An afternoon filled with emotion and reflection marked the official launch of Anastasia Gessa-Liveriadis’s new historical autobiography, ‘Whispering to My Daughter’, held on Sunday at Alphington Grammar School’s Lyceum Lecture Hall.
Organised by the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS), with the support of Alphington Grammar, the event drew a large and distinguished crowd from Melbourne’s Greek community. Among the guests were the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Bill Papastergiadis OAM; Principal of Alphington Grammar, Dr Vivianne Nikou; President of the Communities and Parishes of the Archdiocese, Theo Tsourdalakis; former Northern Territory Health Minister, Peter Toyne; and other community leaders and representatives of organisations such as Oakleigh Grammar, AHEPA, and the Pan-Macedonian Union.
‘Whispering to My Daughter’ is Liveriadis’s third book and offers a poignant account of her personal and historical journey from war-torn Macedonia to her professional and community contributions in Australia. The narrative intertwines her experiences with key social and political developments in 20th-century Greece and Australia, making it both a personal memoir and a broader cultural testimony.
The event commenced with a welcome by Dr Vivianne Nikou, followed by an introduction from educator and AIMS Cultural Committee member, Dimitra Flessa.
Papastergiadis shared his personal connection to Liveriadis’ story, noting the parallels with his own mother’s journey to Australia in 1959—the same year as Liveriadis’s. He praised the author for overcoming language barriers and dedicating her life to community service and professional excellence.
A keynote address was delivered by Professor Anastasios Tamis, who spoke in both English and Greek, followed by a detailed presentation of the book by AIMS Secretary General and former Greek language academic, Panagiotis Gogidis. He highlighted key themes from the book, including the loss of Liveriadis’s mother in early childhood, the harsh conditions of World War II and the Civil War in her hometown of Ptolemaida, her educational journey in Athens, and her eventual migration to Melbourne.
The technical coordination of the event, including photo and audio presentations, was handled by Georgios Lioukas and Nikolaos Papaconstantinou, while the author’s daughter, Lisa, and Japanese academic Fay Savvaidis also contributed to the event’s organisation.
A moving highlight was the presence of Maria and Sotirios Sotiriou, two children dressed in traditional Amalia and Evzones costumes, representing the continuity of Greek heritage in the Diaspora.
In her speech, Liveriadis explained her motivation for writing the book: to leave a personal legacy for her daughter, Elizabeth, and to inspire others to share their stories of resilience. The memoir traces her career as a psychiatric health professional in Australia, where she gained recognition for her leadership and service in the 1970s through to the 1990s. She also made significant cultural contributions as a poet, writer, and active member of several Hellenic cultural organisations, including the Australian Hellenic Cultural League and EKEME.
The event concluded with a heartfelt thank-you from her daughter Lisa, and a reception generously hosted by IMS Vice President Christina Kotsifaki.
A bouquet was presented to the author by IMS Chairwoman, Theofani Karabatsas, in recognition of her life’s work and her ongoing contribution to Greek Australian cultural life.
