The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) campus came alive with Greek National Day celebrations on Saturday that honoured Hellenic heritage.
The 200-person event moved the crowd with speeches, monologues, theatre and dances from children of all ages, choreographed and led by Maria Bakalidou.
Through the invitation of the Victorian Hellenic Police Association Inspector Andrew Markakis, the event was joined by the members of the Hellenic Police Athletic Association. This allowed the GCM community to showcase their Greek pride to the Greek community abroad.
The association were deeply moved by the performances.
“This is a beacon for all of us and we are proud to see it in person”, said president of the association George Tzatzakis.
Although many of the students of GCM are third-generation Greek-Australians, Tzatzakis recognised the GCM’s commitment to keeping the Greek language and culture alive.
“The quality of the performance today by the children was beyond our expectation” he said.
The Hellenic Police Athletic Association was founded to inspire its members to pursue community athletic programs within Greece and throughout Europe.
Bill Papastergiadis, alongside Anthea Sidiropoulos and Dr. Demetriou took the opportunity to thank the Hellenic Police Athletic Association for their participation.
Bill highlighted the importance of the association’s symbol, the discus thrower (Discobolos), which also graces the façade of the GCM’s impressive 15-storey Cultural Centre.
“Discobolos celebrates the skill of athletes and the spirit exhibited in games,” said Papastergiadis. “The GCM understands that many of its members pursue excellence in sport, and to stay relevant, the GCM is expanding its outreach to the community through initiatives like the Men’s and Women’s Football Cups.”
Inspector Andrew Markakis also expressed pride in hosting the Hellenic Police Athletic Association and noted the significance of their participation in the National Day Parade. “It’s a great honor to have our colleagues here, and our hearts are filled with pride that they made the trip to Melbourne,” he said.
The event was further enriched by the attendance of distinguished guests from Greece, including Ioannis Drakopoulos, Apostolos Soulos, and Constantinos Zakestidis.
The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is a community organisation founded in 1897. With education programs for over 2000 students, cultural programs that include the landmark Antipodes Festival and advocacy across a broad range of issues, it portrays the large and vibrant Greek community in Victoria.
For more information about the GCM go to www.greekcommunity.com.au