March 7 marks a historic milestone for the Dodecanese, as the islands, after over six centuries of foreign rule, were officially united with Greece in 1948.
To honour the 77th anniversary of this significant event, the Dodecanese Federation of Australia held a commemorative ceremony on Sunday at the Axion Esti Monastery in Northcote, Melbourne.
Following the Divine Liturgy, officiated by Father Philippos, wreaths were laid at the “Unknown Soldier” memorial by Greek Consul General in Melbourne, Dimitra Georgantzoglou, Dodecanese Federation President Kyriaki (Kerry) Sourasi, and Leonidas Vlachakis, representing Bill Papastergiadis of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria. Additional wreaths were placed by Athanasios Baoustanos, Vice President of the Hellenic RSL, Steve Kyritsis, President of the Australian Hellenic Memorial, and Sevastí Tserou, representing the Kalymnian Brotherhood.
Evangelos Porfyris, President of the Panepirotic Union of Melbourne, also laid a wreath to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Ioannina.
A formal reception and luncheon followed in the monastery hall, where event master of ceremonies and President of the Kalymnian Brotherhood, Dimitris Tseros, invited Sourasi to welcome the Consul General and attendees.
Brief speeches were delivered by, Vlachakis, Baoustanos, Kyritsis, and George Verginis, who represented the Kastellorizian Association, which is celebrating its centenary this year.
During the reception, young musician Kat Hatzinikolaou, of Kos heritage, captivated attendees with violin performances. Hatzinikolaou, a dedicated music teacher, was praised for her contribution to the event.
Traditional dance groups from the Kalymnian and Koan Brotherhoods further enriched the celebrations with impressive performances.
Notably, young Kalymnian student Fotini Amparougia was honoured for her outstanding VCE achievements. The Consul General commended her success and encouraged her to preserve the Greek language.
The history of the Dodecanese Union with Greece
This year marks 77 years since the official unification of the Dodecanese with Greece on 7 March 1948. The islands had been under Italian rule since 1912, and their integration into Greece became possible after World War II and Italy’s defeat.
As a victorious Allied power, Greece sought the annexation of Northern Epirus, Cyprus, and the Dodecanese. Ultimately, only the Dodecanese were incorporated into Greece through the Peace Treaty signed between Greece and Italy in Paris on 10 February 1947. Under this agreement, the Dodecanese were ceded to Greece, and Italy was required to pay $105 million in reparations.
The formal handover ceremony took place in Rhodes on 31 March 1947 in a celebratory atmosphere. The first governor of the Dodecanese was Vice Admiral Periklis Ioannidis, and the official unification was proclaimed on 7 March 1948. By 1955, the Dodecanese had become an official Greek administrative region, with Rhodes as its capital.
According to Article 1 of Law No. 518, enacted by the Fourth Revisional Parliament of Greece: “The islands of the Dodecanese—Astypalaia, Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos, Kasos, Tilos, Nisyros, Kalymnos, Leros, Patmos, Lipsi, Symi, Kos, and Kastellorizo, as well as the adjacent islets—are annexed to the Greek State as of 28 October 1947.”
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