The Annual General Assembly for 2023 of the Food For Thought Network (FFTN) took place on Sunday, November 26. Conducted online via the Zoom platform, the GA highlighted the extensive reach of the network, attracting an audience from Australia, Europe, and America.
In addition to updates, analyses, and descriptions of the Network’s future plans, the Annual General Assembly underscored FFTN’s steadfast commitment to empower and connect Greek women globally.
The proceedings began with the declaration by Maria Makri, Vice President of FFTN, and immediately after, Treasurer Georgia Pernitzi presented the financial report for 2023, stressing the Network’s dedication to transparency.
Municipal councilor and former mayor of Merri-Bek, Angeliki Panopoulou, spoke about the prospects of the next generation of Greeks in Melbourne.
Then founder and president of FFTN Varbara Athanasiou-Ioannou, took the floor reflecting on the Network’s highlights from the past year.
She mentioned events in collaboration with other community organisations, seminars, and workshops that contributed to the community’s well-being.
She also highlighted the ambitious project of documenting personal stories titled ‘The Unsung Heroines Oral History Project.’
Highlighting FFTN’s global initiatives, Ms Athanasiou-Ioannou referred to the global impact of the book ‘Her Voice, Greek Women and Their Friends’ and the Facebook page ‘Greek Women and Their Friends Global Forum.’
This success prompted FFTN to organise the groundbreaking ‘Women and Hellenism: Connecting and Empowering Greek Women Worldwide’ conference in Ioannina from September 2-6, 2024.
FFTN welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors: Maria Kampyli, Dorothy Hatzopoulou, and Christina Roma. All three are modern Greek women who immigrated to Australia during the economic crisis.
The highlight of the Annual General Assembly was the guest speaker, Konstantinos (Dean) Kotsianis, introduced by Professor Vaso Apostolopoulos, FFTN’s patron.
Kotsianis, a recent graduate in Medicine and the creator of the Greek Youth Generator (GYG), shared a brief chronicle of his community involvement.
He emphasised the importance of persistence, turning ideas into reality, and preserving Greek heritage.
Dioni Kladi, Secretary of GYG, discussed the organisation’s events and vision for the next 5-10 years.
Additionally, municipal councilor Angeliki Panopoulou, former mayor of Merri-Bek, spoke about the prospects of the next generation of Greeks in Melbourne.
For more information about FFTN and its initiatives, visit the website www.fftn.org.au as FFTN continues to lead in empowering, connecting, and preserving Greek culture worldwide.
Find the conference participation registration here.
Access the speech submission form for the conference here.
