Of the 700 or so Greek community organisations in Victoria, the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) has become the first to make plans for its potential demise, bequeathing its assets to the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GOCMV) if it is dissolved.

The institute made the decision this week after its members unanimously voted to donate its double-storey property in Brunswick, its library books, archives and any funds remaining if the institute ever becomes dissolved.

President of the institute, Professor Anastasios Tamis, says the decision was necessary considering what has happened to other institutions without a dissolvement plan.

“It wasn’t just symbolic, it was an essential move on behalf of the institute,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“Some Greek Australian organisations have vanished and the properties (they held) are currently being disputed by the Australian government because there are no institutions to accept these properties.”

The institute has chosen to bequeath its property to the GOCMV as a way to ensure its assets contribute to the Greek community and its future needs.

“We believe this organisation, being democratic and cosmic (not ecclesiastic), totally neutral and secular, deserves our trust,” Professor Tamis says.

He says of the 700 or so organisations that still exist in Victoria, at least 350 of them would have property or considerable funds. He believes it’s time for them to accept that the organisation might not live forever and decide where its assets should be divided.

“They’re in denial,” Professor Tamis says.

“They don’t realise that they are in the process of decay.

“We have to invest our trust in the second, third and fourth generation of young Greeks in order to give them the flag that we have carried the last 50 or so years.”

Leading by example, the institute hopes that other organisations will be inspired to ask their members for input on where they would like to see the assets directed.

As an academic, he hopes to see Greek schools and cultural programs benefit.

“It should be given to Greek cultural entities and educational institutions to promote the history and the legacy of the Hellenic culture of Australia,” Professor Tamis believes.

“We owe this to the younger generation and the incoming fourth generation.”