Young Greek Australians will converge in Sydney next weekend, for the annual National Union of Greek Students (NUGAS) AGM, celebrating NUGAS’s 40th year.
It’s awesome fun, first of all, but more than that, it unites people. You’re bringing alive some of the Greekness in people.
NUGAS National President Harry Mavrolefteros said the meeting will involve annual elections of the national committee, as well as a catch up on issues that are important to young Greek-Australian students.
“Greek language is obviously really important to us,” he said, “and so is Macedonia and Cyprus, so we’ll be talking about those.”
The AGM will also launch NUGAS’s updated website, www.nugas.org.au, as well as the second annual edition of Epimetheus magazine.
Last year’s inaugural edition included addresses to the young Greek community from the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the then Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull.
For the first time, the NUGAS AGM will include a full weekend of social events, including go-karting, clubbing and dinner at a Greek tavern.
“We just thought, if we’re all going to be there for the meeting, why not make a weekend of it?”
Mavrolefteros said they’ve received around 40 bookings so far, from young Greek Australians in Perth, Darwin, Adelaide and Melbourne.
In its 40th year, Mavrolefteros said NUGAS continues to play an important role in the lives of young Greek Australian students.
“It’s awesome fun, first of all, but more than that, it unites people. You’re bringing alive some of the Greekness in people.”
The outgoing president said they’ve had a number of nominations for new committee positions.
“There is demand, and people want to get involved which is good,” he said.
“The best thing is when you organise an event and then you get to sit back and enjoy it.”
“You look around and think, ‘everyone’s having fun’.”
He said NUGAS was probably at its biggest in the 1990s, when university students were the sons and daughters of migrants.
“Since then it’s been diluted, people feel less Greek, like it’s less a part of their life,” he said.
But he said the organisation has definitely grown since he joined in 2005, in his first year at university.
Now, he said, there are around 5000 members around the country, between 20 universities in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Perth and Adelaide.
“On a national level, we’re definitely on track,” he said.
And he’s optimistic about the next generation of leaders taking over NUGAS.
“There’s a lot of potential there among the young guys, they want to do it, and they’ve got heart,” he said.
For more information about the meeting and social weekend contact Harry Mavrolefteros – president@nugas.org.au