The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) commemorated Greek National Day last Friday with a dinner dance at the Panarcadian Association Hall.
Bringing together members of the Greek community, leaders and public figures, the event was designed to not only honour Greek National Day but also to celebrate the Hellenes that have given back to Melbourne.
Guest speakers included Federal Minister Bill Shorten, Federal member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou, Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs Nick Staikos, state MP Kat Theophanous, Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne Nicholas Reece and the visiting Greek Deputy Minister for the Interior Theodors Livianos.
GCM President Bill Papastergiadis shared his appreciation for the support of the attendees while also speaking on the importance of maintaining Greek culture.
“This event, is not just a celebration, but also a symbol of the enduring strength and unity of our community,” he said in a media release.
“It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving cultural heritage, nurturing community ties, and passing down traditions to the generations to come.”
Papastergiadis continued on the importance of Greek Independence Day, a reminder of our collective history, marking the journey from oppression to freedom and the sacrifices made along the way.
“It symbolises the triumph of democracy, liberty, and the enduring spirit of our homeland. This commemoration also sheds light on the road that lies ahead, reminding us of the challenges we still face and the importance of remaining vigilant in safeguarding our hard-won freedoms. As we honour the struggles of the past, we are inspired to continue working towards a future marked by progress, unity, and prosperity for all.”
The event featured a program anchored by Melbourne band Anagenisi and the GCM’s dance group.
It was the latter that provided one of the highlights of the evening with their dance and songs from all parts of Greece dressed in traditional costumes.
“We feel honoured to showcase the dances of the Sarakatsan nomads of Greece, Nick Papefthimiou, the leader of the GCM Dance Group said.
“Among these dances, the stavroto holds particular significance as it pays homage to blood-brother relationships.
He said attendee also had the chance to glimpse into fading vocal traditions—songs seldom performed by musicians and unaccompanied by instrumentation.
“These melodies, unique to their villages, are sadly fading as older generations gradually depart.”
One guest also got the chance to win a trip to Greece in a raffle.
Many of the guest speakers had some words to share about the significance of Greeks in Australia.
Minister Vamvakinou said she recalled learning about March 25 at Greek school as a child, as an important marker in the nation building of the modern Greek state.
She reiterated the contribution that Greeks have then gone on to make in the building of Australia.
Bill Shorten brought greetings from the prime minister and spoke about growing up alongside Greeks in Oakleigh.
He said Melbourne “is a city dominated by reminders of the cultural, economic and religious influence of Greek migrants.”
With mention of examples being the “Holy Church of the Annunciation … the first exclusively Greek speaking Greek Orthodox church in Australia.”
He went on to talk about the impact of Greeks in Australian football noting, “if you look at our own Australian football code, there are names like Demetriou, Koutafides, Georgiou and of course that very common Greek name Richards – which I do understand is descended from the Panamopoulos family.”
Victorian MP Nick Staikos acknowledged the other commemorations, the 100 years since genocide last year and the 50 years since the invasion of Cyprus this year.
He commended Kat Theophanous standing up in Parliament last year to talk about the Cyprus issue.
Theophanous then said Greek Independence Day is so incredibly important to Greek heritage and also to the wider community in Melbourne.
“It’s when we pay our respect to those who fought for Greece’s freedom, for the return of democracy and our right to practice our own culture and honour our own heritage.”
“It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the importance of democracy itself and to reflect on its fragility and our responsibility to protect it.”
War was a continuous theme, with Cr Nicholas Reece noting how important Greece is to the Australian story in particular through war.
On this point he spoke of the memorial to fallen ANZACS that he found in Sfakia on a recent family visit noting that it had been somewhat dishevelled.
He was proud to report that it had been very recently repaired and spruced up and now stands as a suitable memorial to the fallen Australian and Greeks of World War II.
Greek Deputy Minister for the Interior Theodors Livianos echoed the war sentiment, talking about the importance of the Greek and Australian friendship and sacrifice during both World Wars.
On the topic of Greek independence, he said the following.
“If there is one lesson, we can learn from that revolution it’s that when the Greeks remained united, we had major victories against the empire. When we are united, the sky is the limit.”