57th National Session Of AHEPA Concluded

The workings of the 57th session of the Australasian Hellenic Educational Progressive Αssociation (AHEPA) have been concluded.

The Ambassador of Greece in Australia Mr. Alexios Christopoulos and the High Commissioner of Cyprus in Australia Mr. Yiannis Iakovou presented and explained each in an over 2-hours lecture the foreign policies followed by the two countries.

Furthermore, the two officials informed the AHEPA representatives on current developments, national challenges and projections on the future of both Greece and Cyprus.

Mr. Christopoulos organized a gala in honor of the AHEPA representatives and members, which was attended by many prominent figures of the Australian political system, higher Greek-born officials of the country’s civil administration, the President of the Canberra Community and many distinguished Greek-Australians.

Mr. Iakovou informed the attending members on the latest developments concerning the Cyprus Problem, focusingg on the direct talks between the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Christofias and the Turkish-Cypriot leader Mr. Eroglu. Moreover, the High Commissioner of Cyprus provided the AHEPA members with elaborated information on the Turkish provocative actions against Cyprus drilling for oil and gas in its EEZ.

The Cypriot representative has also referred to the excellent bilateral relations between Australia and his country for the past decades.

The session was hosted at the Hellenic Club under the presidency of Mr. Dimitrios Antonakos. During the session the new president of AHEPA Mr. Elias Doufas was elected, while many important matters of Greek interest were put to a vote, such as the genocide of Pontus and Asia Minor, the Cyprus Problem, the Macedonia Name Issue, the return of the Parthenon marbles, and the reopening of the Theological School of Chalki.

Additionally, generous grants were gathered for the Children’s Hospital and the Greek Retirement Home of Canberra.