Prime Minister Julia Gillard led a large contingent of politicians who came to the March 16 opening of the Antipodes Festival, ignoring a chilly rain to kick off the festivities to honor Hellenism and make their presence known to voters.
Others in attendance were Opposition leaderTony Abbott, the Premier of Victoria Denis Napthine, the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria Daniel Andrews, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle, many federal and state MPs and Senators, the Greek Ambassador Haris Dafaranos, the Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis and many more dignitaries, attended the opening of Antipodes Festival at Lonsdale Street, the Greek Precinct in the center of Melbourne.
Gillard and Abbott kept asking the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne & Victoria Bill Papastergiadis, if the interest in politics is so big, that a great number of people attended the festival holding umbrellas. “Greeks are interested in politics, but the main reason they are here tonight is to show that they are proud of their Greek origin”, Papastergiadis answered.
Gillard stressed at her speech that she can’t imagine how would Australia be without Greeks. “You have changed this country for the better”, she noted as signing Hellenism’s praises, same as the other Australian politicians did, a fact covered by the Australian mass media as well. A concert with Mihalis Hatzigiannis followed. The popular singer gave also a concert the next day and there was also an appearane by the well-known Cretan artist Psarantonis.
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