23 August 2009

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside VEMA Greece AUGUST 2009 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] OUR PRIMATE’S VIEW THE IMMUNITY OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA (Part 2) PAGES 5/27 - 6/28 GREEKS OF THE WORLD

Man is what he eats A few steps in tackling UNITE “childhood obesity”. PAGE 3/25 Even though parliament is closed for the summer recess, its ordinarily quiet corridors were filled earlier this month with the multicultural sights and sounds of some of the world’s leading lawmakers - all the sons, daughters and grandchildren of Greek immigrants. More than 100 foreign parliamentarians and ministers of Greek origin attended the high-profile general assembly of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association, held between July 29 and August 2. Coming from as far away as North America, Australia and Zimbabwe, members of this association, established in 1996, were welcomed by Greek parliamentarians, including Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Culture Minister Anto- nis Samaras. During the general assembly’s opening session on July 30, parliament became a virtual turnstile of Greek politicians paying tribute to the accomplishments of Greeks abroad The opening session of the World Hellenic Music Alive 2009 and the diaspora’s role in bolstering Greece’s image on the Inter-Parliamentary Association’s general assembly world stage. The Greek Experience “It is with great emotion and high expectations that we re- The most important concerns the return of the Parthenon ceive the worthy members of the Greek community from Marbles. The Greek Orthodox Youth Orchestra abroad who have been elected in the parliaments of their Other resolutions focused on helping the Greek minority in of Brisbane will present their second countries,” Bakoyannis said. “There is no doubt that the Albania gain the “appropriate” recognition from the Albanian Greek community abroad has a major multiplier effect for government, while another resolution focused on efforts to Music Alive concert - The Greek expe- solve the Fyrom name issue with the help of the United Na- rience - on 10 October 2009. Greece. There is no doubt that you have been building strong bridges of friendship and cooperation between our tions. PAGE 18/40 country and other states.” The general assembly also called on Greece’s neighbour The next general assembly will be held in 2011. Turkey to admit to the Pontian genocide during Ottoman rule. The general assembly adopted a number of resolutions. ATHENS NEWS 10/08/2009 The New Acropolis Museum Raising the bar on cultural morality

Rhodes Living up the romantic dream This longtime destination offers abundant natural beauty and an impressive heritage. PAGES 10/32 - 11/33 PAGE 17/39 The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009 2/24 TO BHMA

This Day Political calculus behind IInn HHiissttoorryy presidential elections

Judging by the tenor of the August 24, 79 political debate between rul- Karolos Papoulias Vesuvius erupts ing New Democracy and main opposition Pasok, the biggest After centuries of dormancy, Mount problem facing Greece at the Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, moment is who will be the devastating the prosperous Roman c- next president of the Hellenic ities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and Republic. killing thousands. The cities, buried un- But really, the debate is der a thick layer of volcanic material about when general elections and mud, were never rebuilt and will be held, and on whose largely forgotten in the course of his- terms. tory. In the 18th century, Pompeii and To be re-elected, President Herculaneum were rediscovered and Karolos Papoulias (photo) in excavated, providing an unprecedent- March must garner the sup- ed archaeological record of the every- port of three-fifths of parliament. day life of an ancient civilization, star- Dimitris tlingly preserved in sudden death. But Pasok leader George Papandreou intends to deny Tsatsos August 31, 1997 the popular sitting president his majority, thereby trigger- government to turn a page New Democracy’s decided- constitutional guarantees and Princess Diana ing snap polls. Only after the after its June electoral defeat, ly rightwing, law-and-order a- individual freedoms have general election would Pa- and to ply on with needed re- genda since its defeat in the been compromised for the dies pandreou then back Papou- forms. A reshuffle would like- June 7 European Parliament sake of security and political lias. ly aim to rally the ND troops elections has drawn a flurry gain. Diana, Princess That strategy has for weeks until March elections. of opposition criticism that ATHENS NEWS of Wales, dies in now drawn strong attacks Paris' Pitie-Salpe- from the government. The tiere Hospital af- government’s spokesman as ter suffering mas- well as several New Democ- sive chest injuries racy MPs have accused Pa- in an early morn- pandreou of “playing with in- ing car accident. stitutions”, a reference to the Her companion, country’s highest office. Dodi Fayed, was The same criticism carried killed instantly in a more potent sting when the 12:25 a.m. crash, as was driver levelled by Dimitris Tsatsos Henri Paul, who was drunk and lost (photo), a constitutional law control of the Mercedes in a highway professor and former Pasok underpass. He was driving at exces- MEP, in a July 19 interview in sive speeds in a reckless attempt to the Sunday Kathimerini news- escape paparazzi photographers. The paper. death of Diana, beloved by millions for Tsatsos launched a frontal her beauty and good nature, plunged attack on Papandreou’s strat- the world into mourning. egy, asserting that the constitution (article 32) calls for par- September 2, 1969 liament’s dissolution only in the event of a “true inability to First ATM opens for achieve an enhanced parliamentary majority for a presi- business dential candidate”. The din over the presiden- On this day in 1969, America's first tial election next year has automatic teller machine (ATM) makes served to overshadow, per- its public debut, dispensing cash to haps intentionally, several customers at Chemical Bank in crucial domestic and foreign Rockville Centre, New York. ATMs policy issues that are much went on to revolutionize the banking more immediate. These in- industry, eliminating the need to visit a clude reported plans for new bank to conduct basic financial trans- autumn tax hikes to rein in a actions. By the 1980s, these money burgeoning budget deficit. machines had become widely popular Though there is still specu- and handled many of the functions lation that Prime Minister previously performed by human Kostas Karamanlis may call tellers, such as check deposits and snap elections in the autumn, money transfers between accounts. recent polls showing Pasok Today, ATMs are as indispensable to- as much as five percentage most people as cell phones and points ahead of ND are gen- e-mail. erally thought to render that prospect unlikely. More recently, there has been talk of a sweeping cab- inet reshuffle around the end of this month, which propo- nents in ND say will allow the AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/25 Editorial

gion were no longer confined to the roles established them, to deal with its weaknesses and to determine Greece, Turkey, Russia by the Cold War. Unfortunately, Greece found itself ab- new strategies and tactics. A country can be strong and sorbed by the efforts of a small northern neighbor to self-confident only when its economy and society are and the United States gain international recognition with the name “Macedo- strong and when it is a valuable ally on the basis of mu- nia.” tual interests, not as the result of pleas for assistance. Ten years after the sudden thaw in Greek-Turkish re- Instead of using its unique weight as a longtime mem- lations - when killer earthquakes in each country al- ber of NATO and the EU to forge new alliances in the ATHENSPLUS lowed their peoples to reach out to each other after region and influence developments, Greece spent all its decades of tension - it is disheartening to see the main diplomatic capital in the EU and the Balkans scrambling Who will capture sources of friction remain unchanged. to prevent recognition of “Macedonia.” The Cyprus problem is unsolved, Turkey misses no If Athens had quickly solved the problem through a the truth? opportunity to challenge Greece’s sea and territorial compromise, it would have had the time and energy to rights in the Aegean and the Turkish government now deal effectively with Turkey and the Cyprus problem. plans to explore for oil in the eastern Mediterranean The result is that none of these fronts looks likely to For 35 years, we have suffered with that grizzly mo- near Cyprus. close anytime soon. And Greece has lost its compara- ment in the history of the Hellenic people, captured in a Greece’s advantage in the years since Turkey invad- tive advantage because, in the meantime, most coun- photograph by a Turkish photojournalist. ed Cyprus in 1974 has been the strength of Greek- tries in the region have joined NATO and have either be- Five Greek Cypriots, prisoners of war, unarmed, American support and its membership in the European come full members of the EU (such as Bulgaria and Ro- kneeling with their hands behind their heads, encircled Union (since 1981). Its membership of NATO, which set mania) or are on their way to accession. by Turkish soldiers. it way above its other Balkan neighbors, was not an ad- A closer relationship with Russia was expected to And then silence; and darkness. vantage over Turkey, as both countries became mem- make up for some of the lost diplomatic capital. The en- The five POWs came to symbolize all the missing bers the same year (1952). The rivalry has forced both ergy sector provided just the opportunity for this, with people, all the tragedy of the Turkish invasion and occu- countries to spend huge amounts of money on defense, Greece and Russia signing several deals in the past few pation. with Greece having the highest per capita military costs years - including the building of a joint Greek-Russian- Now the truth has finally come out. The Greek-Cypri- in NATO, to the detriment of economic and social devel- Bulgarian oil pipeline to bypass Turkey’s Bosporus, ot soldiers were executed and their bodies thrown opment. Greek participation in the South Stream natural gas down a well, north of Nicosia. Their remains were iden- The historical alliance with the United States has pipeline and a renewed contract for gas supplies. tified after being recovered from the abandoned well helped to keep the peace between Greece and Turkey Now, with Russia’s sudden embrace of Turkey, along with those of 14 other individuals. (as in the dispute over the Imia islets which nearly pro- Greece is awakening to the fact that it does not have Ironically, recent news reports have raised concerns voked a war in January 1996). But the United States’ the special partnership it thought it enjoyed with about the future of photojournalism, a sector that has painfully self-conscious evenhandedness in Greek-Turk- Moscow. come under great strain as newspapers and magazines ish relations gives Ankara the advantage - because As in its relationship with the United States, Greece slide into crisis. Ankara is the one making demands, not Athens. So it is finds once again that countries cannot be friends the Who will capture the truth if there are no more pho- natural that Athens should look for ways to strengthen way their peoples may be - countries function only on tojournalists? Who will be out there looking for the its position. The collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1989 pre- the basis of their own interests. It is time for Greece’s truth? Who will be afraid of the truth? sented such an opportunity, as the countries of the re- politicians to look at Greece’s strengths and build on KATHIMERINI Man is what he eats A few steps in tackling ‘childhood obesity’

foods is understood as ‘fat’, while someone who con- bringing them closer to God. The best place for them, sumes healthy foods is understood as ‘healthy’. There is and us, to satisfy this hunger is the Holy Sacraments of no doubt these conclusions are reached because hu- our Church, aptly described by a contemporary hierarch mans must eat in order to live; we must take ‘food’ into as a “school of theology”. Saint Theophan the Recluse our body and transform it into ourselves, into our flesh wrote that, “All of our hymns are instructive, profound and blood. and sublime. They contain the whole of our theology and By PETER I would like to consider Feuerbach’s statement (al- moral teaching, give us Christian consolation and instill MAVROMMATIS * though he was a materialistic philosopher) in the context in us a fear of the Judgement. He who listens to them of faith and worship. Interestingly, God’s first command attentively has no need of other books on the Faith.” to the first-created was “I have given you every herb Everything contemporary humanity needs is fulfilled in that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and the worship of our Holy Church. If we are to succeed in every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for our quest to satisfy our hunger we need to look to Je- In a recent letter published in the Medical Journal of food” (Gen 1:29), and this image remains throughout the sus Christ, the only source of life and joy. Any other Australia, researchers found an increasing proportion of whole Bible as the central image of life at its creation, search is futile and will simply lead us to ‘obesity’ be- young children who were unhealthy as a result of their and at its end and fulfilment “you may eat and drink at cause in our efforts to satisfy ourselves with tasteless, weight. The reasons for this phenomenon which is a My table in My kingdom” (Luke 22:30). weak and imperfect substitutes we will simple consume scourge of our times are varied, but often centre around Man is a hungry being. Behind all the hunger of our more, oblivious to the fact that while we ‘eat away’, we the ease of contemporary life and the need for quick life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him. Humans are slowly being eaten away. If we are serious about fixes and quick and easy pleasures. This is evident in eat many things. But what do we eat and why? How do tackling childhood (or adult) physical and spiritual obesi- the increasing consumption of fast foods, the increas- we satisfy our hunger if we do not eat of God’s ban- ty, we need only remember Jesus’ Sermon on the ingly sedentary lifestyle of modern man and the fact that quet? This point takes us back to the issue of obesity. By Mount and His description of true satisfaction - “Blessed many aspects of contemporary life are promoted as, eating gluttonously of the ‘fat’ offered to contemporary are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for and enjoyed on account of, their being ‘quick and easy’. man we and our children are becoming obese with dan- they shall be filled” (Matt 5:6). The readers of this article will no doubt be question- gerous consequences. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48) and ing as to why they persevere with this column. My The psalmist invites us to “taste and see that the Lord called Himself “the Living Bread” (John 6:51), and as “man knowledge of medicine and the eating habits of modern is good” (Ps 33:8 LXX), while Jesus invites us to His does not live by bread alone” (Deut 8:3, Matt 4:4, Luke man are very limited to say the least but childhood and heavenly banquet, Holy Communion: “He who eats My 4:4), to truly experience life we must eat of this Living adolescent obesity is an important issue considering the flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” Bread at the Heavenly Banquet, Holy Communion, and fact that we know of the serious implications on health, (John 6:56) with the injunction to “do this in remem- offer our children the opportunity to eat from this Table and the fact that in the Bible and the hymnology of our brance of me” (Luke 22:19). These few (of countless) ref- so that they can partake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Church we continually find references to food, eating erences to the Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion pro- To comment, agree, or disagree, visit: and banquets. vide the antidote to the scourge afflicting children in http://petermav.livejournal.com/ Feuerbach’s now famous statement, “man is what he contemporary society. eats” is thrown around by many, although often under- Children are hungry, and they are hungry for God. stood only in the context of the physical act of eating, Our role as parents, God-parents, friends and responsi- * Peter Mavrommatis is a teacher of Orthodox Studies and Per- and so one who consumes excessive amounts of fatty ble Christians is to help them satisfy their hunger by sonal Development at St Spyridon College Senior School Sydney. 4/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009

SCRIPTURE CLASSES: TOP PRIORITY IN STATE SCHOOLS

The new era in religious education came about with the second Basic Accreditation Course for scripture teachers. This was held at the parish of St Stylianos, Gymea, in the southern suburbs of Sydney. On a crisp but bright and sunny winter morning in June, close to 40 enthusiastic teachers gathered for this three- hour seminar. They were welcomed by the warm hospi- tality of the philoptohos of the parish. The teachers were also accompanied by their parish priests Very Rev Fr Sophronios Konidiaris (Kogarah), Rev Fr Christos Vergos (Liverpool) and Rev Fr Constantine Vari- patis (Gymea). Everyone took time out from their busy schedule to show their support for scripture teaching. The blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos to the gathering was conveyed by Fr Varipatis after the opening prayer. This course was described as an opportunity for the Church to show its appreciation to these many dedicated volunteers.

16,000 Greek Orthodox children aged 5-14 years in New South Wales

The gathering was told that there are 16,000 Greek Or- thodox children aged 5-14 years throughout New South Wales. The Church needs around 300 scripture teachers Close to 40 enthusiastic teachers gathered for the three-hour seminar for State Schools so that no child misses out. These courses are free and cover the basic role and re- sponsibilities of teachers, lesson planning and general in- parishes of Bankstown, Marrickville, Earlwood, Newtown, formation. More importantly it is an opportunity for teach- Belmore and Hurlstone Park. ers to meet and raise issues. Rev Fr Constantine Varipatis who is the representative Mrs Denise Humphreys from the Confraternity of Chris- of the Archdiocese on Special Religious Education said tian Doctrine outlined some important roles and responsi- that, “Further regional courses are underway”. He added bilities for teachers in relation to child protection. that “Everyone with an interest in becoming accredited as Mrs Pelagia Kalogerakis outlined the requirements for a scripture teacher is welcome to attend these courses”. planning a lesson. She emphasised the purpose of the The courses are part of the work of St Andrew’s Greek lesson using the example of a lesson on Pentecost. Mrs Orthodox Theological College. For the first time, students Kalogerakis is a full-time teacher of Religion and Greek at from the Theological College also attended this course. All Saints Greek Orthodox College. The next course is planned for the combined parishes of Crows Nest, Dr Jim Athanasou Gladesville, Mascot, Kingsford, Redfern, Darlinghurst and St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Rose Bay. It will be followed by a combined course for the Theological College Mrs Pelagia Kalogerakis PROBLEM GAMBLING AND THE GREEK FAMILY

Gambling Help is a service that assists problem gam- The majority of Greek migrants view family as a whole that the Centre meets the standards set by the Quality Im- blers and their families in NSW. The Greek Welfare Centre unit where individual members are involved and con- provement Council. For information or inquiries please in NSW has been providing this service for people in the tribute to the lives of other members in the group. “Be- phone (02) 9516 2188. Greek community since 1999, with funding from the NSW cause one person is seen as a reflection of the entire Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing. group his/her actions can disgrace anyone in the group. The experience of the Greek Welfare Centre has high- Family members have a stake in the behaviours of other lighted the pivotal role of the family not only in supporting family members. Maintaining the group’s well -being is ul- a problem gambler but also in assisting them to seek help. timately the best guarantee of the individual’s well-being” The following is an excerpt from a paper presented at a (Newman, D.M. et al, 2002 p55). National Gambling Conference, by the Greek Welfare It is therefore very important that the family take re- Centre. For many Greek migrants, ‘seeking help’ or coun- sponsibility for the care of the family, particularly at times selling from a professional counsellor is unfamiliar. Prior of stress and crisis and that all attempts are made to min- to migration, support when needed was sought from with- imize shame. Adherence to family duty and obligations in the family, the local parish priest or doctor. contributes to family honour. In this context the role of the The notion of disclosing personal family matters to a family in accessing services e.g. counselling and support stranger is likely to induce anxiety and create a barrier to is meaningful. The Greek family will do everything in their access as there is perceived stigma associated with power to ‘help’ a family member and thus show their love seeking external support. This is particularly the case if and support whilst also maintaining the ‘good name’ of the issue about which assistance is being sought has as- the family. sociated shame and stigma, as is the case with problem The Greek Welfare Centre is the welfare and communi- gambling. ty services arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and Problem gambling, in the Greek culture, is not under- one of the specialist programmes, which it provides is the stood as an addiction because the individual is held ac- problem gambling service. countable for his/her behaviour - there is no substance to Counselling is available to individuals and families who blame. The perception appears to be that the problem are affected by problem gambling. The counsellors are bi- gambler chooses to gamble despite knowing the conse- lingual and bi-cultural which means counselling can be quences and harm being caused to oneself and one’s provided in Greek and the cultural beliefs of the family are family. The frequently associated behaviours of lying, de- understood. The family can be involved in facilitating the ception, neglect of family etc. are judged in a negative counselling process, be part of the process or seek indi- way and bring shame to the individual and the family. The vidual support. feelings of shame and stigma add to the barriers of ‘seek- In May 2009, the Greek Welfare Centre attained accred- ing help’. itation for the Problem Gambling Service which means AUGUST 2009 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Glimpses of a Symbolic Anthropology Part One: The Body as a Palimpsest

By Revd Dr Doru Costache * In our tradition, the body does not ensnare that strange the deepest abyss of our being, voices belonging to our invisible element called ‘soul’. It is, as Clement - that fas- ancestors. They suddenly wake up inside us, talking Our detractors, recalling the classical adoration of the cinating Alexandrian - put it, the symphonic organ of the through our flesh and blood, bringing to us memories of human body, accuse Christians of suppressing it. They al- soul, of the mind, of the heart, and ultimately of the Spirit. different persons as if they were ours... so maintain that we have reduced human nature to an ab- The body is also Aquinas’ materia signata (signed matter), It bears the signature of our parents, like in that poem stract (disembodied or spiritual) scheme and exhibit no in- a palimpsest, covered by layers and levels of writing, sig- by Archbishop Stylianos: terest in the body, other than for chastising it as the natures and imprints... Buried inside us were the sounds source of all evils. This is why, in turn, our detractors have It bears our Father’s signature, written within its inner of the words our parents abandoned the spiritual path and become oblivious to the being, whilst God - according to a pretemporal design - managed to utter in the moment of intercourse soul, claiming that this is the only way they could retrieve progressively moulded it of the dust of the earth, making before they fell silent at the wonder the intrinsic value of the body. And perhaps, yes, they of it the walking tree whose vertical arrow points up- have reached some positive outcomes, the way the won- wards and the branches embrace all horizons. It thus con- of budding life derful lotus emerges from a swamp... For in fact, along stitutes a paradoxical mixture of humility and glory, as It bears the imprint of our education, for all the books with absolutising it, they have simplified the body, reduc- pointed out by our funeral service. and all the music are there, living inside, although we have ing it to a function, and together with this reductionism It bears the renewed signatures of Christ and the Holy become oblivious to the references, like in Goethe’s say- they have destroyed the human being’s noble - symbolic Spirit, the two ‘divine hands’ of which St Irenaeus spoke, ing that culture is what remains after one has forgotten - architecture. now reshaping it through baptism, chrismation and com- everything. This series will present some reflections on the body munion. And the body really is elevated to a novel state, It bears the imprint of our personal experiences, like in and human nature (mostly) in light of our tradition, aiming that of becoming a divine-human domain. Aristotle’s quest for true knowledge which becomes not at recalling the richness of Christian anthropology. In It bears the universe’s writing, for we are stardust and only wisdom, but more so our body. Our flesh, embodied passing, whilst dismissing the allegation that we are not our mind - my God! - is full of stars. Being a microcosm, memories... Shaping the body, in fact all our experiences capable of valuing the body, I shall endeavour to depict the body comprises in its very nature the structure of the eventually take flesh within it, becoming alive, part of our aspects pertaining to the Orthodox way of spiritual life universe, reverberating all the songs and hymns that - like ontological legacy. and the role the body plays within it. in a Pythagorean routine - the latter has ever intoned. It bears the writing of our encounters, for we really are Far from being ignored or reprimanded, the body holds It bears the writing of the earth, for we are born of our what we met or meet. within the Orthodox tradition the highest place that can Mother’s flesh. And all her voices are buried deep inside It bears the writing of our friends, adversaries and the ever be ascribed to God’s creation. More precisely, the the ocean of our unconscious, flowing through the veins various events, for we are forever and indelibly imprinted body is consistently interpreted as the very chalice of the with the waves of our very blood. with their mark. Children of the circumstances... Logos incarnate and the Spirit’s temple, the privileged re- It bears the writing of our brothers and sisters plants Having such an intricate text(ure), the body is more than cipient of the transformative energy of God. From this and animals, according to the testimony of St Gregory of a scripture; it is the Scripture. It should be read as such. point onwards, our entire spiritual assessment and treat- Nyssa, for we are of the same living root and live their life Our Torah is a tree of life, chants the Synagogue. And so ment of the body unfold in light of the paradigm of the in- even though we have become aware of our personal is the body. carnation. But these aspects will be considered in more transcendence in regards to our biological grounds. detail some other time. For now, a few musings on the It bears the imprint of our distant progenitors, like in Lu- * Revd Dr Doru Costache lectures in Patristics at St Andrew’s complex, multi-layered, structure of the body are in order. cian Blaga’s poem on the voices we hear sometimes in Theological College, Sydney Parish & Community of St. Anthony, Prospect - S.A. The Feast Day of Agia Paraskeve The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia held at the Greek Orthodox Church of St Anthony bestowed a recognition of service Prospect, South Australia to Mr Ilias Mainas

In the first part of our article on the outrageous TV ‘free personalities’, constitutes the most provocative scan- game known by the very characteristic title ‘THE MOMENT OF dalization. And this, because the financial ‘enticement’ by TRUTH’ which, sadly, ANTENNA station (ANT1) ‘ensured’ which the prospective winners of the game are ‘motivated’, would reach the Greek population as well, we had promised could not have any relation whatsoever to a refined com- that in this current edition (as Part 2 of our intervention) we petition. would evaluate the relative information procured from the ‘Sunday VEMA’ of Athens. The impartial observer can discern the ‘moral’ quality of the lewd show in mention even from the indicative The article in mention was re-published in the July questions posed, without needing to proceed to the innuen- issue of our own ‘VEMA’ (p. 16), with the addition of just a dos and the analogous perverse protractions that such ques- few introductory remarks on our behalf. tioning might raise within the contestant.

We would suggest to our readers, therefore, that Here are, one by one, the questions put by Mrs before reading the current edition (which is the organic con- Manolidou. We quote them exactly as they were conveyed to tinuation of Part 1) they re-visit the first part of this article in us through the ‘VEMA’ of Athens (7-6-09): order to refresh and to firmly reinforce in their minds, pri- marily two basic points: 1. If your sister was not your sister, would you want to have a relationship with her? Firstly, the identified characteristic samples of questions and answers between the television presenter 2. For €1,000,000 would you leave your mother for ever? Mrs Eugenia Manolidou and the ‘contestants’ presenting themselves one after the other for the acquisition of the 3. Have you ever tried illegal substances? greatest possible monetary gain which by literally diaboli- cal prompting has been termed ‘prize-giving’. 4. Have you ever had sex on the back seat of a car while someone else was driving? Secondly, the self-initiated ‘reaction’ that would have been expected not only of the Church, but of every 5. Have you ever felt that your mother destroyed your life? educational or cultural Institution, which by definition is obliged to demonstrate protection and continuous vigilance THE IMMUNITY for the safeguarding of the ethico-spiritual values that prompt and elevate the human ‘jungle’ into an honourable OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA By ARCHBISHOP struggle for a superior life or at least into a blameless ‘labour of subsistence’. Part 2 STYLIANOS OF AUSTRALIA Let us commence with the name, i.e. the definition of the contentious TV game. 6. Have you ever worn female underwear?

The profound importance that the two terms ‘mo- 7. Would you have sex with someone that you knew could ment’ and ‘truth’ hold for all intelligent people, is imme- make you a star? diately obvious. 8. Would you like to have had a different father? Indeed, the importance of these two terms is au- tomatically rendered a ‘tragedy’, since they remind us of 9. When you were young did you ever play water-bombs the boundaries (in other words, the restrictions) of ‘finite’ using condoms? man, and they reveal the temporal ‘duration’ of his survival 10. Does Eugenia Manolidou appeal to you as a woman? on the one hand, and his cognitive ‘adequacy’ for salvation on the other. And even if the ‘package’ of the unconscionable TV game show did not include anything else, the above cited It is superfluous to say that the paramount impor- satanic ‘decalogue’(!) would suffice for every honourable tance of the two terms, as precisely just stated, proves to person to be disgusted and angry. be an utter ‘tragedy’, especially when it refers to ‘Children and Teenagers’ - the first shocking ‘victims’ in every social What might the estimable friend of the Church, Mr scourge engendered by fallen man with a self-destructive Minos Kyriakou, (President and Founder of the ANT1 Group), mania. who gave so many moving assurances to the writer whilst in his Sydney office, have to say on this issue? So, just one ‘MOMENT’ (‘stigmi’ in Greek, from the verb ‘stizo’ or ‘stigmatizo’ = ‘I mark or brand’) which some- Also, if asked, what could the verbose Founder and times can mean an instantaneous unit of time, and some- Leader of the emergent political Party of Greece, LA.O.S times the minutest quantity (of a substance e.g. as we (‘Popular Orthodox Rally’), Mr Georgios Karatzaferis, pos- would say ‘a pip’ or ‘a mustard seed’), could never possibly sibly contend (knowing that the husband of Mrs Manolidou be considered sufficient to precisely ‘size up’ a person, es- is the LA.O.S member of parliament, Mr Adonis Georgiadis)? pecially a young person, in some way revealing that person’s entire educational or moral stature in ‘a moment of In any event, it is characteristic that each of the ten competition’. nauseous questions also blatantly fuels one of the most despicable vices of our times. And it is, of course, plain as On the contrary, ‘TRUTH’ (‘alitheia’ in Greek, from daylight that the dangers from the example of this sordid the negative ‘a’ and the verb ‘lanthano’ = ‘I hide’!), means lust for money, is less significant compared to the deep complete transparency and unmitigated revelation (apo- and widespread perversion ‘introduced’ by this ‘fair com- kalypsi) with the necessary ‘exposure’ i.e. the ‘revealing’ of petition’(!) amongst masochistically self-degrading young one’s features, and so presupposes a life-time endeavour men and women. to achieve that which Aristotle called entelechy (from the Greek entelecheia meaning ‘real existence’). Precisely for this reason, the National Broad- casting Council (E.S.R.), just two weeks later, responded Following these etymological analyses then, one more sternly against the criminality and the unrepentant wonders who is fooling whom with the ‘research’ by which stance of ANT1 TV officials as well as of the Union repre- the creator and producer of this controversial TV game, Mr senting the remainder of “Proprietors of National Range Howard Schultz, assigned the attractive Mrs Manolidou to Television Stations” who hastened to protest collectively ‘dispatch’ the programme to the Greek people, indeed with about their evidently offended common ‘interests’. her obligatory first name Eugenia which means ‘refined’! (We cite the unedited most enlightening article from the Sun- However, the mockery towards the viewers on the day ‘VEMA’ of Athens, 21-6-09): one hand, and that displayed by all those who boast that they will develop the ‘volatile’ young invited participants into Cont. next page The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009 6/28 TO BHMA

THE IMMUNITY FOR THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA E.C.C. WINS Part 2 Cont. from previous page GREEN GLOBE The National Broadcasting Council on the “Moment of Truth”

In response to statements issued by the television station ANT1 and the Union for Proprietors of National Range Television Stations through which they express their objection to the decision of the E.S.R. to terminate the television game ‘The Moment of AWARD 2009 Truth’, the Council has publicized the rationale which led to this decision. In the rationale it is emphasized that “the programme seeks to increase its viewing audience, disre- garding the integrity of the participants and the consequences of the revelations on their future social life”. As is noted in the rationale, the fines imposed by the E.S.R. upon the station “were not sufficient in deterring the programme from further deterioration of its quality”.

Additionally, following complaints from viewers, the National Broadcasting Council is examining the programme of television station Telephos, in order to determine whether any breaches were made contrary to legislation regarding the prohibition of political messages on the Saturday before the European elections.

Furthermore, the Council has written to television stations calling upon them to include in their programming for the next season, more programmes on literature and the arts. It also reminds them of their legal obligation to transmit every six months at least 15 programmes, each of a 30-minute duration, for the promotion of the correct use of the Greek language and the learning thereof by foreigners and the uneducated.

However, ‘to be fair’(!), it appears that the State channels are not far behind in similarly sordid ‘events’, gauging from the accusations emanating diversely, regardless The awards were presented by Minister Tebbutt (centre) to ECC’s Chair, Mr Jack of Party-affiliation or Political ‘Union’. Passaris OAM (2nd from left), the Executive Officer, Mark Franklin and to the project officers involved with the water and energy saving projects, Helen Scott and Joyce Fu. In closing, with anguish we refer every reader who is sincerely interested in this matter to a brilliant 12-page article in the acclaimed magazine ‘PHILOLOGOS’ (pub- The Ethnic Communities Council (ECC) The Chair of ECC Mr Jack Passaris lished by Graduates of the School of Philosophy, University of Thessaloniki, Greece), of NSW has been awarded the presti- OAM congratulated firstly the NSW Gov- under the characteristic title ‘THE KINGDOM OF TELEVISION AND THE MYTH OF PRODICUS gious Premier’s Sustainability Award as ernment and secondly all the staff that (ethical semantics)’, (volume 32, issue 136). part of the 10th Green Globe Awards. The participated in the projects. ECC was recognized as having the best Translation by FSS “The ECC was established in 1975 and environmental sustainability project out for 34 years represents more than 340 THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside of all businesses, government and com- migrant organisations in NSW. We are all VEMA Greece JULY 2009 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] OUR PRIMATE’S VIEW THE IMMUNITY OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED MEDIA munity projects in New South Wales. For proud of this achievement”, Mr Passaris (Part 1) PAGES 4/22 - 5/23 The Greek Australian a community based organisation to win said. such an award, given some of the multi- The Ethnic Communities Council was Greek quest for Marbles New Acropolis Museum VEMA is the embodiment of many Greek hopes for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. PAGE 10/28 national corporations also involved, is an also awarded the Community Sustainabil- New Acropolis Museum extraordinary achievement. ity Green Globe Award for its work with is a ‘treasure house’

From the heart; for locals and tourists made by the hands The opening of the New Acropolis Mu- exhibition hall will rank in importance The Green Globe Awards are the lead- 350 restaurateurs and dry cleaners of The Stitches of the Heart exhibition held in seum heralded the beginning of a major alongside other great European muse- Brisbane in June, was a huge success. new era in Greece’s presentation of the ums, including the British Museum, the PAGES 18/36 - 19/37 ancient Acropolis and its monuments. Louvre and the Capitoline Museums. Make no mistake, this magnificent new PAGE 16/34 The oldest circulating Greek newspaper ing environmental awards in NSW and non English speaking background, which outside Greece give recognition to the outstanding helped small businesses upgrade vital e-

Mani: Rugged land of towering spirits This southern Peloponnesian region adheres strongly to tradition and keeps achievements in the sustainable use of quipment to improve water and energy alive the memories of centuries past. PAGE 9/27 PAGE 17/35 natural resources and leadership in tack- efficiency. ling climate change. Winners of the 2009 The ECC has been educating migrant Christian Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein Green Globe Awards were selected by communities throughout the State on sus- an independent panel of expert judges tainability and environmental issues for Katerina + Kyriacos Mavrolefteros and announced at a gala event hosted by the past 12 years. George Rennie the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt, Minister for Cli- “Achieving the Premier’s Award for mate Change and the Environment on 2009 shows the determination of our OPTOMETRISTS Tuesday 28 July. Member ethnic communities to not just “The Green Globe Awards honour or- care for our environment and to live ganisations that put sustainability and en- more sustainably, but to actually take a vironmental management at the forefront leadership role for the whole NSW com- of their operations”, Ms Tebbutt said. munity”, Mr Passaris stated. For the bibliophiles... The Golden Horde: from the Himalaya to the Mediterranean By Sheila Paine (Tauris Parke Paperbacks) 874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction (at bus stop,, on RTA bllock) Widely known for her books on em- In this particular traveller’s tale, Sheila broidered textiles - in particular, Embroi- goes in search of the origins of a trian- TTeell:: ((0022)) 99331144--00339933 dered Textiles: traditional patterns from gular embroidered motif she believes to five continents (published by Thames be pagan in origin, to eventually find the [email protected] and Hudson) - Sheila Paine has also pu- answer to her quest in Greece and in the

blished accounts of the trips undertaken theology of Orthodoxy. Silhouette, Carrera, Rodenstock Carrera, Silhouette, Serengeti, Maui Jim, Fendi, D&G in search of original meanings in embroi- Nina Ricci, Oakley, La font dered patterns, dyestuffs, and so on. A.C. AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/29

Statement about Modern Greek at UNSW June 2009 AUGUST 2009 8/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Glimpses of a Symbolic Anthropology Part One: The Body as a Palimpsest

On Sunday 26 July 2009 the Greek Orthodox Church and Community of St Anthony in Prospect, South Australia celebrated the Feast Day of Agia Paraskeve. With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Dorileou and the assistance of Reverend Fathers Nicholas and Haralambos, the parishioners enjoyed a peaceful and holy Service. A large number of faithful parishioners followed the procession of the blessed icon of Agia Paraskeve as it was taken around the Church. After the Service, the members of the Executive Committee, with the assistance of the Women’s Philoptohos Auxiliary and the Youth Committee organised a delicious Luncheon with tender charcoal grilled During the Vespers Service of Saint Paraskeve on Saturday 25 July 2009 the Greek meats and refreshing salads. The Church Hall was filled to capacity with the friendly Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia bestowed a recognition of service to Mr Ilias sounds of friends and families enjoying the day and celebrating the feast Day of Agia Mainas who has faithfully served at the Church of St Anthony, Prospect for 35 years Paraskeve. The afternoon was well enjoyed by all. as Cantor. On behalf of the Executive Committee, Father Nicholas, the Women’s Philoptohos On behalf of the Executive Committee, Father Nicholas, the Women’s Philoptohos Auxiliary and the Youth Committee we would like to extend a warm and heartfelt Auxiliary and the Youth Committee we would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations Thank You to all our beloved parishioners who attended on the day. and gratitude Mr. Ilias Mainas for his many years of service. AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/31 The Greek Australian VEMA 10/32 TO BHMA TO BHMA 11/33 The New Acropolis Museum Raising the bar on cultural morality After reading Richard Dorment’s tirade on the new Acropolis when packing down a scrum, or defending your try-line or adherence to Christ’s heavy exhortation: “Love your enemies bly and systematically in the appropriate direction. With more modern Greece, ‘patriotism’ is identified with ‘nationalism’. It is attire. How magnanimous! Museum “The Elgin Marbles will never return to Athens - the attacking to score, not only is your team going to be trounced, and pray for those who hate you”! (Mth 5:44). than 10,000 visitors every day, “the movement sequence taboo, and in the words of many cultural elitists, ‘nationalism’ On the one hand it was a public relations disaster for the British Museum is their rightful home” (Daily Telegraph, London, but you will be very sore and sorry after the match. So, in our Here where the 2nd Ecumenical Council of the once united through the museum artifacts is designed to be of the utmost has no place in a European Greece. A strange neo-paganism is Church of Greece in the media and temporarily damaging for 30th June 2009), I thought to myself “Wow, I hope he hasn’t bet estimation, if we could be the best of mates on the ‘footy’ field, Christian Church was held, on the gallery level; here where the clarity” (Bernard Tschumi). raising its head in Greece. And it has nothing to do with the the Museum itself. On the other, the Church of Greece rightful- his house on this”. then the only explanation for the name-calling was because our God-bearing Fathers of the Church and Ecumenical Patriarchs Single statues are spaced generously apart and identified wise philosophers of antiquity who demonstrated deep humili- ly felt betrayed by the lopsidedness of Gavras’s documentary. I was neither surprised nor angered by his article. Just dis- mates’ parents spoke uncharitably about Greeks in the privacy celebrated the Divine Liturgy and preached the Word of God; effectively with clear descriptions in both Greek and English. ty when dedicating a statue to the ‘unknown God’, just in case Indeed, most archaeologists agree that the construction of the appointed. Not by his regurgitation of the now desperately out- of their homes. In retrospect, this was tantamount to insulting here where precious icons, holy relics and sacred objects were They stand like ancient Athenians walking through the galleries, there was one... Greek Orthodox Church of ‘The Athenian Mother of God’ moded stance of the British Museum, but that this otherwise our ancestral civilization by ‘chiseling’ away at the ‘temple’ of looted and stolen by the Crusaders; here where the Ottomans mixing with contemporary Greeks and visitors from around the But by whom was this young lady not taught moral law? By (Panagia i Athiniotissa) which stood within the walls of the distinguished journalist and chief art-critic of the London our identity, smashing the ‘statues’ of our cultural derivation, denuded the most revered mosaics, installing Islamic symbols world. Much thought has gone into making all levels of the her teachers in a Greek education system which, up until Parthenon for almost a thousand years, protected the ancient Telegraph would turn clairvoyant to back up a story. Surely the even sawing off ‘metopes’ from the citadel of our past. As chil- hanging from the ceilings and from disharmonious chandeliers building accessible to both people with disabilities as well as recently, could not agree on the historical correctness of a Year building from all manner of attack and pillage. future is a phase of time which remains unpredictable, even to dren we did not understand the concept of ‘immorality’. But we after the conversion of this Cathedral to a mosque, surrounded to the elderly. This is a world-class museum, with state-of-the- 6 primary school text book? Or by the administration of the Finally, I reached the top-floor gallery. There, I breathed in the contemporary ‘Delphian’ oracles. had a fair idea of what was right and what was wrong. And by four huge minarets... art facilities. new Acropolis Museum? spirit of my ancestral past with an enormous sense of pride for For someone who belongs to a generation that never in its what these parents were doing was wrong. Here, as an Orthodox Christian I was compelled to tremble Uplifted as I was by the astonishing features of the building While Greek Minister for Culture Antonis Samaras openly the Greece of today that had competently managed to construct wildest dreams believed the Berlin Wall would collapse, uniting Despite these setbacks, we ended up comfortably bilingual in silence and absorb the blunt fate of history. Sadly, as if to rub and as excited as I was by the breathtaking ‘feel’ of this speaks of “crime” and “plunder” on the Parthenon by Elgin and one of the great museums of the world. East and West Germany, or that Communist authoritarianism in and bicultural. We love Australia as our birthplace. We adore salt into a still open wound, the glossy, lavishly produced books ‘sacred’ place, I was about to be hit by a ‘scorcher’ from left- his cohorts, Professor Dimitris Pantermalis, President of the As I gazed upon the outstanding arrangements of the statues Russia would be replaced by Democracy, during our life-time, Greece as our ancestral homeland. And the saying still holds on sale at Agia Sophia, written by leading Turkish byzantinolo- field. Board of Directors of the Acropolis Museum, who has been and friezes exactingly designed by the brilliant Phidias in antiq- his assertion about the future of the Parthenon Marbles is, in true: “If you are not proud of your past, you cannot embrace gists and archaeologists, made no reference to the fact that this My visit to the bookstore on the second level was both deflat- involved with the project since its inception, is more guarded. uity, the white casts of the missing pieces, most of which are the least, ill-considered. Freedom of speech is one thing. your future”. was once even a Christian church - such blatant irreverence to ing and instructive. I asked a young male attendant neatly “It is not even a question of legality,” he states. “The unity of the still to be found in the British Museum of London, equally Smugness towards painful chapters of a people’s history is Eventually, Australian Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam (1972 - the ideals of their denoted professions and clear proof that not attired in museum uniform “which of all these books on sale marbles is a matter of culture and ethics.” engaged my interest. Moreover, the gaps between the statues another. 1975) and Malcolm Fraser (1975 - 1983) did much to legislate everyone who writes history or comments on it is necessarily would provide me with a detailed account of Lord Elgin’s muti- Precisely my point. More so, it is a matter of morality. But why of the pediments, so ingeniously exhibited, are a powerful chal- In any event, journalism at its most vigorous demands for and implement equality for all Australians. Again, many committed to the truth. Prejudices invariably poison cultural lation of the Parthenon”? The young man leaned towards me is the commentary of the museum staff so varied and erratic? lenge to those responsible for ‘cultural morality’ around the courage, even misadventure and risk of life. It is a sacred voca- wrongs were righted by strong leadership and a humane morality. and whispered “none of these books on sale demeans Lord Could it be that, for very practical reasons, there was not world. They are alarm bells to all Boards and curators of tion when practiced conscientiously. How a journalist treads the approach to people from a diversity of cultures and faiths enough time to train them adequately before the grand open- Museums and to all governments. The prevailing phobic attitude fine line between morality and immorality in reporting, though, through Anti-Discrimination and Muticultural policies enshrined ing? Could it be that Greece is taking a pluralistic approach on relating to the restitution of a handful of masterpiece entities depends greatly on the height of ideals espoused and the depth in law. Australia led the world by example. Attitudes can the whole issue? Could it be, on the contrary, that Greece’s stolen during convenient historical periods, needs to be of personal humility. Inescapably, both subjectivity and objec- change. Some more slowly than others. But they can and they standard of diplomacy has been refined and disciplined through reviewed. tivity are usually deployed when attempting to present the truth. do and they will. a strategy without extremes, aiming to entice the global com- The Greek and British governments will continue to put their And the truth is feared most by those who are guilty of some- In 1971 I visited the British Museum in London and was in munity towards pressuring the British Museum? Was my refer- cases analogous to their moral conscience. Archaeologists and thing, be it minor or serious. Australia’s own Sydney Peace awe of the order, the spaciousness and the professionalism ence to Lord Elgin offensive to some higher authority? Or was lawyers will continue to argue the same tired line of posses- Prize winning journalist and filmmaker, John Pilger, does not with which the ‘Elgin Marbles’ of the Parthenon were arranged the young lady who happened to serve me just going beyond sion. But the Parthenon Sculptures held for two centuries in the mince his words when he describes the dangers of his pro- for maximum pleasure of the visitor. Provided with a pro- the terms of her employment? Whatever the case, the Board of British Museum will return to Athens and take their rightful fession: “Secretive power loathes journalists who do their job, grammed headset to guide me through the exhibition, I gazed Directors had better address this matter expeditiously. It’s place in the new Acropolis Museum. When, I cannot possibly who push back screens, peer behind façades, lift rocks. upon the friezes and statues of the Hellenes and felt betrayed embarrassing. predict. But they will return, for sure, because the moral con- Opprobrium from on high is their badge of honour”. by history. “Why are they not in Athens?” I asked naively of an However, my next visit was to the modern auditorium of the stipation caused by British intransigence can be cured by good Yet, opprobrium has been prevalent since time immemorial attendant. “Because Greece does not have the facilities to do museum, where I watched a screening of the 14-minute ani- will. After all, Greece is not requesting the return of all her in all systems of government, in every civilization, in every cul- them justice and this is the best place in the world for them!” mated film by renowned writer, director and producer, ancient artifacts from every museum around the world. Only ture, in every religion including atheism (“I believe there is no was the response. Uninformed as I was at the time, I fell for it. Constantin Costa-Gavras. With a vast array of impressive inter- the Parthenon Marbles from London, because they are an inte- God”). Unfortunately, ‘dictators’ of varying intimidatory capacity My reaction was to leave in disgust at Greece for her ‘incom- national awards, including an Oscar for his film ‘Z’ (Best Foreign gral component of one single work which has been torn apart. operate in all spheres of life, at work, at school, in the home, in petence’, and resentment towards the British Museum for tak- Language Film) Greek-born Gavras, now 76, “is one of French It’s like separating a child from its mother. the community, even in the media. In fact, ‘bullying’ is a form of ing advantage of it. cinema’s most internationally feted writer-directors, having The Greek ‘Bringing them Home’ or ‘Return the Marbles’ cam- dictatorship and abounds “anywhere where one person has An English visitor to Athens in 1803, H.W. Williams, wrote made some 20 films over 45 years. He is a naturalized citizen paign commenced decades ago by passionate individuals and power over another”. It is despicably immoral. And highly dev- ‘when Elgin’s agents removed the Caryatid from the (nearby of France, has a French knighthood and in 2007 became pres- proficient organizations of Greeks Abroad, as well as by phil- astating when exercized by one nation over another. But temple of) Erechtheum, Athena wept over her lost virginity. But ident of the Cinémathèque Française, one of the world’s hellene politicians and academics from around the world. They wrongs can be righted, as impossible as the odds may appear there were louder lamentations from the remaining Caryatids largest film archives, lavishly re-housed in a Frank Gehry build- are supported by millions of Greeks and devotees of Hellenic for great stretches of time. as they looked on their ravaged sister. And later, as Elgin’s ing across the Seine” (Maya Jaggi, The Guardian, 4 April 2009). civilization across the globe. Australians for the Return of the One would never expect the British Government to apologize labourers were hauling the last of the marbles to Piraeus they He is also a declared atheist (whatever that means) who Parthenon Marbles and similar committees in other nations are to the Aboriginal people of Terra Australis for the colonization had to stop suddenly and drop them to the ground, nor could doesn’t have much time for the Christian Church, especially putting their sophisticated case strongly to many international of their land, for the humiliation of their civilization, traditions they be prevailed upon to carry them further, protesting that Greek Orthodox priests. This was to become more evident in fora. Pressure is mounting every day on the British Parliament, and dreamtime, and for the systematic genocide of entire tribes they could hear the doleful moans of Athena deep within each vitriolic statements to be made by him over the next few days most of whose members are in favour of the Return of the since the invasion began in 1770. It’s not in its political culture vein of marble’ (David Hill, ‘The Elgin Story and the History of while I was in Athens. Parthenon Marbles, should the question be put to the vote. But to apologize, even when compelled by history to withdraw the Parthenon Marbles’, 2000). I watched his brief documentary at the New Acropolis which leader will have the moral fibre to put forward the ‘gracefully’ from nations colonized, infrastructured and exploit- In 1985 I visited the Louvre Museum in Paris for a glimpse of Museum. It really did nothing for me, apart from take me on a motion? History will tell. ed. Just as it has have never apologized to Greece for its the ‘Mona Lisa’. As I walked up the Daru steps with my wife, Two weeks ago I visited the strikingly elegant and contem- Elgin. It is considered ‘politically incorrect’ here”! I retorted in a mediocre and confusing journey through the Parthenon’s histo- Of course, Greece will not betray her own moral conscience Ambassador’s desecration of the Parthenon. we unexpectedly realized that the prized exhibit atop the ele- porary marvel that is the ‘new’ Acropolis Museum in Athens. A calm but firm voice “Why such a defeatist attitude? This entire ry which focuses more on black-clad Christians amateurishly by refusing to offer the Olympic Flame to Britain for the London In contrast, however, the current Prime Minister of Australia, gant staircase was none other than the Winged Nike of truly astonishing building which owes its concept to the elder museum was built to argue the return of the Parthenon Marbles clambering up the columns of the Parthenon hammering at Olympic Games in 2012, as some foolish hot-heads from Kevin Rudd, courageously made good a pre-election promise to Samothrace. “What is such a precious masterpiece of Greek statesman of modern Greece, Prime Minister then President of from Britain”. He looked at me with equal disillusionment and what seemed like friezes on the metopes, rather than high- around the world are calling for. Greece respects her role in offer a formal National Apology to the ‘Stolen Generations’ of sculpture doing in a French museum and in the most prominent the Hellenic Republic, Constantinos Karamanlis, its vigorous referred me to a downtown bookstore and a particular ency- lighting the diplomatically ‘engineered’, systematic, intentional, promoting global harmony too much to betray her own eternal aboriginal children forcibly removed from their supposedly position of the building?” I pondered. Agitated by the injustice of promotion around the world to the inimitable celebrated former clopedia for the information I was seeking. I had already stud- professional and criminal desecration of the Parthenon by Lord ideals. The Olympic Flame is a symbol of peace and unity “uncaring, uncultured, irresponsible” parents by the ostensibly history once again, we moved through the brilliant museum until actress and Minister for Culture, Melina Mercouri, and the ied Lord Elgin’s vandalism at length. I was simply looking for a Elgin, made possible through the blatantly un-Christian and amongst the peoples of the world. more knowledgeable “Aborigines Protection Board” of the then we came upon Aphrodite of Milos or ‘Venus de Milo’ as she is genius of the design to the accomplished Swiss-American relevant booked endorsed merely through its sale by the new fraudulent activities of a 27-year-old English clergyman, the In the end, it will be ‘people power’ that will procure the Federal Government, from about 1909 to 1969. The dream of now referred to. Another painful jab to our cultural spirit. By the architect Bernard Tschumi together with the consummate Greek museum. Reverend Philip Hunt. return of Greece’s ‘Stolen Generations’ to their home. And that ‘Bringing them Home’ eventuated in the Australian Parliament time we reached the ‘Mona Lisa’ we briefly admired her architect Michalis Photiadis. Located in Athens’s historic area of I then approached a young lady in another section of the Whilst Gavras’s animation did little to edify me, his audio text home-coming will be celebrated by the whole world, especial- on 13th February 2008, thus restoring Australia’s integrity in the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, we apologized to her for hav- Makryianni, the New Acropolis Museum stands less than 300 bookstore and asked about audio-visual materials explaining hit me for a proverbial six. It portrayed the Greek Orthodox ly by the British people, the majority of whom are at odds with eyes of the world and a great deal of national pride. The Prime ing neither the appetite nor the patience to fully appreciate her metres southeast of the Parthenon. the museum and its exhibits as well as the deeds of Lord Elgin. Church in a worse light than the Crusaders. Significantly, the their government over its refusal thus far. Hopefully, a by then Minister wept, hardened politicians from both sides stood clap- painful stare, and left the Louvre hastily. Before even entering the museum proper, I was already Her reply was simple and forthright: “Lord Elgin did not steal animated documentary went rather softly on Elgin. For reasons converted Richard Dorment of the London Telegraph might be ping with tears trickling down their cheeks, a nation stopped in The feeling of inner emptiness and anguish cannot be impressed. Together with many fascinated visitors I stood on anything from the Parthenon”. Surprised, I retorted with “I beg unknown to those of us who don’t mind the whole truth being assigned to cover that glorious event. awe at this intensely emotional and historic moment, and most described in words. It is like the birth or death of a family mem- the glass floor at ground level observing a neighbourhood of your pardon?”, to which she immediately responded, as if to told, Gavras portrayed only selective incidents of damage to the In the meantime, whilst the whole of Greek civilization does Australians cried and embraced as this noble gesture unfolded. ber. One must experience these events emotionally, psycho- ancient Athens below, discovered during excavations before edify my ‘ignorance’, with a bizarre statement: “Lord Elgin did Parthenon, and even those selected were dramatized dispro- indeed “belong to the world”, like all Hellenes, I will always logically, spiritually, physically, aesthetically, personally, in order construction of the museum and preserved intact. Upon enter- not steal anything because there were simply no laws in exis- portionately to their historical context. For such a heralded film have a more powerful judgment on this issue than Richard Personally, I cried without inhibition, just as I did in 1992 when to comprehend the unique significance of both. ing the building I was entirely reassured by the security tence at the time”. maker to give the visitor a badly fragmented history of the Dorment ever will, because Greece is in my DNA. It is not in his. I had the privilege of conducting a Greek Orthodox Memorial I would feel this way again in 1992 when I entered the arrangements, like one finds at modern airports. I was rather Before I could respond, another female attendant questioned whole Parthenon story is curious in the least. I pain for the Parthenon’s ‘Stolen Generations’. He does not. Service at Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli, during the first official Byzantine church of St Saviour in Chora, Constantinople, today’s dismayed, though, when I asked for a personal headset to her wisdom in saying what she did and discreetly tried to stop Despite all, I am in two minds about the intervention of the As for his ludicrous suggestion that Greece should be so visit by an Australian school to that hallowed resting place of Istanbul. I had studied this church extensively at Thessaloniki guide me through the museum, only to be told by an attendant her from further commentary. I said to the first young lady “You Church of Greece on censoring the Gavras animation, albeit for indebted to His Lordship, Thomas Bruce, the Seventh Earl of our heroic fellow Australians. Together with Headmaster University and knew it like the back of my hand, without ever that such devices are not available, as they are in the British stated that at the time of Lord Elgin there was no law. Let’s just a few days until public outcry forced the restoration of the Elgin, that she should “erect a statue of him near the Parthenon Nicholas Kyriacos, and Parish President Dr Thomas Savoulis, having visited it. On its walls are to be found the remnants of Museum. leave that to one side. What about moral law”? Her response original. If only the ‘anti-censorship’ lobby was as passionate to express the nation’s gratitude to him for saving the marbles”, the students of St Spyridon College, Sydney, huddled together in the most exquisite frescoes and mosaics in the world. It was Determined not to be disheartened by any comparisons, I was most revealing. “Oh, we weren’t taught that”! Then without about restoring the missing Marbles of this almost perfect pray that this pompous proposal never comes to fruition. prayerful gratitude and wept for the ultimate sacrifice made by taken by the Ottomans after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 placed my one-euro ticket into the electronic turnstile and found provocation, she continued: “And anyhow the Elgin Marbles will citadel, stubbornly being ‘edited’ from their integral whole by Because, should the Greek people ever be so provoked, a their forebears. The graves of four Greek Australians also A.D. then converted to a mosque. It is now a museum. Having myself mesmerized by the proportional utilization of technolo- never return to Greece. They belong to the British Museum. And the British Museum till this day. The black-clad men damaging world-wide competition for the most appropriate design and stared at us, reinforcing what we already felt intrinsically - that to pay an entrance fee to enter a church built for Christian wor- gy, the sophisticated building materials and structural tech- furthermore, do you think the average Greek ‘gives a hoot’ the Parthenon were presumed by the Church to be Greek arrangement of such a statue-setting will certainly not be at all Australia is worth dying for when her freedom and democracy ship is heart-wrenching. niques both inside and outside the building, the refreshingly whether the Marbles return or stay where they are?” Orthodox priests. I personally did not perceive them as such in flattering either to Elgin or to the British Government. Of course, are threatened. The climax of such emotions would be experienced upon inspiring use of energy-efficient natural lighting and the exqui- I thought to myself “Astonishing! This girl is employed in the the film. Nonetheless, Gavras, after concerted negotiations by Greece will never stoop that low. It doesn’t have to. The miss- Time heals many ‘wounds’ and matures the soul. As children entering the most historically significant Orthodox cathedral in site presentation of over 4,000 ancient artifacts exhibited mag- wrong museum. What a perfect advocate for the British case Professor Pantermalis with the offended film maker, who ing pieces in the New Acropolis Museum are already a daily of immigrant parents we endured racial insults at random in the the world - the church of Agia Sophia, ‘The Holy Wisdom of nificently in 14,000 square metres of display space. against returning the Parthenon Marbles”. Had I asked a Greek demanded that his name be removed from the credits should humiliation to the British Museum’s mulishness. schoolyard from mates with whom we played football in God’, also in Constantinople, now also a museum. Again, hav- As I weaved my way effortlessly through the museum, I real- taxi driver or the man sitting patiently behind some ‘periptero’ the filmette be censored, finally came out with a statement Father Steven Scoutas Brisbane where I was born. If you know anything about Rugby ing to pay a compulsory fee to enter one’s spiritual ‘home’ is ized that one does not really require a personal headset here. kiosk on any corner of Athens I probably would have been ‘clarifying’ that the black figures were not Greek Orthodox Chairman League, you know this: unless you play with complete mateship enough to test one’s Christian discipline to the limit, especially The natural flow of the exhibition areas guides visitors inaudi- buoyed at least by a small quip of patriotism. Then again, in priests but ordinary Christians dressed in common ancient The Millennium Heritage Council The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009 12/34 TO BHMA

New Hellenic Studies Centre University of Rhode Island USA

Several classrooms, as well as marble columns, a Byzan- tine chapel and an outdoor theater will be featured on a $5-million Hellenic Studies Centre, a ground breaking project by the University of Rhode Island (URI). The 22,000-square- foot building will highlight the contributions of Greece to the Western civilization. Disciplines studied by as many as 2,000 students a year, include art, classical studies, history, literature, philosophy, rhetoric, theater and underwater archaeology. Construction of the distinctive facility will be paid for by Paideia, a nonprofit Greek cultural organization, which will share the building with URI. The university has agreed to pay an estimated $180,000 a year in heat, electricity and maintenance costs. The building is scheduled to open in the fall of 2011. In addition to several classrooms, the center will be home to the university’s Humanities Centre, which grants fellow- ships to graduate students and faculty. The educational por- tion of the building will be called Rodos, in honor of the Greek island of Rhodes and Rhode Island. “Many of our core values and basic institutions derive from Greek civilization,” former URI President Robert L. Carothers said. “The presence on the Kingston campus of a center for the study of classical Hellenic thought and art will give us a rich- er appreciation of the past and help shape more thoughtful and reflective graduates for the future.” Designs of the centre illustrate a stately, imposing classical structure with an outdoor theatre that will be next to the Fine Arts building. Despina Metakos, a 1991 URI alumna and a member of Paideia, said the building underscores the importance of ancient Greece to the sciences, mathematics, medicine, architecture and democracy. “We are extraordinarily proud of our heritage,” she said. “Not everyone can travel to Greece. But we want people to take a ride down to URI and walk through the building and see a production in the open-air theater and explore an au- thentic Byzantine chapel. It will be almost like a museum.” “So much of our Western civilization can trace roots to Hel- lenic culture,” Brownell said. “I think it’s terrific that through this building, the cultural connection to the past will be symbolized.”

Source: www.ellopos.com/blog AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/35 Health

Of course the earlier that bowel cancer is detected, forty. Not all bowel cancers bleed and a negative test the higher the chance of survival. therefore does not necessarily exclude bowel cancer. This test should not be used for people in the high What is bowel cancer? risk group. These individuals require a colonoscopy, once they reach the age of forty or earlier if they have The bowel is a part of the digestive tract whose func- symptoms or a first degree relative developed bowel HEALTH tion it is to finish digesting food. It is divided into small cancer at an early age. and large bowel. The small bowel mainly absorbs nutri- A colonoscopy should be performed on any individual ents from broken down food. The large bowel can be who has a positive faecal occult blood test. NEWSNEWS divided into the colon (which mainly absorbs water) and A colonoscopy requires a day admission to a hospital the rectum (which stores waste material until it is or day procedure centre. The patient is given sedation WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * passed from the body). to make them feel drowsy to minimise discomfort dur- When we talk of bowel cancer, we mainly refer to ing the procedure. It involves inserting a long, flexible cancer of the colon and rectum, because cancer of the tube with a small lens through the anus and into the small bowel is very rare. rectum, then around the colon to its beginning at the Bowel cancer can start in two ways. It can start di- small bowel. The doctor can see and remove polyps PREVENTION rectly from the inner bowel or from small raised and remove tissue (a biopsy) to test for cancer. A growths called polyps. Polyps are usually harmless but colonoscopy is not without risk. There is a small chance OF BOWEL CANCER have the potential to become cancerous. of perforation of the bowel and these risks will normal- ly be discussed with the patient prior to the procedure. Symptoms of bowel cancer This month a forty-two year old man came to my Depending on the result of the colonoscopy, the doc- practice for a general check up. He was a well and tor will then advise the appropriate timing of the next Bowel cancer may be present without any symptoms healthy man who did not have any symptoms. He had a colonoscopy, or another procedure should a colorectal and indeed polyps may also be present without any family history of bowel cancer. His mother died of bow- cancer be found. symptoms. el cancer at a fairly young age. The advice this man The major tests used to detect and screen for bowel The most common symptom of bowel cancer is was given was that as he was over forty and had a cancer or polyps have been outlined. Other tests in- bleeding from the bowel, and therefore it is always ad- family history of bowel cancer and even though he had clude: a rectal examination by the doctor, a sigmoi- visable to look in the toilet bowl after a bowel action. A no symptoms he ought to have a colonoscopy to screen doscopy (putting a rigid or flexible tube into the anus to persistent change in bowel habit, diarrhoea or consti- for polyps or bowel cancer. examine the rectum and lower colon), a barium enema pation or abdominal pain may also be a symptom of This man followed my advice and had the colonos- (a type of X-Ray), ultrasound or CAT scan of the ab- bowel cancer. The diagnostic dilemma, however is that copy. He was found to have multiple polyps. Fortunate- domen and blood tests may sometimes also be used to these symptoms also appear frequently in the popula- ly none of these polyps had turned cancerous. But they assess and investigate for bowel cancer. do have the potential to turn malignant and this man will tion and may not necessarily be symptoms of bowel cancer. These symptoms can in fact occur in well indi- undergo a colonoscopy every few years to assess for The role of diet in the prevention of bowel further polyps or malignant change. Further he has ad- viduals and may not be related to a disease process. vised his siblings of the need for them to undergo a Iron deficiency anaemia may also be a sign of bowel cancer screening colonoscopy when they turn forty or to seek cancer and unexplained iron deficiency anaemia re- medical advice if they develop relevant symptoms. quires full investigation. A high fat diet and the consumption of beer have been linked to bowel cancer. To minimise the risk of Bowel cancer risk bowel cancer, one must eat less fat, eat more high-fi- How common is Colorectal (Bowel) bre foods such as whole grain breads and cereals, and Cancer? Some people are at greater risk of developing bowel eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and drink alcohol in cancer. People who are at greater risk are those who moderation. Bowel or colorectal cancer is currently the second have a first degree relative (i.e.: mother, father, sibling Unfortunately, there is no nationally recognised pub- most common internal malignancy affecting one in or child) who have had large bowel cancer or polyps. licly funded programme for bowel cancer in this coun- twenty Australians. (Only prostate cancer is more com- Or people who have already had bowel cancer or try. At present there is a national program involving fae- mon in men and breast cancer more common in polyps, or people who have had a history of extensive cal occult blood testing that is undergoing assessment. women.) Colon cancer is the second most common ulcerative colitis over many years. Recent evidence does confirm that faecal occult blood cause of cancer death in Australians after lung cancer. Of course bowel cancer or polyps can occur in peo- testing is effective in reducing mortality as a population There are many public education programmes for ple who are not high risk, and any symptoms of bowel screening strategy and colonoscopy has the potential to breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer, and cancer should be investigated by the doctor. reduce mortality in people at average risk of colorectal recognised screening programmes for some of these cancer. diseases. However, there is a need for a more com- Screening tests and investigations Talk to you doctor today about bowel cancer screen- prehensive public education of colorectal cancer and ing and do not ignore rectal bleeding or change in bow- for bowel cancer the potential for its prevention. el habit. More than 10 000 new cases of colorectal cancer are Early detection and removal of polyps can be lifesav- A screening test, called a faecal occult blood test diagnosed each year resulting in 4 500 deaths each ing! year. The risk of colorectal cancer increases with age in (FOBT) is a chemical test which detects hidden blood in that approximately 8% of cancers develop under the the bowel motion, that is blood which is not visible. This * The information given in this article is of a general nature and age of 50, and the incidence doubles each decade after test may be used to screen for polyps or bowel cancer readers should seek advice from their own medical practitioner 50. and should be performed annually after the age of before embarking on any treatment. Overhauling health system will save $4.1B a year: study

By Julian Drape $246.1 billion to $241.9 billion a year. That translates to 2032-33 due to increased efficiencies and a focus on reducing spending from 12.4 per cent of gross domes- preventive health. Overhauling the health system as proposed by the tic product to 12.2 per cent of GDP. The institute's study, released recently, says the com- federal government's hospitals commission would save "The net effect of these selected reforms would be to mission's proposals would cut obesity and therefore di- $4.1 billion a year by 2032-33, a financial analysis of deliver a somewhat different mix of health services at abetes rates, leading to savings of $2.6 billion a year by the proposed reforms has found. a two per cent lower cost," the institute's study states. 2032-33. A more rapid decline in smoking rates would The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commis- That conclusion is broadly in line with the commis- save $262 million a year, while improving continuity of sion recommended last month that the commonwealth sion's own cost estimates. primary care outside hospitals would save $635 million. should fund and run all primary health care, basic den- The commission found introducing its 123 recommen- Denticare Australia would save $110 million in hospital tal care and aged care, as well as indigenous health dations would cost up to $5.7 billion a year and require costs by 2032-33. Introducing personal electronic health services.It also recommended Canberra fund 100 per a capital investment over five years of up to $7.3 billion. records for every Australian would slash $627 million cent of the "efficient" cost of outpatient services in hos- Universal access to basic dental treatment through a off the health budget annually. pitals and 40 per cent of other admissions. new Denticare Australia scheme would cost $3.6 billion Meanwhile, moving hundreds of thousands of pa- A study by the Australian Institute of Health and Wel- a year and be funded by a 0.75 percentage point hike tients from acute care to sub-acute care for rehabilita- fare suggests the reforms would save $4.1 billion a in the Medicare levy. The commission estimated its re- tion would reduce spending by a further $190 million year by 2032-33, reducing Australia's health bill from forms would lead to savings of $4 billion a year by each year. AUGUST 2009 14/36 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Secularism, Identity, and the Religious Dimension in Contemporary Europe

By Father Dimitri Tsakas

A Soul for Europe? The debate initiated by Jacques Delors about “the soul of Europe”, resurfaced questions concerning European identity.1 Arguments about a Constitutional reference to Christianity highlighted Europe’s religious undercurrents. Early drafts made no reference to Christianity. Rather, the preamble procured its historical orientation from French secularism, citing that Europe was “nourished first by the civilisations of Greece and Rome, characterised by spiritual impulse always present in its heritage and later by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment.” 2 Vision for Europe fought a robust campaign with its Brussels Declaration to head off claims that Christianity was fundamental in the continent’s democratic and ethical values. The group expressed apprehension over its perceived polarisation of Europe, between growing The debate initiated assertiveness in radical Islam and the opposite push to by Jacques Delors about “the soul of reassert Christian identity. Tenaciously secularist, Vision for Europe”, resurfaced Europe abhors the slightest involvement of religion in politics questions and describes any permutation, regressive and divisive.3 concerning European identity Vatican authorities spearheaded the contrasting view. Cardinal Josef Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) characterised this view maintaining, “Europe is a cultural and not a geographical continent. It is united by its culture, which gives it a common identity. The roots which formed this continent are those of Christianity.” Ratzinger opposed Turkish membership because he held Turkey in “permanent contrast to Europe”.4 The prospect of including a Muslim majority state, invites deep-rooted anxieties regarding Islam and further Muslim figures over coming decades via migratory flows gent Muslim minorities against a backdrop of religiously fuels questions about EU identity. (essential to EU economies) and a relatively high birth rate.11 inspired terrorism, which serves to sharpen the issues and reinforce public calls for secularism. Patrick Weil claims the Despite intense lobbying from churches, the Constitution Numerous incidents adversely affect the present-day present tendency in Europe is to demand limits on the intru- submitted for ratification since 2004 avoided references to climate for European Muslims. Islam’s challenge to the West sion of religion in public life. There is a growing perception Christianity.5 Article 51 made provision for churches and non- remains an enduring obsession fuelled by events, like the that let loose; Islam will sacrifice women’s equality, democ- confessional organisations, ensuring equal legal status under Rushdie affair, terrorist attacks, and the murder of Dutch film- racy, and individual freedoms.14 Paradoxically however, national frameworks.6 To date, eighteen member states have maker Theo Van Gogh. The French riots of November 2005 modernity brings to Europe, not more secularism, but ampli- ratified the Draft, despite its rejection in French and Dutch served to enhance negative representations of lawless fied pluralism with every capacity to polarise a fundamental- referendums.7 Muslim youth. Moreover, the cartoon controversy demon- ist secularism against emergent popular religiosity. strated an apparent popularity of the perception that In spirit, the Draft Constitution reaffirms Westphalia’s “Muslims are making politically exceptional, culturally unrea- Turkish entrance to the EU would take Europe’s Muslim posture toward religion. Westphalia piloted Europe in the sonable or theologically alien demands upon European population to over 15%, which combined with higher birth direction of religious tolerance, and the European secularisms states”.12 Political discourse on the subject of Islam as a chal- rates exponentially increases the figure. The apparent diffi- it inspired generally evolved to respect religious liberty and lenge to secularism crafts a noxious atmosphere of fear. culty, with which Europeans currently view Muslim integra- autonomy. Accordingly, the Constitution supports a level play- Musing often succumbs to characterising Islam in Arab fun- tion, arouses considerable passion over Turkish membership. ing field on which religions freely operate in various national damentalist terms and neglects variation in Muslim belief and Fifty four per cent of EU respondents surveyed in 2006, frameworks. Furthermore, its ethical dimensions draw from practice resulting from the impact of migration, and the con- agreed with the statement “the cultural differences between Enlightenment principles anchored away from religion, to structive influence of European pluralism. Moreover, dis- Turkey and the EU Member States are too significant to allow avert religious friction. Notwithstanding disparity in the secu- course caustically constructs Islam en masse as a cultural or for accession.” Opposition to Turkey’s entry ranged from a larisms and secularisation of states, Enlightenment principles terrorist threat, with media stereotypes portraying Muslims high of 73% in Austria to a low of 41% in the UK.15 Results generally sit comfortably with modern Europe because of the as undifferentiated in a fundamentalist expression of religion. from a study of attitudes toward accession states, conducted history of its most powerful nations. Western Europe cele- Multiple diversities within Islam become obscure under a by Antonia Ruiz-Jimenez and Jose Torreblanca in 2006, found brates Westphalia for subduing religious bloodshed and blanket of uninformed assumptions. strong support for Western Balkan states and little for Turkey, exalts the Enlightenment in its triumph of rationalism over which ranked least popular among recent EU enlargement dogma. The Union’s Convention on Human Rights nourishes a Overwhelming majorities of European immigrants are processes. Supporters for Turkish accession mostly counted collective principle for diverse secularisms, by endorsing reli- Muslim, and the greater majority of Muslims are immigrants. among those holding a post-national vision of Europe. Those gious liberty and freedom of thought.8 Europe’s “bewildering Popular perception of Muslim religiosity serves to construct opposed, commonly departed from identity-related argu- variety”9 of secularisms therefore strives for unity in diversi- Islam, not merely as other to Christianity, but more precari- ments. Utilitarian dimensions focused on geopolitical and ty via collective human rights principles to which EU member ously, as other to secularisation and by association, to mod- economic themes ranked least important in popular percep- States are obliged. ern secularism.13 As a result, the challenges posed by the tion.16 integration of Muslim migrants become associated with seemingly related issues about the role of religion in the pub- Ruiz-Jimenez and Torreblanca’s results reach into the The Emerging Euro-Islamic Dimension lic space, which European societies assumed resolved by heart of a secular Europe fraught with anxiety over unpre- David Martin attempted with some success in the 1970s, Westphalia, the Enlightenment, and its secular norms. cedented pluralism. Pluralism will likely reconstitute the iden- in identifying key common elements pertaining to European tity of key European contexts. Invariably, the future of secu- secularisms.10 Martin’s work reflects relatively homogenous Rapid changes have taken Europe to new frontiers since larism in Europe will come to reflect the evolution of identity. societies. Large scale Muslim immigration since Martin’s the Union’s formation. Ever mindful of a history filled with reli- Widespread public debate over Turkey betrays a latent inse- analysis, radically altered European demographics and gious violence, the crosscurrents of secularism, Christianity, curity concerning identity. The capacity of a common Christian brought fresh questions concerning identity, secularism and and Islam, buffet European society as it wrestles to balance heritage to define European unity, and therefore its external secularisation. Muslims in Europe now comprise 5-10% of the competing values and unprecedented multi-religious realities. and internal boundaries, eludes the Union. The secular population. Projections forecast a dramatic increase in Several States face hurdles in amalgamating rapidly emer- AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/37

Cont. from previous page

Enlightenment values of liberalism, universal human rights, political democracy, and inclusive multiculturalism, generate greater potential according to Brussels’ Constitutional draft. Brussels’ elite rejects Ratzinger’s definition of Europe as essentially Christian. They have failed on the other hand, to address the public’s unspoken cultural criteria making Turkish accession a difficult issue. Ambiguity regarding Turkey goes beyond geopolitical, economic, and political dimensions, and raises the larger issue of European secularism and its trou- bled relationship with Islam.

European Secularism, Euro-Islamic, and Turkey’s EU Membership Euro-Turkish relations predate the EU project by more than 800 years and often found themselves mediated through the constructs of religion and politics. Recurrent conflict and occupation, coinciding with vibrant, steady cultural exchange, characterised the liaison. Recently, the relationship entered a new phase, dominated by the issue of migrant Muslim communities in Europe. Previously homogenous societies now grapple with pluralism in assorted fashion, but often and lam- entably with limited success.

The growing significance of European Muslims is obliging states to concentrate on piloting its minority citizens into the secular mainstream. Recent efforts range from legislation to hasten assimilation, evident for example in the French head- scarf ban, to proposals in Holland for the development of European Islam. Both approaches acknowledge the expanding significance of a minority that will play a com- pelling role in future demographics.

European tolerance has limits, not defined solely by secularism, but together with public perceptions that secular- of western civilisation in a mono-cultural manner demanding munities in the Member States. Secondly, the Union equally respects the status ism and Islam are uneasy partners. The EU constitutional ref- Muslim assimilation and rejecting nations like Turkey, or per- of philosophical and non-confessional organisations. Finally, recognising their identity and their specific contribution, the Union shall maintain an open, trans- erence to Enlightenment values seems at face value, a repu- mit the evolution of pluralistic society built on European con- parent and regular dialogue with these churches and organisations. diation of exclusivity on Christian grounds. Popular perception structs17 of secularism, human rights, and liberal democracy 7 Two countries expressed rejection while the process in remaining member nevertheless, constructs the Islamic other as containing latent that permit multi-religious expression.18 The latter position states is on hold or awaiting a decision on a ratification procedure. For updated potential for post-secularism. In this view, a rising Euro- ensures a place for Turkey, as long as the criteria regarding information on the ratification process see www.unizar.es/euroconstitucion 8 Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention refer to religious liberty and freedom Islamic presence threatens the existing balance between pol- secularism, human rights, and liberal democracy find mutual of thought respectively. itics and religion, resulting in radically redefined or abolished approval. 9 Grace Davie described European secularisms as “a bewildering variety” but in secularisms. Social constructs constituted through fear feed doing so, perhaps underplayed the common threads of Enlightenment principles public antipathy toward Turkish membership. The distinctly The tensions between communitarians and liberals, loll generally protecting religious freedom in all of them. See Davie G., Religion in Modern Europe: A Memory Mutates, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000, liberal and esoteric character of Turkish Islam and a protract- behind much of the ambiguity characterising EU relations with p.15 ed secularism in Turkish history, remain regretfully absent Turkey. Christian Democrats tend to communitarian views.19 10 Martin D., A General Theory of Secularisation, Blackwell, Oxford, 1978 from popular discourse. They argue Turkey’s struggle in developing acceptable struc- 11 Muslims already residing in EU states, enjoy a birthrate three times that of tures is a clear function of its predominantly Muslim culture.20 non-Muslims. See Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, An Uncertain Road: Three constructions of EU identity currently vie to Muslims and the Future of Europe, Pew Research Centre, Washington D.C., Liberal parliamentarians, focused more singularly upon 2005 shape the Union’s future. Firstly, Communitarians envision a Copenhagen criteria, convey greater caution for religion and 12 Modood T., Muslims and the Politics of Difference, Political Quarterly, 74 Europe of Culture that they believe, can only emerge from believe Turkish Islam to potentially be one of the positive con- (1), 2003, p. 100 common religious, philosophical, political, and aesthetic roots, tributions Turkey could make to Europe. Despite Christian 13 The religiosity of Muslims contrasts to a greater extent in countries where and, where Turkey has no place. This viewpoint neglects the Christian religiosity is typically lower. The scenario is especially evident in the Democrat and popular reservations, the official attitude of the most populous and powerful EU countries including the U.K., France, and consequences in socially alienating the identity of citizens Parliament remains committed to Turkish accession, based on Germany where Christian religiosity is low and the Muslim population is high. As from non-European backgrounds. Secondly, Liberals envisage rational socio-economic and political criteria. Accordingly, an example, on a weekly basis, more worshippers in the UK attend mosques a political and civic identity founded upon democracy, human Turkey became a candidate for EU membership in December than Anglican churches although Muslims make up a fraction of the population in rights, secular law, and economic liberalism. This view cre- comparison to Anglicans. See Berger P.L., Global Pluralism and Religion, Estudios 1999, and on December 17, 2004, the EU decided to begin Públicos, Vol. 98 2005 ates artificial distinctions between private, public, subjective formal accession negotiations in October 2005. 14 Quoted in Ford P., What Place for God in Europe, Christian Science and universal, thus remaining problematic because the vigour Monitor, 22 February 2005 of plural cultural constructs remains unattended. Social soli- See www.csmonitor.com/2005/0222/p01s04-woeu darity and emotional bonds frequently result through socio- 15 See: 1 Jacques Delors held the Presidency of the European Commission for three www.europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb63/eb63_e historical cultural constructs that generate a sense of belong- terms between 1985 and 1995. n.pdf, 2006 ing, and it seems unlikely that purely abstract principles can 2 Quoted in Hanson E.O., Religion and Politics in the International System 16 Ruiz-Jimenez A.M. and Torreblanca J.T., European Public Opinion and achieve a comparable dynamic. Finally, Social constructivists Today, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2006, p.144 Turkey’s Accession: Making Sense of Arguments For and Against, view contemporary Europe as a space of encounters, where 3 Vision for Europe is a joint venture between the International Humanist and European Policy Institutes Network, Working Paper No.16 May 2007 Ethical Union (IHEU), the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and Catholics for 17 It is difficult to imagine the EU can successfully enjoy pluralism if it allows that identity will emerge via socio-political, religious and cultural Free Choice (CFFC). The lobby espouses the neutral stance of States, neither sup- pluralism to undermine the stability of essential political institutions. Thus, the exchange. This view proposes that multiple meanings in con- porting nor discriminating against any particular religion. least common denominator of unity in diversity requires the maintenance of stant interaction will necessarily experience redefinition in See www.iheu.org/v4e. proven European constructs for human rights and liberal democracy. rhythm with demographic evolution. The capacity for popular 4 Before his election as Pope Benedict XIV, Ratzinger argued on religious 18 Yegenoglu M., The Return of the Religious: Revisiting Europe and its Islamic grounds for the exclusion of Turkey. See his interview with the French newspa- Others, Culture and Religion, 7 (3), 2006 adaptation to perpetual change however, underestimates the per Le Figaro, 13 August 2004. 19 For 2004 election results see the EU Parliament’s website at: need for stability in society. Pluralism is unworkable without 5 The Preamble reads... “Conscious that Europe is a continent that has brought www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2004/ep- some common reference point of identity, orientation and forth civilisation; that its inhabitants, arriving in successive waves from earliest election/sites/en/results1306/graphical.html See also the European coherence, in the absence of which, democracy degenerates times, have gradually developed the values underlying humanism: equality of Parliament Debate on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession, 13 December 2004, persons, freedom, respect for reason, Drawing inspiration from the cultural, reli- available at www.europarl.eu.int/activities/expert/cre/calendar into inoperative social chaos. gious and humanist inheritance of Europe, the values of which, still present in its 20 See the work of Giannakopoulos A. and Maras K., Party Perspectives in the heritage, have embedded within the life of society the central role of the human European Parliament on Turkey’s EU Accession: An Empirical Study of Session Shifting demographics mean European secularisms will person and his or her inviolable and inalienable rights, and respect for law,...” Protocols of the European Parliament 1996-2004, Occasional Paper No. 4/05, likely enter constructivist fires of redefinition. The pressing For the full text of the Constitution see European Convention, Treaty South East European Studies at Oxford, European Studies Centre, May 2005. Such attitudes and value judgments provide the interpretative key for statements as and pivotal issue for Europe however, rests in determining a Establishing a Constitution for Europe, 2003, at www.european-convention.eu.int Turkey “would prefer to be a leading power in the Islamic world.” See EU common identity acceptable to a growing pluralism. The out- 6 Article 51 states three points: Firstly, the Union respects and does not preju- Parliament Reference 18/09/1996, 327-331. come of that determination will either protect the constructs dice the status under national law of churches and religious associations or com- The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009 16/38 TO BHMA

Aristotle’s school due to The father of philosophy undergo a major revamp and the father Plans envisage creation of unique spot of science for appreciating history and enjoying city life BY JOHN LEONARD

Plato (428-348 BC) and his pupil Aristotle (384- 322 BC) were two of the most influential thinkers in human history. Plato, born in Athens or Aegina, was himself a student of Socrates. His writings are today the primary source of information about his famous mentor. Aristotle Plato wrote at least 35 dialogues in which Socra- tes and his followers discuss ethics, epistemology and logic. Through questions, they examine the nature of virtue and knowledge. Plato believed that reality is irreconcilably divided between the material and the spiritual; the material world is only a shadow of the real world, and knowledge is achieved not through learning or observation but recollection. These ideas, with his be- The site of Aristotle’s Lyceum is lief in the afterlife and the immortality of the soul, surrounded by buildings constructed had a tremendous impact on the history of Western during this century and last. [ANA] philosophy and religion. Plato also examined politics and the ideal state, BY NICK MALKOUTZIS also making it more accessible to visitors. But plans to rejecting democracy as a low form of government merge the site with the grounds of the nearby Byzantine and suggesting the ill-equipped public should Around this time next year, tourists and Athenians could and Christian Museum are also significant part of the choose a wise philosopher-king to lead them. The be enjoying unprecedented access to ancient philosopher scheme. philosopher and his students gathered in the Grove Aristotle’s famed Lyceum in the city center, following the “It is extremely important that there is an area in the cen- of Academus (or Hecademus, a legendery hero of unveiling of plans to revamp the site and turn it into an ter of Athens that is not just of archaeological interest but Attica) northwest of the Athenian Agora, where he open-air museum. is a green, open space that is available to Athenians,” Gior- established a school called the Academy. The site of the 4th-century BC school has remained virtu- gos Mylonas, a spokesman for the Byzantine and Christian Aristotle, from Stagira in Halkidiki, arrived in ally abandoned since being discovered in 1996 but, ac- Museum, told Athens Plus. Athens at the age of 17 and studied under Plato for cording to plans unveiled by Culture Minister Antonis “From the museum’s point of view, there are numerous 20 years. Unlike his master, he was a keen observ- Samaras at the end of last month, that is set to change. advantages, since the philosophy is to make this area at- er of the natural world, a realist, a biologist and a He said the site, which is located on land that was just tractive to tourists and a popular hangout for locals through physicist. He proposed that ethics and politics are outside the walls of Ancient Athens but which today lies the construction of a cafe and restaurant,” he added. practical sciences, which should be based on care- near the Evangelismos Hospital in Kolonaki, is to get a “We are aiming to create a welcoming spot where Athe- ful observation, analysis and classification. Happi- translucent protective roof and be turned into a 3.6- nians can bring their family for a stroll or sit and have a ness, Aristotle also suggested, comes both from the hectare archaeological park that will be linked with the coffee.” requirements of physical life and the exercise of Byzantine and Christian Museum. Archaeology buffs will not be disappointed either, as the one’s ability to think abstractly. Between 342 and The decision to transform the site, a landmark for West- Third Ephorate is due to begin work soon on restoring the 335 BC, he served as Alexander the Great’s tutor, ern philosophy, has been welcomed by the archaeologists relics that have already been uncovered - mainly the re- then returned to Athens where he founded his own who first discovered it. mains of a palaestra, or wrestling area - along with other philosophical school, the Lyceum, near a shrine of “Both Plato’s Academy and Aristotle’s Lyceum are within improvements for visitors. Apollo Lykaios (Apollo of the Wolves). the boundaries of our ephorate and I must admit that we “We will create a route with information points that visi- The Lyceum, housed in a gymnasium, had a cen- were pleasantly surprised by the interest the ministry has tors can follow through the site. We may also build a kiosk tral courtyard surrounded by colonnades, within shown in these sites since Antonis Samaras took over as showing what the palaestra and the gymnasium looked like which Aristotle occasionally walked while lecturing culture minister,” Nicoletta Davari-Valakou, who is in in its original state while providing information about Aris- to his students. charge of the Culture Ministry’s Third Ephorate of Prehis- totle,” she said. The teachings of Plato and Aristotle profoundly in- toric and Classical Antiquities, told Athens Plus. “We will also try to restore the feeling that this was a fluenced modern philosophy, science and mathe- The significance of the site makes it difficult to under- wooded area by planting the appropriate plants and trees matics as well as the religious thinking of later im- stand why it has not been developed further since 1996 where possible.” portant figures, including Thomas Aquinas and but, according to Davari-Valakou, there have been other The Byzantine and Christian Museum intends to create Richard Hooker. Plato was essentially the father of pressing matters to deal with. an open-air sculpture collection as part of the plans, while philosophy, Aristotle the father of science. Their “They are two sites that had until now been overlooked visitors will be able to enter the revamped archaeological schools in Athens were because there were other, understandable, priorities, such site from Vassilissis Sofias Avenue or Rigillis Street. among the first institu- as the construction of the New Acropolis Museum and the Plans to overhaul Aristotle’s school have fallen by the tions of higher learning in restoration work at the National Archaeological Museum. wayside in the past, but everyone involved is confident that the Western world, while “These were big projects that commanded the Culture this project will go ahead. Aristotle’s collection of Ministry’s attention for the last decade,” she said. “Since there has been an official statement from the min- manuscripts at the Ly- “Now, these two sites are moving back into the spotlight, ister, the study has been carried out and a sponsor has ceum represented an and rightly so, because they are very significant for global been found, I do not envisage any problems,” said My- early academic library. civilization since they are linked to Plato and Aristotle, the lonas. The archaeological sites two pillars of human thought.” “The studies are usually what take time but, in this case, of these two philosophi- The main aspect of the 4.5-million euro project, which they are ready, so once someone wins the tender for the cal schools deserve to be will be funded by the partly state-owned betting company project and all the funding is in place, the roof could be Plato World Heritage monu- OPAP, is a steel-and-glass roof protecting the findings but built within a year,” said Davari-Valakou. ments. AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/39 Travel Rhodes Living up to the romantic myth This longtime destination for international travelers offers abundant natural beauty and an impressive heritage

BY H. ARGYROPOULOS and its 600- year-old bell tower, and taste excellent bread from The classical Greek lyric poet wood-burning ovens. Lindos (49 Pindar sang of the birth of Rho- km), one of the island’s oldest des, the daughter of Helios the settlements, has been declared sun god and the nymph Rhoda. a listed town for its traditional This sun-drenched and naturally architecture, which has attracted bounteous island in the south- a number of celebrities as eastern corner of Greece’s ar- homeowners. The small town is chipelago today has been dub- dominated by the ancient acrop- bed the “island of roses,” living olis, which towers 116 meters up to the romantic myth. above the sea. In Greece’s post-1960 tourism On the western side of the is- boom, it grew into one of the land lies Ialysos (or Trianta, 8 main poles of attraction in the km) - one of ancient Rhodes’ eastern Mediterranean, boasting three city states, along with Lin- diverse natural beauty, some of dos and Kameiros. More than the country’s finest hotels, im- half of the island’s hotels are lo- pressive monuments and a vi- cated along its lengthy beach. brant nightlife. A winding road takes you to The island developed a repu- the top of Mt Filerimos (about 5 tation for splendor in antiquity, km), with a host of antiquities attracting visitors from distant and superb panoramic views. lands: Relatively large (with a A selection the 1961 production ‘The Guns the cultural events of both its Twenty kms out of town is the coastline of 220 kms), it grew in- of Navarone,” which was filmed Carnival season and August 15 renowned and unique Butterfly to a flourishing regional trade On the eastern side, Koskinou there. Afantou (20 km) is one of holiday. It is also home to one of Valley (“Petaloudes”), a narrow and cultural center, hosting one (10 km from town) has excellent Rhodes’s oldest villages, well Greece’s most prominent 18- lush valley where thousands of of the Seven Wonders of the An- examples of traditional architec- known for its oranges and olive hole golf courses, open through- a particular species of the Jer- cient World, the Colossus, the ture and a related museum; Fali- oil, the huge, superb beach and out the year. In Archangelos (30 sey tiger moth (Panaxia quadri- massive, 32 to 40 meter-high raki, 5 km further south, is one km), you will see elderly inhabi- punctaria) come to breed from bronze statue of Helios that of the island’s biggest resorts, tants (mainly women) dressed in June to September. Finally, Ka- straddled the entrance to what with huge hotel complexes a- traditional costumes and can ad- meiros (37 km) on the north- is today the Mandraki marina long an endless beach with mire the rich and colorful décor western coast, is the other ma- (two columns surmounted by crystal-clear waters. Three kilo- and layout of houses. jor archaeological site on the is- bronze deer, one male and one meters on along the same road It is well known for its tradi- land, where the ancient city has female, now stand in its place). is Anthony Quinn Beach, named tional crafts and excellent cui- been excavated and preserved The Romans adopted Rho- after the Mexican-American ac- sine. You can also see the in very good condition. des’s commercial maritime law tor who played a leading role in Church of the Archangel Michael Source: AthensPlus throughout the empire; Cicero and Julius Caesar were said to be among a number of famous visitors to a local school of ora- tors. Much later, the crusading Kni- ghts of St John decided to settle here in 1309 and stayed until 1522, when they were ousted by the Ottomans. One of their legacies is the beautiful and re- markably well-preserved Goth- 1 2 3 4 ic-style medieval walled city they built (a UNESCO World Her- Where to stay Where to eat What to see Transport itage monument) in the island’s capital (pop. 45,000). The Ital- Elysium Resort & Spa (Kallithea, tel Olympic Airlines (tel 210.966.666) ians, who succeeded the Ot- Alexis and Alexis 4 Seasons (28 The list of sights and attractions is 45700), deluxe; Grecotel Rodos Royal Socratous and 33 Aristotelous, re- endless; a visit to the Old Town is a and Aegean Airlines (801.112.0000) tomans in 1912, tried hard to (Faliraki, 85471), four-star; Apollo Blue spectively, old quarter), very good for must. If arriving by plane, don’t miss have several flights daily. By sea, the make the island a showcase of Palace (Faliraki, 85000), fivestar, good fish; Hatzikelis (9 Alhadef, Old Town), the aerial view; the Archaeological fastest boat (13 hours) is run by Blue their colonial achievements and service; Esperides Family Resort (Fali- family fish taverna; Dinoris (14 Mou- Museum in the old knights’ hospital Star Ferries (210.891.9800). Single added to the city’s impressive raki, 84200), four-star; Plaza Best seiou Square), fresh fish in a medieval (34719/75674), Τues - Sun 8 a.m. - fare is 53 euros in economy class, architectural diversity a number Western Hotel (7 Ierou Lochou, 22501), setting; Mavrikos (Lindos, central 14.30 p.m.; the pink Suleymaniye while taking the car with you will cost good value; Avalon (Old Town, 31438), square), an award-winning restaurant, Mosque; the Ibrahim Pasha Mosque you 104.50 euros. Also, GA Ferries of rather imposing, fascist-style (210.451.1720) and LANE (210.427.40- buildings near Mandraki, where boutique hotel with six suites, year- creative Greek cuisine; Thavma en (Pythagora, 73410) is free to visitors round; Blue Horizon Hotel (Ialysos, 09). Local phone code: 22410; police: the heart of Rhodes now beats. Kairo (Old Town), ethnic cuisine and from noon to 2 p.m. daily, except Fri- 93481), four-star, on the beach; Atri- atmosphere; Mourella (Kiotari), excel- day; the aquarium (27308); the wood- 27423/23329; port authority: 22220/- The island - Greece’s fourth um Palace (Lindos, 31601- 3), deluxe lent Greek cuisine, sea view; for ed Hill of Monte Smith for sunsets; Ro- 28888; National Tourism Organization: largest (1,404 sq.km) - also fea- with spa; Dennis Beach Studios (Gen- grilled meat dishes, go to Limeri tou dini Park, about 2 km south of town, 23255/23655 (8.30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mon- tures numerous attractions out- nadi, 43395), quiet, budget place. Listi in Profylia and to Atsipas in Afan- with a small zoo; for swimming, the Fri, year round), hospital: 80000; air- side the capital. tou. eastern coast is best. port: 88901, radio taxi: 64712. AUGUST 2009 18/40 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Arts, Food & Wine Editor: Imogen Coward Music Alive 2009 The Greek Experience

Roll up, roll up! In just a few weeks time the STOP PRESS: Sponsorship opportunity Greek Orthodox Youth Orchestra of Brisbane (GOYOB) will present their second Music Alive An exciting opportunity currently exists for individuals, businesses and organisations to become official sponsors concert - The Greek Experience - on 10 October, of Music Alive 2009. Sponsors will appear in the concert’s 2009, at the Chandler Theatre, Chandler Theatre high quality full colour program guide of 16 pages that will not only acknowledge the support you have given this Sleeman Sports Complex, Brisbane. event but also advertise you and your business or organisation to the general community. Building on the success of their last Music Alive concert, held in 2007, this year GOYOB’s concert offers a diverse For information on how to become a sponsor, the range of Greek and Greek-Australian music, new and old, various levels of sponsorship or to receive a spon- with a special focus on Asia Minor. It will feature per- sorship pack and application form contact Manual formances by local and interstate guest artists including Pippos, tel: 07 3324 8291, mob: 0413 018 780 or Palikaria, Nik Conomos, Katerini Manolatos, The Bouzouki email [email protected] Man - Costa Vasili, siblings Imogen, Taliesin and Leon Coward (Mavromatis) and, of course, the Greek Orthodox Youth Orchestra of Brisbane. Come and be inspired by the sounds of a uniquely Greek-Australian cultural fusion and the talents of GOY- OB’s young musicians and their guest artists. From classi- Écoutez! cally oriented music by Mikis Theodorakis, and a newly created re-setting of the Greek folksongs transcribed by Ravel, to solo and ensemble performances of contempo- Arts Review rary Greek-Australian, folk and popular music, Music Alive 2009 offers something for every musical taste. Music Alive 2009 will also feature arrangements especially cre- Francesco’s ated for the orchestra by contemporary Greek-Australian musicians and composers, including talented young violin- Venice DVD ist and dedicated GOYOB member George Pippos. BBC R-B01544-9 According to the orchestra’s chairman, Manual Pippos, “the future of our communities lie with the inspiration and For anyone interested support that we provide the youth of today.” At present Tickets and concert details the Arts, Venice holds a GOYOB is made up of approximately 20 regular perform- Music Alive 2009 - The Greek Experience is being held unique fascination as the ing members (aged from teens to twenties) and approxi- at the Chandler Theatre Sleeman Sports Complex, corner home of many great mately 120 associated people drawn from Brisbane, and of Old Cleveland Rad and Tilley Rd, Chandler, Brisbane, on artists, writers and musi- in particular from the Greek Orthodox Southside Parish Saturday 10 October, 2009, 7pm-10.30pm (doors open cians from Titian to Vi- Community of the Dormition of the Theotokos. The major- 6.30pm). valdi, and a favourite city ity of the orchestra’s members are trained in classical Ticket costs are $35 Adult, $25 Child/Youth to 18yrs, $25 of non-Venetians includ- Western music and are brought together by a love of each for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are currently avail- ing Byron and Turner. On Greek music and interest in Greek musical heritage. The able from the Administration office of the Greek Orthodox a more personal level, repertoire, like the variety of instruments the orchestra Parish Community of the Dormition of the Theotokos from family trees to the boasts, is both diverse and unique. 07 3343 7304 or through Ticketek. pronunciation of the Greek language, Venice and the Venetian republic has had a lasting influence on many Greek-Australians whose ancestors hail from Food & Wine the Ionian islands and other former Venetian territo- Food & Wine ries. Subtitled “the dramatic history of the world’s most beautiful city” Francesco’s Venice takes viewers on a tour through the history of the city of Venice itself, Swindled and be more appealing, guided by Francesco da Mosto, an architect and art though not necessarily historian who is a descendent of one of the oldest and By Bee Wilson more healthy for us. most distinguished Venetian families. Published by John Murray, 2009 Leaving aside possible Venice’s magnificent art and architecture in combi- health implications, is it nation with dramatic reconstructions underpin France- Subtitled “from poison sweets to counterfeit coffee - fair that we accept such sco’s vivid portrayal of the city’s history from its foun- the dark history of the food cheats” Swindled looks at food or, as Wilson im- dation in the 5th century to the present day. The deca- the history of food adulteration, the often fatal effects it plies, are we willingly dent and bloody periods in the history of Venice, had on consumers and the battle against it. Wilson, a swindled every time we including its part in the sacking of Constantinople dur- former research fellow at St John’s College, Cam- buy a tasteless piece of ing the 4th Crusade, are juxtaposed with the city’s role bridge, traces the history from the middle ages to the artificially ripened fruit, or as trading centre for Europe and the magnificent art, 21st century but focusses her attention in particular on a loaf of ‘wet-sponge architecture and beauty its inhabitants created. As with Britain and America from the time of the industrial rev- style’ mass-produced many historical documents, some subjects, such as olution onwards, delivering her findings in a relaxed, bread? A read through accounts of the Plague, Catholic inquisition, and the yet well-researched and largely objective style. Wilson’s book calls into decadence of the Venetian age of excess, are unsuit- Although food adulteration is something we, in Aus- question our often blind able for younger viewers. For this reason, although the tralia, like to believe we are protected from, the recent acceptance of food addi- DVD is rated PG, it is more suited to viewing by adults melamine episode is a reminder of the very real threat tives and highlights the hazy line that has divided food interested in the history of the city. Francesco’s Venice posed to consumers by food adulteration. Today we additives from food adulteration throughout the last is one of the most beautifully filmed documentaries are accustomed to and readily accept food additives 200 years. This book is a must for anyone who enjoys and is sure to renew, or inspire, a fascination with from synthetic dyes to enzymes, emulsifiers and sul- food, or history or both! Venice. The DVD is available from ABC shops. phur dioxide to make food more colourful, last longer I.C. I.C. AUGUST 2009 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/41 STS T SPYSPYRIDONR IDO N CCOLLEGEO LLE GE

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ForFor bookingsbookings or enrolment informationinformation please contactcontact MMrsrs SopSophiehie BalayannisBalayannis on (02)(02) 93119311 3340 or [email protected]@stspyridon.nsw.edu.au or visit www.stspyridon.nsw.edu.auwww.stspyridon.nsw.edu.au The Greek Australian VEMA AUGUST 2009 20/42 TO BHMA