A historic agreement has been reached between NUGAS Victoria and the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM).
The agreement, which allows members of NUGAS Victoria to become automatic members of the GCM, is reflective of the Community’s ‘open door’ policy.
“Today marks a watershed moment for the Greek Community of Melbourne,” said GCM president Bill Papastergiadis, who claims this agreement will further unify the organisations.
“It will allow for greater collaboration and foster the development of the future leaders in our community,” he said.
The agreement was officially announced yesterday during a meeting of the president of NUGAS Victoria, Tass Sgardelis, with a delegation of the newly-elected board of management, consisting of president Bill Papastergiadis, general secretary Costas Markos and directors Phillip Vassiliadis and Angela Georgalis.
The agreement is the result of discussions between the two organisations which took place over the last couple of years, through a mutual desire to further strengthen their relationship.
“I think it is very important for Greek Australian youth to get involved with the Greek Community and be aware of what is happening within the Community. We discussed at committee level the different ways to become actively involved and to work as partners and not work in isolation. We believe that the Greek Community is the most significant Greek organisation in Melbourne and we wish to work more closely in the future,” Mr Sgardelis said.
GCM board member and former member of NUGAS Phillip Vassiliadis noted that with the completion of the Greek Centre, NUGAS must be engaged in more ways than simply using the building.
“I was involved with NUGAS during my student years and then for a number of years I was not involved in any community organisations before I joined the GCM board,” said Mr Vassiliadis. He further noted that “such initiatives from Tass and the NUGAS board aim at bringing the Greek Community of Melbourne and NUGAS closer”.
“Members can now actively participate in both organisations with the view that when they finish university and start their professional careers they can maintain engagement with the Greek Community, and I firmly believe that becoming members of the GCM is the best way to achieve this.”
The importance of becoming a member of the Greek Community was underlined by newly-elected board member Angela Georgalis.
“After university I felt some disconnection from the Greek community because I was not involved and I believe that there is now a way for me and young students and the younger Greek community to have a connection via the GCM. I think this way it will keep everyone in touch.”
Costas Markos, GCM general secretary, described the agreement as a natural development, as NUGAS has been housed in the GCM building for more than 30 years.
“It is a natural development for our students to become members of the Greek Community. This provides an opportunity for young people to engage with our organisation but also with the broader Greek community. We believe that with the continuation of the GCM programs and with the introduction of new initiatives the GCM will attract in the very near future young Greek Australian to positions of leadership.”
He also underlined the fact that for the first time all the members of the GCM board of directors were born in Australia. “This is a tremendous achievement,” he noted in conclusion.