This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Melbourne/Thessaloniki Sister City Relationship.
It was on March 19, 1984 when the Mayor of Thessaloniki Theocharis Manavis, visited the City of Melbourne offices and signed the MOU officially declaring the sister city relationship.
Manavis was accompanied by his wife, the deputy mayor and four other councillors from the city of Thessaloniki, and a representative of both the Thessaloniki International Fair as well as the chamber of commerce.
The lord mayor of Melbourne at the time was Kevin Chamberlin.
The MOU read in part, “The relationship was created in pursuit of the mutual goals of strengthening international friendship and understanding. The two cities have much in common in terms of population and geopolitical importance and share the same aspirations and hopes for the future.”
“Further, the citizens of Australia and Greece who have shared so much in times of war and peace, are already bonded together in friendship, co-operation and understanding.”
Sister city relationships traditionally are about fostering these bonds between the two cities and encouraging and striving to develop mutual exchanges and co-operation in various forms in such fields as commerce, industry, education and culture.
This relationship was initiated and supported by the City of Melbourne, the Victoria State Government and the local Greek community.
A citizens committee was formed chaired by Chamberlin and comprising of Acting Consul General of Greece I Georgiadis, City of Melbourne councillor E J Beacham, D Dollis from the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs, C Kosmidis from the Thessaloniki Association, M Mangonis from the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, community member V Morris, G Sheppard from the Ethnic Affairs Commission, State Government MP T Sidiropoulos, T Sioumis from the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria, Victorian Trades Hall Council’s A Vella, Cr N P Zervos, City of Melbourne councillor N P Zervos and M Drew from the City of Melbourne.
The role of this committee was to assist in the establishment of the relationship, to arrange for the city of Thessaloniki delegation to visit Melbourne, to organise and promote the celebratory events and to plan future activities.
Working at the Ethnic Affairs Commission at the time as its publicity and public relations officer, I was entrusted with the role of producer of the “CONCERT – Celebrating the Friendship City Relationship between Melbourne and Thessaloniki” at the Melbourne Concert Hall on March 20, 1984.
The concert was a showcase of both traditional and modern songs and dances.
Tassos Ioannides was the musical director/conductor with his brother Christos composing a special overture for the night “Taxidi”.
Singers on the night included George Malliaros, Rena Hatzilepou, Sandy Kallinikos and Michael Kyrios.
There was also participation by the Olympia Dance Theatre, the Australian Children’s Choir and the Dance Factory.
In his speech Minister for Ethnic Affairs Peter Spyker said, “The twinning of Melbourne and Thessaloniki is an historic occasion and an official recognition of the contribution made by the people of Greek origin to the social and economic development of this state.”
Mayor Chamberlin continued by saying, “The City of Melbourne is looking forward to the positive benefits which will flow from the mutual exchange and co-operation inherent in our new friendship city relationship.”
“I believe that through such exchange and co-operation can come mutual trust, friendship and understanding, on both a personal and civic level, and the foundations for greater international harmony.”
Mayor of Thessaloniki Theocharis Manavis followed by saying, “This sister city relationship will create the conditions for the development and tightening of the links and the co-operation between their citizens, within the frames of the traditional friendship relationship and co-operation of the people of Australia and Greece.”
Since 1984 there have been several delegations from Thessaloniki visit Melbourne and vice versa.
Apart from the COVID years, there have been many events celebrating the link between our two great cities and communities, such as art exhibitions, book launches, lectures, dinners, student visits and of course the annual festival at Federation Square.
Melbourne’s Thessaloniki Association has been instrumental in organising these events under its auspice, with the support of the City of Melbourne.
Personally, I was involved with the Thessaloniki Association as an executive member and then as its vice president from 2009 until 2016.
We hosted two delegations during that time – one for the 25th anniversary and the other for the 30th anniversary.
Both delegations met with both councillors and council officers as well as many Greek organisations.
One of the many projects undertaken by the Thessaloniki Association to celebrate the relationship was the “White Tower Melbourne Project”.
This multi-faceted community project brought together members of the Thessaloniki and wider community to create a scaled replica of the White Tower, Thessaloniki’s most famous landmark.
The replica comprised thousands of crocheted white flowers (laurels), representing the national flower of Greece, the emblem of prosperity and fame.
These flowers were crocheted by members of the Greek and broader Australian communities.
There was also participation from people in Athens and Thessaloniki.
I was overwhelmed and had not anticipated such a positive response.
The Thessaloniki Association has always supported these initiatives and has been keen to find new ways to re-vitalise awareness of the link between Thessaloniki and Melbourne.
As the president of Sister Cities Australia, I am familiar with the various ways in which other sister city relationships operate.
I have been very impressed with the Japanese model.
Japan has 108 active sister city relationships across Australia.
They have a dedicated office in Sydney, whereby young Japanese graduates come to Australia and assist local councils organise and promote these relationships.
They run the Exchange and Teaching Program, facilitate international economic exchange, and promote all sister city activities.
Melbourne hosts the largest Greek speaking population outside of Europe. It was appropriate therefore that it have a strong and vibrant sister city relationship with a suitable Greek partner.
Thessaloniki became the first European sister city to Melbourne.
Over the years this relationship has strengthened the very close bonds which already existed between Australia and Greece and has created an ideal cultural bridge between our two magnificent cities.
Forty years on, let’s all take the opportunity to celebrate this amazing connection.
I look forward to the many events which will hopefully be organized during the year to celebrate such an exceptional milestone.
On behalf of Sister Cities Australia, I would like to take this opportunity to wish the city of Melbourne and the city of Thessaloniki all the very best for a most successful 40th Anniversary Celebration.