A group of Greek parliamentarians will attend this year’s National Day parade celebrations at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, which will feature approximately 70 sections.
The parade takes place within the framework of the celebratory events of the 100 Years of the Archdiocese of Australia, and is also dedicated to the 50 years of the illegal occupation of Cyprus. It also coincides with the 40 years of the sister cities relationship between Thessaloniki and Melbourne.
The delegation of the Hellenic Parliament’s Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Expatriates, include Konstantinos Vlasis, member of parliament for Arcadia and former deputy minister of foreign affairs for the Diaspora; Theodora Tzakri, member of parliament for Pella from SYRIZA and first vice-president of the Diaspora Hellenism Committee; Evangelia Liakouli, member of parliament for Larissa from PASOK-KINAL and second vice-president of the Diaspora Hellenism Committee; and Asimina Skondra, member of parliament for Karditsa from New Democracy.
The Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, and the High Commissioner of Cyprus, Antonis Sammoutis, will also attend the event.
Throughout their five-day visit, the parliamentarians will engage in official meetings with ecclesiastical, consular, political, and community authorities, with the aim to further strengthen the bonds between the two countries.
Antonis Tsourdalakis, President of the Committee – who alongside organising committee secretary, Natasha Spanou, who is stepping down after this year’s parade – thanked the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas, for accepting the invitation to send a four-member delegation, “honouring the Greek Community of Melbourne and our National Regeneration”.
Speaking to Neos Kosmos, Tsourdalakis invited “all members of the community to join us in celebrating this special occasion”.
He further extended his gratitude to the sponsors of the parade, including the Stavros Siolas family, the Athanasios Liakopoulos family, as well as the families of Nikos Kanelakis and Kostas Dimitriou.
The committee is looking for volunteers to assist during the parade. Interested individuals are requested to contact greeknationalday@gmail.com. Volunteers must have a Working with Children Check and attend a special informational meeting.
Greek Parliamentarians schedule during their Melbourne visit:
- Thursday, April 11
4.45pm: Arrival of the Delegation of Members of Parliament in Melbourne. Reception by the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanouel Kakavelakis, and the President of the Victorian National Anniversary Committee, Antonis Tsourdalakis.
8.30pm: Meeting of former Deputy Minister Konstantinos Vlassis with the Greek Medical Association of Australia. Reception by President Marinos Pirpiris.
- Friday, April 12
9.30am: Formal visit to the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Melbourne Region. Meeting with Bishops of Sozopolis Kyriakos and Kerassounta Evmnios and with the President of the Union of Communities and Parishes of Victoria, Antonis Tsourdalakis.
11am: Visit and tour of the Hellenic Museum of Melbourne. Subsequently, an interview on 3XY Radio. Reception by the General Manager of Greek Media Group Spyros Alatsas and the Director of the Hellenic Museum Sarah Craig.
6pm: Meeting with the Board of Directors of the Greek Community of Melbourne. Reception by the President of the Greek Community, Bill Papastergiadis.
6.30pm: Press Conference at the Greek Centre.
7pm: Event in honour of the members of parliament from Greece at the Greek Centre.
- Saturday, April 13
11am: Visit and tour of the Australian Hellenic Memorial dedicated to the Second World War and the Battle of Crete, at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne. Visit and tour of the Shrine of Remembrance. Reception by President Anastasios Kyritsis.
1-4pm: Optional tour of Melbourne’s attractions.
7pm: Dinner at Beachcomber restaurant in honour of the members of parliament from Greece by the National Anniversary Committee. Reception by President Antonis Tsourdalakis and other members of the Committee.
- Sunday, April 14
9:30 am: Service and blessing at the Holy Temple of Saint Efstathios in Melbourne, presided over by the Bishop of Sozopolis Kyriakos.
12pm: Consul’s Reception for the National Anniversary of March 25 at the Reception Hall of Lakeside Hellas Melbourne. Reception by the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanouel Kakavelakis.
1pm: Greek Community Parade 2024 for the 203rd Anniversary of our National Regeneration at Lakeside.
7pm: Contacts of the members of parliament with the local party officials of Melbourne from the New Democracy, SYRIZA, and PASOK-KINAL parties.
- Monday, April 15
10am: Visit and tour of the Victorian Parliament and meetings with Greek-origin MPs. Reception by MPs Nikos Staikos, Katerina Theophanous, and Lee Tarlamis.
1pm: Visit and tour of “Fronditha” Greek nursing home in the St. Albans unit, as well as a meeting with the Board of Directors and the residents of the Nursing Home. Reception by President Kostas Livadaras and Director Faye Spiteri.
3pm: Visit and tour of the “Agapi” Greek Philanthropic Foundation for people with special needs, as well as a meeting with the Board of Directors and the residents of the Foundation. Reception by President Athanasios Euriniadis and Director Mary Gakopoulou.
8pm: Dinner in honour of the members of parliament from Greece by the Panarcadian Association of Melbourne and Victoria “O Kolokotronis”. Reception by President Georgios Kotsirilos.
- Tuesday, April 16
8.30pm: Visit and tour of the St. John’s Greek Orthodox College of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia “Agios Ioannis”. Attendance at the opening School Assembly of the Second Trimester. Reception by the Director of the College Andrew Ponsford and students, in the presence of Bishop Evmnios of Kerassounta.
11.30pm: Visit and tour of Oakleigh Grammar School. Attendance at the opening School Assembly of the 2nd Trimester. Meeting with Principal Mr. Mark Robertson, the School Board, and students.
1.30pm: Walk on the pedestrian street of Oakleigh. Subsequently, lunch in honor of the members of parliament from Greece by the Thessaloniki Association “O Lefkos Pyrgos”. Reception by President Pavlos Mavroudis.
9pm: Departure of the delegation to Athens on Qatar Airways flight QR905.
The Parelasi schedule on 14 April
ARRIVAL
The 1821 Banner of the Dormition of the Theotokos
The Greek, Australian, Cypriot Flags and Archdiocese from students of Oakleigh Grammar
Liberation Leaders for the Revolution Oath on 1821 in Agia Lavra
HONORARY OPENING
The drumming units of our Schools
1. St. Johns Greek Orthodox College
2. Oakleigh Grammar School
OPENING
3. Victorian Police & Australian Federal Police
EXSERVICE & ELDERLY ORGANISATIONS
4. Greek Australian Ex-servicemen Association of Melbourne
5. Greek National Resistance Association of Melbourne
6. Federation of Greek Elderly Associations
EARLY LEARNING & SPECIAL ABILITIES
7. Alpha Early Learning Centre
8. AGAPI Care Inc.
9. Fronditha Care
SCHOOLS GREEK COMMUNITY OF MELBOURNE & VICTORIA
10. Alphington Grammar School
11. Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language and Culture Schools
SCHOOLS OF THE PARISHES & INTERCOMMUNITIES OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE
12. St. John’s Greek Orthodox College
13. Dandenong Greek Orthodox Parish “St. Panteleimon”
14. Mentone Greek Orthodox Community “Oi Taxiarches”
15. Oakleigh Grammar School
16. Oakleigh Greek Orthodox Parish “Sts. Anargiri GLC”
AETOLIAN COLLEGE OF HELLENIC LANGUAGE & CULTURE OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE
17. Ascot Vale Campus “St. Dimitrios”
Brunswick Campus ” St. Vasilios”
Coburg Campus “The Presentation of our Lord”
Fawkner Campus “St. Nektarios”
Keilor East Campus “Panagia Soumela”
Malvern East Campus ” St. Catherine”
Nunawading Campus ” St. Andreas”
Richmond Campus “The Holy Trinity”
St. Albans Campus “St. Paraskevi”
Springvale Campus “St. Athanasios”
Thomastown Campus “The Transfiguration of our Lord”
Yarraville Campus “St. Nikolaos”
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
18. Ahepa Greek School
19. Alpha Greek School
20. Lexi School of Modern Greek
21. Nestoras Greek College
22. Omiros Greek College
23. Panhellenic College
24. Pedia Greek School
25. Pegasus Dance Academy
26. Pythagoras Greek School
STATE SCHOOLS
27. Victorian School of Languages
28. South Oakleigh Secondary College
29. Clarinda Primary School
FEDERATIONS 30. PanMacedonian Association of Melbourne & Victoria
Thessaloniki Association “The White Tower”
Halkidikeon Society “Aristotle the Stageritian”
Siátista Club of Melbourne
Florinians Cultural Association “Aristotelis”
Kastorians Association “O Grammos”
“Akrites tou Pontou” Association
31. Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand
Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne
Pancretan Association of Melbourne
32. PanArcadian Federation of Victoria
Panarcadian Association of Melbourne “O Kolokotronis”
33. Australian Federation of Pontian Associations
Central Pontian Association “Pontiaki Estia”
Pontian Community of Melbourne
Pontian Association “Euxenos Pontos”
34. Εpirotic Organisations of Australia
Panepirotic Federation of Australia
Panepirotic Union of Melbourne and Victoria
35. Dodecanesian Federation of Australia
36. Federation of Messinian Organisations of Victoria
Kalamata Society “23rd March”
Pantrifilian Association of Melbourne
37. Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria
ORGANISATIONS
38. Cyprus Communities of Melbourne & Victoria
39. SEKA – Justice for Cyprus Committee
40. Pammessinian Brotherhood of Melbourne « Papaflessas »
41. AHEPA Victoria
42. Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne “Leonidas ”
43. Australian Hellenic Organisation “Olympic Spirit ”
44. Pankalavrytini Brotherhood “Agia Lavra”
45. Greek Women of the Northern Suburbs “Anemones”
46. National Union of Greek Australian Students
47. Lemnian Youth of Victoria
The parade will take place from 1pm at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park and is organised by the National Anniversary Committee
