The Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) has invited Dr. Constantinos Hatzidimitriou, an esteemed scholar holding a doctorate in Byzantine, Ottoman, and Modern Greek history from Columbia University, and the recipient of the 2023 Christos Mantzios Visiting Scholar Award to elaborate on the role of Eleftherios Venizelos in the Asia Minor Campaign, as recorded through the American Archives.
Dr. Hatzidimitriou will engage in academic activities during his visit to Melbourne and Sydney from October 19 to 28 delving into the role of America in the 1821 Revolution and Christianity in Asia Minor.
A specialist in Asia Minor history, Dr. Hatzidimitriou is also affiliated with the American Hellenic Institute & St. John’s University in New York. He has authored numerous books and articles, with ongoing projects related to Philhellenes during the Greek Revolution and Central Greece during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
To facilitate his visit, AIMS collaborates with various organisations, including the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GOCMV), Alphington Grammar School, the Branch of the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos,” the Cultural Centre Palamas of the AHEPA, the Greek Community of Sydney and NSW, the Sydney Greek Festival, the Hellenic Club of Canberra, and benefactor Kostas Tsoulias.
During their stay, Dr. Constantinos and his wife Peggy Hatzidimitriou will partake in diverse activities, such as visiting cultural sites, seminars, and social gatherings, including the Greek Film Festival.
On Monday, October 23: Dr. Hatzidimitriou will conduct a seminar at the Lyceum Theatre of Alphington Grammar on “The Role of Eleftherios Venizelos in the Asia Minor Expedition and its Outcome,” with insights from historian Terry Stavridis and moderation by Prof. Anastasios M. Tamis.
On Wednesday, October 25: A public lecture titled “Understanding Two Important Commemorations: America’s Involvement in the Greek Revolution of 1821 and the Smyrna Catastrophe of 1922” will be presented at the Lyceum Theatre of Alphington Grammar, targeting Year Levels 10 and 11 students.
On Friday, October 27: Dr. Hatzidimitriou will deliver a lecture at the Lyceum Theatre of Alphington Grammar, exploring “Who Destructed Christianity in Asia Minor,” aimed at students, teachers, and the general public.
On Sunday, October 29: A public lecture with the same theme as the October 25 event will be held at the hall of the Greek Community of Sydney and NSW in Lakemba, organised by the GOCNSW and the AHEPA.
On Monday, October 30: Dr. Hatzidimitriou will conduct a seminar at the University of Sydney, organized by the Department of Modern Greek Studies, focusing on “The Role of Eleftherios Venizelos in the Asia Minor Expedition and its Outcome.”
On Wednesday, November 1: The final public lecture on the same topic will be presented at the Alexander Theatre of the Hellenic Club in Canberra.
