral, presided over by the Archbishop of Australia, Archbishop Makarios of Victoria.
Students won – again this year – the hearts and applause of proud parents and their ancestors who came down to the stadium to cheer on their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The special feature of this year’s parade as well was the strong participation of young people.
At the same time, congratulations are due to those who worked hard to organise the parade, especially our children who brought life and color to the celebration. And of course to the head of the Organising Committee, Tony Tsourdalakis and his colleagues.
Speaking to Neos Kosmos, Mr Tsourdalakis thanked the expatriates for their impressive turnout and all those who contributed to the success of the event under the new circumstances.
Participants told Neos Kosmos that they enjoyed it this year as they were had “a better view of the children parading” while they were “sat in the stands of the beautiful stadium” .
The parade began with a procession of the Dormition of the Theotokos, followed by the Greek, Cypriot and Australian flags held high and a recitation of the revolutionary oath sworn by the liberation leaders of 1821 at the monastery of Agia Lavra.
Drumming bands from Greek community schools marched in performance for the parades honorary opening. At the Lakeside Stadium Hall, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis held a reception for our national anniversary, attended by Australian and Greek Australian politicians, Archbishop of Australia Makarios, representatives of Greek Community, guests and dignitaries.
Some of the attendees complained about the lack of parking in the area and the “traffic jam” that inconvenienced them.
Members of Victoria and the Australian Federal Police, and State Ambulance, Fire and Emergency services personnel took part in the parade followed by delegations from over 60 community federations, organisations, schools and various other bodies of the Greek community.
Archbishop Makarios of Australia was in attendance, alongside State and Federal Governments.
ARRIVAL
The 1821 Banner of the Dormition of the Theotokos
The Greek, Australian & Cypriot Flags from students of St. Johns College
Liberation Leaders for the Revolution Oath on 1821 in Ag. Lavra
HONORARY OPENING
The drumming units of:
1. St. Johns Greek Orthodox College
2. Oakleigh Grammar School
3. Alphington Grammar School
OPENING
4. Victorian Police & Australian Federal Police
5. Victorian Ambulance, Firemen & State Emergency Services
EXSERVICE & ELDERLY ORGANISATIONS
6. Greek National Resistance Association of Melbourne
7. Greek Australian Ex-servicemen Association of Melbourne
8. Federation of Greek Elderly Associations.
EARLY LEARNING & SPECIAL ABILITIES
9. Alpha Children’s Centre
10. AGAPI Care Inc.
SCHOOLS GREEK COMMUNITY OF MELBOURNE & VICTORIA
11. Alphington Grammar School
12. Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language and Culture Schools
SCHOOLS OF THE PARISHES & INTERCOMMUNITIES OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE
13. St. John’s Greek Orthodox College
14. Dandenong Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St.Panteleimon’
15. Mentone Greek Orthodox Community ‘Oi Taxiarhes’
16. Oakleigh Grammar School
17. Oakleigh Greek Orthodox Parish ‘Sts. Anargiri GLC’
AETOLIAN COLLEGE OF HELLENIC LANGUAGE & CULTURE OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE
18. Ascot Vale Campus ‘St. Dimitrios’,
Brunswick Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St.Vasilios’
Coburg Greek Orthodox Parish ‘The Presentation of our Lord’
Fawkner Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Nektarios’
East Keilor Greek Orthodox Parish ‘Panagia Soumela’
Malvern Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Catherine’
Nunawading Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Andreas’
Richmond Greek Orthodox Parish ‘The Holy Trinity’
St. Albans Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Paraskevi’
Springvale Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Athanasios’
Thomastown Greek Orthodox Parish ‘The Transfiguration of our Lord’
Yarraville Greek Orthodox Parish ‘St. Nikolaos’
ASSOCIATION OF GREEK LANGUAGE & CULTURE SCHOOLS
19. Ahepa Greek School
20. Alpha Greek School
21. Nestoras Greek College
22. Panhellenic College
23. Zenon Education Centre
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
24. Omiros Greek College
25. Pythagoras Greek School
26. Pedia Greek School
27. Protypo Greek Centre
28. Pegasus Dance Academy
29. Lexi School of Modern Greek
STATE SCHOOLS
30. Victorian School of Languages
31. South Oakleigh Secondary College
FEDERATIONS
32. PanMacedonian Association of Melbourne & Victoria, Thessaloniki Association ‘The White Tower’
33. Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand, Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne, Pancretan Association of Melbourne
34. PanArcadian Federation of Victoria
35. Australian Federation of Pontian Associations, Central Pontian Association ‘Pontiaki Estia’, Pontian Community of Melbourne, Pontian Association ‘Euxenos Pontos’, Pontian Association of Whittlesea ‘Panagia Soumela’
36. Εpirotic Organisations of Australia Epirotic Federation of Oceania Panepirotic Federation of Australia
37. Dodecanesian Federation of Australia
38. Federation of Messinian Organisations of Victoria Kalamata Society ’23rd March’, Pantrifilian Association of Melbourne
39. Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria
ORGANISATIONS
40. Cyprus Communities of Melbourne & Victoria
41. Pammessinian Brotherhood of Melbourne ‘Papaflessas’
42. AHEPA Victoria.
43. Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne ‘Leonidas’
44. Australian Hellenic Organisation ‘Olympic Spirit’
45. National Union of Greek Australian Students
46. Pankalavrytini Brotherhood ‘Ag. Lavra’
47. Manasis School of Greek Dance & Culture
