A delegation from the Greek Parliament visited the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOC) last week for a meeting focused on the cultural and educational needs of the Greek diaspora.
The four-member delegation, led by members of parliament Stavros Keletsis, Athanasios Papathanasis, Stefanos Parastatidis, and Miltiadis Zamparas, was accompanied by the consul general of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by the President of the GOC, Harry Danalis, at the community’s offices in Lakemba.
In his address, Danalis highlighted the wide range of services and programs offered by the Community, which include the Greek Festival, Greek Film Festival, Greek afternoon schools, an Aged Care Home, social welfare services, three childcare centres, and three churches; initiatives that play a vital role in supporting the Greek diaspora in the region.
The meeting focused on critical issues facing the community, with a particular emphasis on the preservation of Greek culture and language.
Topics discussed included the need for further educational support, such as sending teachers from Greece, as well as proposals to bring theatrical groups from Greece to participate in the Greek Festival.
The delegation expressed strong support for the continued efforts of the Greek Orthodox Community to sustain Greek traditions and culture in Australia and assured that the issues raised during the discussion would be presented in the Greek Parliament for further consideration, strengthening the relationship between Greece and the Greek community in New South Wales.
