“Strength in unity” was the catch phrase at the SAE Oceania meeting for the inclusion of the Greek Language in the National Schools Curriculum, held last Friday in Melbourne.
Community delegates from the four corners of Australia, Greek Language teachers – Tertiary, Secondary and Primary – and Greek-Australian politicians converged at the community building and discussed, in the presence of Greece’ ambassador to Australia Mr Alex Christopoulos, the frame of the submission of the community to ACARA.
The call for unity became necessary following the decision of the Australian Hellenic Council to campaign on its own, submit its own proposal to ACARA and meet exclusively with political leaders, including the minister for Education Julia Gillard.
All speakers insisted that “the submission to the federal government must convey the views of the Greek community of Australia as a whole”.
The meeting agreed, that no community leader or expert has the right to monopolise the campaign.
“The language issue transcends individuals and organisations and demands the highest level of co-operation of all concerned” it was agreed.
The meeting also approved a three-phase action plan – Educational, Organisational and Political – that will enable the community to achieve the desired outcome.
The Educational phase will the phase of preparation of the frame of the submission to ACARA by university teachers, Lead by Dr Vrasidas Karalis, Head of the Modern Greek Department Sydney University.
The final submission will incorporate the views of university teachers, Secondary and Primary teachers of each state as well as the views of interested community organisations.
The Organisational phase will be the phase of preparation of the strategy the community will follow, including selection of political targets, level of mobilisation of the community etc.
The political phase will be the phase of submission of collected signatures, meetings with politicians, lobbying etc.