Melbourne Greeks Mark 60th Anniversary of Migration Deal

It’s been 60 years since the crucial signing between the Australian and Greek governments of the Assisted Migration Agreement, which facilitated Greeks’ migration to Australia. The Hellenic Museum of Melbourne has organized an event to celebrate this anniversary.

On August 1st, the Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Nicholas Kotsiras, announced a collaboration with the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne to mark the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Assisted Migration agreement between Australia and Greece. This was the result of an application the Museum made to the government outlining the significance of this milestone and proposing a series of events to mark the occasion.

“The Government’s decision to come on board reinforces the importance of our endeavours and more significantly, the importance of Hellenism in Australia,”stress officials of the Museum. “Although Greek migration to Victoria commenced in the 1850’s as a result of the gold rush, it was the 1952 agreement between the Australian and Greek Governments on Assisted Passage for Greek migrants that gave impetus to significant migration from Greece in the 1950’s and 1960’s.”

This agreement may have been the reason why Victoria has the largest Greek born population in Australia. The Greek community of Victoria has contributed enormously to Victoria’s achievements as a State.

The Hellenic Museum announced a program full of entertainment events for every Greek in Victoria. There will be a major “Diaspora” festival as well as an exhibition, showing the lives of those who came to Australia as children during the period of mass assisted migration post-1952. Moreover, officials of the Museum have organized a special concert performance in which beloved singers such as Maria Farantouri, Tassos Ioannides and Yiannis Kotsiras will participate.

For more information, support or apply as a volunteer, visit the official Hellenic Museum of Melbourne website.