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THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] MAY 2004 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 Web: www.tovema.com.au In this issue... Our Primate’s View ‘Boundaries’ and ‘Signposts’ PAGE 5/23 VOLUNTEERS RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME ENDS SUCCESSFULLY 75th Anniversary for Church of St George, QLD UNIQUE PAGE 13/31 RECORD Having set a unique record in Olympic history, the From applications received it would seem that the most popu- ATHOC volunteer invitation period and submission of lar work sectors for volunteers are Sports, Ceremonies, Public & volunteer applications ended aerlier this month, with International Relations, Spectators Services & Accommodation, Athens organisers (ATHOC) placing a public notice in and Information Technology. newspapers to thank all who rallied in support of this Now that the volunteer recruitment stage is complete, ATHOC endeavour. More than 60,000 applications were sub- will proceed to the next stage of the Volunteers Programme - the mitted, compared with 75,665 for Sydney and 78,000 selection and incorporation of volunteers in specific positions. for Atlanta. This stage began last autumn. Over the past two years, ATHOC has left no stone unturned in As part of the volunteer selection procedure, there have been its invitation to people in Greece and abroad to volunteer for the over 88,000 personal interviews so far. Finalising of volunteer Athens Olympic and the Paralympic Games. This mobilisation selection and offers of positions for volunteer work began in has produced some revealing results: December 2003 with an official written proposal by ATHOC. Of the candidate volunteers, 55 percent are women and 45 per- More than 30,000 volunteers have locked in their final positions cent men. Of the applications, 60 percent were sent via Internet and the procedure is continuing intensively. HEALTH (for the first time in Olympic history) and 40 percent were sent Volunteers accepting proposals by ATHOC will be asked to in writing. Of the candidates, 78 percent are less than 35 years participate in training programmes designed for the Games, but old. In The candidates' level of education is also noteworthy: 41 also providing, for the great majority of volunteers, a broader Childhood percent have completed a course of higher education, university base of knowledge and experience likely to bear fruit in the post- education, or postgraduate education. In detail: Olympic period. This training stage is still in progress. immunization r 59 percent have completed primary and secondary education Sectors with special needs or employing large numbers of vol- r 29 percent have completed a university education or a course unteer staff have already started a graded programme of training PAGE 15/33 in higher education and information sessions for their volunteers. r 12 percent have a postgraduate degree A significant number of ATHOC volunteers have already been One in three claim previous volunteer experience (33.6 per- tried out and trained at the 38 Sport Events organised so far. The cent), while as many as one in four claim previous experience volunteers who served at the Sport Events - 5,081 of them over- with people with a disability (25.6). all - took part in the full procedures of training, accreditation, Asked how long they want to serve as volunteers, 69.5 percent management, and recognition, in an Olympic environment, and reply 'for more than two weeks'. they are already an experienced and well-bonded team. ON THE BAY ÁÍÏÉ×ÔÁ 5 ÇÌÅÑÅÓ ÔÅÔÁÑÔÇ - ÐÁÑÁÓÊÅÕÇ: Ãåýìá TETAÑÔÇ - ÓÁÂÂÁÔÏ: Äåßðíï ÔÅÔÁÑÔÇ-ÐÅÌÐÔÇ-ÐÁÑÁÓÊÅÕÇ & ÊÕÑÉÁÊÇ Ãéá Ãåýìá - Äåßðíï Ôá ÓÜââáôá êáé ôéò ÊõñéáêÝò áíáëáìâÜíïõìå êïéíùíéêÝò åêäçëþóåéò - äåîéþóåéò, ãÜìïõò, TRAVEL âáðôßóåéò, áññáâþíåò ê.ë.ð. 12 Merriman Street, Kyle Bay NSW 2221 Footpaths of Andros Phone: (02) 9547 0804 KYLE BAY BOWLING CLUB PAGE 16/34 18002 MAY 2004 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Greek Cypriots party, but still bitter taste on EU membership Mandela writes from prison June 10, 1980 In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) makes public a state- ment by Nelson Mandela, the long imprisoned leader of the anti-apartheid movement. The message, smuggled out of Robben Island prison under great risk, read, "UNITE! MOBILISE! FIGHT ON! BETWEEN THE Two Greek Cypriot girls celebrate their entry into the European Union on May 1st ANVIL OF UNITED MASS Tens of thousands of Greek member of the EU but to prove saw what happened in Greece - walls that ring the city’s historic ACTION AND THE HAMMER OF Cypriots feted their entry into a constructive and creative part- they had a lot of problems (on heart in Turkish as well as Greek THE ARMED STRUGGLE WE the European Union on May ner,” Papadopoulos said. EU accession).” and English. SHALL CRUSH APARTHEID!" 1st, but celebratory fireworks “We will fulfil our obligations The central bank has strongly But within minutes of the fire- could not conceal the bitter responsibly.” rejected fears that the removal of works and the EU anthem Ode Christopher Columbus dies taste left by the accession of a Papadopoulos, who opposed exchange controls will spark a to Joy ending, the crowd had May 20, 1506 divided island. the UN plan on the grounds that run on the Cyprus pound, but dispersed, half an hour before it was unbalanced, also pledged did little to dispel them with a the EU officially admitted its 10 On May 20, 1506, the great Italian explorer Despite more than eight hours to fight on for a Cyprus settle- surprise announcement earlier in new members. Christopher Columbus dies in Valladolid, of music and dance that cli- ment. the day of a one percentage Across the divided capital, Spain. Columbus was the first European to maxed with a concert by one of “Rejection of this plan espe- point increase in interest rates to Turkish Cypriots were left to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up the Greek-speaking world’s best cially is not the end of our tackle what it dubbed “ground- console themselves with the colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland in loved pop divas, Anna Vissi, the efforts. This will only come with less rumours”. plaudits of the international the 10th century. He explored the West Indies, atmosphere in Eleftheria (Free- a settlement, a correct settle- In a symbolic gesture, three community on their yes vote in South America, and Central America, but died dom) Square on the Greek ment, one that guarantees lasting Turkish Cypriot acts were on the the recent referendum and a disappointed man, feeling he had been mis- Cypriot side of the divided capi- peace for all Cypriots.” bill for the evening’s entertain- pledges of hundreds of millions treated by his patron, King Ferdinand of Spain. tal remained sombre. Before he rose to speak, the ment despite the rejection of of dollars of aid from the In a televised address to the EU’s new head of delegation reunification in the twin referen- European Union and the United Men reach Everest Summit nation at the stroke of midnight, Adriaan van der Meer wel- dums in April. States. May 29, 1953 President Tassos Papadopoulos, comed Cyprus aboard, but he Banners celebrating the island’s who led his community in did not conceal his disappoint- accession adorned the Venetian AFP At 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953, Edmund rejecting a UN plan to reunify ment that one third of the island Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a the island in time for EU acces- was effectively being left out. Sherpa of Nepal, become the first explorers to sion, insisted he remained open “I would like very much to con- reach the summit of Mount Everest, which to reconciliation with Turkish gratulate the citizens of Cyprus,” at 29,035 feet above sea level is the Cypriots and would not block he said adding: “Our message to highest point on earth. The two, part of a EU efforts to bring them in from the Turkish Cypriot community British expedition, made their final assault the cold. - we will use every means in our on the summit after spending a fitful night “We don’t want to celebrate the power to bring them in.” at 27,900 feet. News of their achieve- joys and fortunes of EU acces- Many of the estimated 30,000 ment broke around the world on June 2, the sion on our own, we want to people who gathered in day of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, share it with the Turkish Eleftheria Square shared the bit- and Britons hailed it as a good omen for Cypriots,” Papadopoulos said. ter-sweet feelings about the big their country's future. “As legal citizens of the Cyprus day. Republic they have every right “I feel very happy because we Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to this joy and prosperity. We were waiting for a long time and June 2, 1953 wait for them. Their place is we hope the EU will help not with us.” only with our economy but also On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II is formal- Just a week before the island’s with our political problems,” ly crowned monarch of the United Kingdom in accession, Greek Cypriots voted said Panayiota Ioannou, a 35- a lavish ceremony steeped in traditions that by three to one against a UN year-old mother of two, whose date back a millennium. A thousand dignitaries plan to end Cyprus’s three- family was displaced by the and guests attended the coronation at London's decade-old division, killing the 1974 Turkish occupation of the Westminster Abbey, and hundreds of millions scheme even though Turkish island’s northern third.