On Tuesday, Margaritis Schinas, Vice President for the Promotion of the European Way of Life, commenced his visit to Australia with the aim of strengthening EU-Australia cooperation from a people-centric perspective, particularly in the areas of security, skills, innovation, and culture.
During a reception held in his honour at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, Mr Schinas had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the diaspora and engage in conversations with them.
A brief overview of Melbourne’s Hellenism was presented to Mr Schinas by the Consul General of Greece, Mr Emmanouil Kakavelakis, starting from the arrival of the Hydraian sailors and reaching the present day.
Mr Kakavelakis, highlighting the dynamism that characterises the diaspora, also emphasized the unity within the community.
The event was hosted by Spyros Alatsas, and Mr Schinas was welcomed with speeches by Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis and the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Vasilis Papastergiadis.
In his address, Mr. Schinas referred to his grandparents, mentioning that one immigrated to the United States and served in the U.S. Army before returning to Greece, while the other, Ionas, went to Thessaloniki after the Asia Minor Catastrophe.
“Sometimes I think about what they would say about me, their grandson, who is responsible for Migration in the European Union,” he said.
After praising Greece and its diaspora, Mr Schinas spoke about the change of the country’s page, highlighting remarkable progress stressing that “common ideals and values unite Europe with Australia, and nothing will separate them, not even… cheese!”
Later on the same day, he delivered a speech at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) and, in addition to the Hellenic Museum, visited the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. There, he had the opportunity to meet Holocaust survivors and members of the Jewish community.The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) also welcomed Vice President of the European Commission (EC), Mr Margaritis Schinas, on his first visit to the Greek Centre in what proved to be an informative display of the efforts achieved by Melbourne’s Hellenic diaspora.
Mr Schinas was afforded the chance to visit the Greek Centre, accompanied by Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis and the European Union Ambassador to Australia, Gabriele Visentin, where he was welcomed by various members of the GCM Board.
The EC Vice President’s official business in the country is to strengthen EU-Australia cooperation, with his mission being to promote the European way of life and the exploration of collaborative opportunities in areas such as cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and talent migration.
Taking a slight detour, Mr Schinas was able to tour the Greek Centre and get an overview of the GCM’s cultural and educational activities.
He thanked the various GCM representatives, including President Bill Papastergiadis OAM, for their warm hospitality, and said he was deeply impressed with the GCM’s 15 storey building, noting how it was a landmark globally for all Hellenes.
“Greeks in Melbourne have a deep and important presence. What you have achieved is significant and it is equally important that your work is supported by the Australian Government,” said Mr Schinas.
Mr Papastergiadis expressed gratitude for the EC Vice President’s visit and his commitment to strengthening EU-Australia cooperation.
He stressed the importance of preserving and celebrating Greek heritage in the diaspora and the evolution of the GCM, which has become a vibrant hub for Greek cultural expression with over 100 events annually.
“Melbourne is a truly cosmopolitan city and it is a leading example of how multiculturalism is supported so as to achieve societal outcomes,” the GCM President said.
“As part of your role in leading the “European Way of Living”, our work in Melbourne can and should be used as part of learnings on how different communities can come together and work cooperatively”.
Regarding Mr Schinas’ visit, Mr Kakavelakis mentioned “it’s a great honour that Mr. Schinas has visited Melbourne, and he can reflect our culture in the high-profile meetings with the Australian officials”.
The EC Vice President was presented a copy of the book on the history of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria from its foundation in 1897 to 1972, along with a community plaque to acknowledge his visit.
Mr Schinas had a short discussion with the author of the book, Mrs Harpantidou, and stated that “through those collective efforts we are underscoring the vital importance of safeguarding and celebrating Greek heritage within the diaspora, and we can move forward”.
Along with Mr Papastergiadis, Anthea Sidiropoulos (Vice President), Michael Karamitos (Vice President), Nick Koukouvitakis (Secretary), Vicki Kyritsis (Assistant Secretary), Dr Spiridoula Demetriou and Christos Sikavitsas from the GCM Board were also present.
Ms Sidiropoulos stated that “we appreciate Vice President Schinas’ vision and commitment to promote the European way of life globally and to focus on skill development, immigration & corporation” while Michael Karamitos also expressed his sincere gratitude for his visit.
Focusing on his official business, Mr Schinas also shed light on his overall mission in coming to Australia.
Drawing inspiration from the successes of Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, as highlighted in his recent article, Mr Schinas aims to foster a dynamic labour market within the European Union through what he terms the “EU talent pool”.
“The United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are ‘very powerful competitors who have straightforward avenues for third country nationals’ to immigrate and take up skilled professions, enriching their economies,” Mr Schinas said.
In the coming days, the EC Vice President will participate in a series of events/discussions with members of the Australian government and institutional representatives, engagements with members of the European-Australian Business Council to enhance skills and talent mobility, and members of the Greek diaspora.
From Wednesday to Thursday, while in Canberra he will also address the handling of information manipulation and interventions from abroad. The Vice President will also meet with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as members of mixed parliamentary committees on information and security, human rights, external affairs, defense, and trade.
On Friday, he will travel to Sydney, where he will visit the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator and participate in a roundtable discussion with members of the European-Australian Business Council. The discussion will focus on the European Commission’s recent initiatives to enhance skills and talent mobility. The Vice President will conclude his visit on Saturday, meeting the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and participating in the cultural diplomacy event “Europe in Australia” organised by the EU at the Sydney Opera House.
The event is dedicated to Maria Callas, celebrating 100 years of art and innovation.
