Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will officially launch this year’s Antipodes Festival the president of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GOCMV), Mr Bill Papastergiadis confirmed.
Gillard and Abbott will attend launch the festival through the official opening on Saturday 25 February at 6:30 pm. Each year, the GOCMV invite the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, and for the first time in 15 years, they have accepted.
Mr Papastergiadis told Neos Kosmos that both politicians did this out of their own direction and volition which he said, for a non-election year, shows the “increase standing the Greek community has in the eyes of our Federal Parliamentarians”.
“This is great for us because we are seeking to engage with them more, particularly in the issue of the cultural centre. So as part of that process it gives us an additional platform to work and to have dialogue with the relevant ministers,” says Mr Papastergiadis.
He was quick to add that this is a huge win for not only the festival, and the GOCMV, but for the general Greek community.
