Greek Aussie advocate urges a heartfelt ‘Yes’ vote for Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM, the founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has taken to social media to call on Greeks to vote Yes in Saturday’s Referendum for a First Nations Voice to Parliament.

He told Neos Kosmos that it was “the right thing to do” and talked about Greeks “having a big heart.”

In the videos both in Greek and in English the human rights advocate references Neos Kosmos‘ editorial in support of the Yes”

As Greeks, we brought democracy to the world.

We know the power of a voice.

The right to speak in the agora.

We know the sense of belonging of having your topos or country.

The Aboriginals did not call us wogs.

The Aboriginals did not tell us to go back.

The Aboriginals share the same love of family, of parents, cousins, the c     community, and land.

As Greeks we have a big heart and we can fit everyone in, especially those that were here for 60,000 years.

It is their land, and it is our land, lets open our hearts, like Greeks.”

The message in Greek: 

To #Greek Australians in Greek on why to #VoteYES

As Greeks, we brought democracy to the world

We know the power of a voice – parrhesia

The right to speak in the agora

We know the sense of belonging of having your topos or country

Aboriginal people did not call us wogs

1/2 pic.twitter.com/EtVUoVZCOH

— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) October 11, 2023

The message in English:

And here it is in English too for Greek Australians on why to #VoteYES pic.twitter.com/LWWLe5aJXe

— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) October 11, 2023

The videos are both in Greek and in English, and Karapanagiotidis has done well in Greek, even though his mum tells Neos Kosmos “that he made a few mistakes but did well even though I didn’t send him to Greek school.”

She said that she could not believe that any Greeks would vote No in Saturday’s Referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

“When we first came to Australia in 1967 and lived in Footscray we feared for our lives from racist attacks, I remember one poor young migrant was beaten black and blue.

“Yet, Kon tells me that some Greeks will vote No, shame on them! How can they forget?”

Karapanagiotidis OAM is a human rights lawyer, social worker, philanthropist, and lay chef. He recently published a Greek vegetarian cookbook; ‘A Seat at My Table: Philoxenia’ and all income from sales goes to the ASRC.