Johnny Kalisperis has been given the title of founding father of the Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC) by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, in a tribute last Saturday.
Born on the island of Cos, Kalisperis migrated to Australia in 1960. He was manager of the first EMC club centre and espresso bar in North Carlton. Along with partner Savas Augoustakis, he went into the business of community based help for ethnic migrants. The centre was a place of meeting for men and women migrants of Greek and Southern European origin needing help.
In the 1970s, his work focused on the welfare of the Greek community. He was a full-time worker of the Greek unit of the EMC and remained active within the Greek community in Melbourne. His exceptional counselling skills were recognised in 1977 by the Victorian Council of Social Services for the Community Services Award. He was the first ethnic worker to be recognised for this work.
During the 1980s, he also worked on supporting the youth program of the Australian Greek Welfare Society, the Migration Rehabilitation Advisory Committee and the Consultative Committee on Social Welfare for the Department of Social Security and the Greek Welfare Workers Association.
In the 1990s and until his retirement in 2000, he served on the Greek committee of the EMC dealing with social security rights and reciprocal agreements between Australia and Greece. Over the four decades Kalisperis focused on social justice and rights, he remained a widely respected and dearly loved man in not only the Greek community, but beyond. His contribution to multiculturalism in Australia was largely appreciated.
Kalisperis is a compassionate man with a deep understanding of the pains and joys of migrants and refugees.
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