In a written statement to Neos Kosmos, signed by the president of the Society For Hellenic Studies and Research, Tassos Revis, the society announced that Latrobe University and the society had come to an agreement according to which the Hellenic Archives will be permanently housed at La Trobe University.
Neos Kosmos understands that the preservation of the historical archives will from now on, fall into the institution’s responsibility.
The agreement that puts an end to rife speculation about the future of the Hellenic Archives is outlined in the following statement:
“The Society for Hellenic Studies & Research Inc. is delighted to announce that agreement has been reached with La Trobe University for its participation in the Greek Archives Project Committee which is to be a body comprised of representatives of La Trobe University, representatives of Melbourne’s Greek community and relevant academic experts nominated by La Trobe University.
The new Committee is to formulate a plan for the safeguarding, preservation, enhancement of and community access to the Archives which were originally gathered by La Trobe University with the generous support of the Greek community as a resource for the National Centre for Hellenic Studies and Research. It is now planned that the Archives will become available as a permanent resource both for academic study and for display and information to benefit the wider Greek community of Melbourne and Australia, by commemorating and elucidating the events of the Greek Diaspora of the second half of twentieth century.
La Trobe University has generously agreed to underwrite the costs involved in the Archives Project and to entertain requests from community organisations to be able to borrow parts of the collection to exhibit to their members and to the public. The Society hopes that this historic agreement will mark the beginning of a new chapter of co-operation between the Greek community of Melbourne and La Trobe University and that the Archives will become a treasured resource over the years as their vallue grows.
Kind Regards, Tassos Revis”