The broader Greek Community of Melbourne will gather to commemorate Greek National Day tomorrow with the annual parade at the Shrine of Remembrance. Thousands of students of all ages are expected to take part and salute the heroes of the 1821 uprising against the Ottoman Empire and will re-affirm their commitment to preserving Greek history and the Greek Orthodox tradition in Australia.

More than 60 community schools and organisation are programmed to take part in the parade, which will be attended by the political leadership of Australia and of the state of Victoria together with the leadership of the Greek Orthodox Church and the diplomatic delegation of the Hellenic Republic in Australia, among them newly-appointed Greek Ambassador Aikaterini Xagorari.

Schools, parents and officials will pay their respects to the heroes involved in the uprising against the Ottoman Empire on March 25 1821, marking the day that Greece was liberated from 400 years of Turkish occupation. The parade will officially commence at 12.30 pm, with participants required to assemble by noon.

The program for the day is as follows:
12.15 pm: Officials arrive and take their positions at the steps of the Shrine
12.30pm: Parade commences
1.30 pm: Officials proceed to the Eternal Flame. Memorial Service. Wreath-laying and speeches.
2.00 pm: Commemoration concludes with Greek and Australian national anthems.
Schools and community organisations will march in the following order:
Panmacedonian Association of Melbourne & Victoria Inc.
Greek National Resistance Fighters’ League of Melbourne & Victoria
Alpha Children’s Centre
Kalimera Kids

SCHOOLS

Greek Orthodox Community of Melb. & Victoria Alphington Grammar School
Greek Orthodox Community of Melb. & Victoria Afternoon & Saturday Schools

FEDERATION OF GREEK COMMUNITIES

Greek Orthodox Community of St Albans
Greek Orthodox Community of Clayton

SCHOOLS OF ASSOCIATION OF GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES & PARISHES OF MELBOURNE & VICTORIA

St John’s Greek Orthodox College
St John’s Greek Orthodox College Saturday School
Ascot Vale Greek Orthodox Parish
Bentleigh Greek Orthodox Parish
Box Hill Greek Orthodox Community
Brunswick Greek Orthodox Parish
Coburg Greek Orthodox Parish
Dandenong Greek Orthodox Community
Fawkner Greek Orthodox Parish
Oakleigh Grammar
Oakleigh Grammar Saturday School
Hobsons Bay/Altona Greek Orthodox Community
Keilor Greek Orthodox Parish
Malvern Greek Orthodox Parish
Mentone Greek Orthodox Community
Nunawading-Forest Hill Greek Orthodox Parish
Richmond Greek Orthodox Parish
Saint Albans Greek Orthodox Parish
Springvale Greek Orthodox Parish
Thomastown Greek Orthodox Parish
Yarraville Greek Orthodox Parish

SCHOOLS OF OTHER ORGANISATIONS

Pegasus Dance Academy
Panhellenic College

EDUCATION COMM. OF GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOLS & CULTURE

‘Ariston’ Greek School
Greek School ‘Aristotelis’
AHEPA Greek School
Zenon Education Centre
Nestoras College
Mavragani Greek Language School
‘Protypo’ Greek Centre
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
Omiros College
Greek School ‘Pythagoras’
Pedia Greek School

STATE SCHOOLS
Victorian School of Languages
Clarinda Primary School
South Oakleigh Secondary College

FEDERATIONS OF GREEK ORGANISATIONS

S.E.K.A.
Cyprus Community of Melbourne & Victoria
Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand
Αchaian Federation of Melbourne & Victoria
Panarcadian Federation of Australia
Panepirotic Federation of Australia
Dodecanesian Federation
Epirotic Federation of Oceania (Aust)
Federation of Messinian Organisations of Melbourne & Victoria
Pammesinian Brotherhood Papaflessas LTD
Greek Women of Northern Suburbs
Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria

ORGANISATIONS

National Union of Greek Australian Students – Victoria
A.H.E.P.A.
Central Pontian Association of Melbourne & Victoria ‘Pontiaki Estia’
Pallaconian Brotherhood ‘Leonidas’
Panpyliaki Brotherhood Navarinon of Melbourne & Victoria Ltd
The Australian Hellenic Org. in Support of the Olympic Spirit and Ideal
Hellenic Cultural Association of Melbourne – ‘O Periklis’
The Pan Maniot Union of Australia
Greek Australian Scouts of Victoria