Apart from a statement paying tribute to Greeks and a video presentation on Facebook,Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison also payed homage to the Greek people during Question Time in Australia’s Parliament.
“On a brief indulgence together with the leader of the opposition”, Mr Morrison took the floor and paid tribute to the Greeks.
“Today marks the Bicentennial of the Modern Greek state, Mr Speaker,” he said.
He referred to all the offerings of Greeks since antiquity and honoured Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “a fellow traveller as we’ve been working through the issues of COVID-19”. He welcomed the Greek leader’s “keen interest” in Australians of Greek heritage.
READ MORE: PM Scott Morrison and the Governor General of Australia praise the Greek nation
Happy Independence Day, Greece! As you celebrate 200 years of an incredible journey, the Greek Australian community will be proudly joining your celebrations 🇬🇷🇦🇺
Χαίρε, ω χαίρε, Ελευθεριά! @PrimeministerGR @PresidencyGR
— Scott Morrison (@ScoMo30) March 25, 2021
“It’s a wonderful milestone for these proud people of a very ancient land,” Mr Morrison said. “Greece has given so much to the world. The wisdom of their ancients, the tales of their gods and their heroes, the Olympic quest, Mr Speaker, something – particularly in South East Queensland – very thrilled about celebrating that olympic spirit to be faster, higher, stronger and, indeed, the first the dawn of democracynow shared with so much of the world.”
He said Australia has been “blessed” by citizens of Greek heritage “from the local paragon milkbars, to the neighbours that share plates of baklava, to the contributions here in this chamber and in so many places in our national life”.
