This year, the 23rd Greek Festival of Sydney builds on this unique success promoting the Greek culture in a series of well organised events that will enhance our cultural presence in our broader Australian environment.

For our various events we depend mainly on local talent and resources, proof that all our efforts of the previous years were not in vain.

An new cultural reality is being created in our community, based in the Greek culture, whilst taking in consideration other cultural activities in our environment and in general, the multicultural society we live in.

The Greek Festival of Sydney has reached a level that is rightfully regarded as one of the biggest cultural events not only in the Greek Community but also in the State it is held.

On behalf of the Board Directors of our Community, I wish to thank warmly all the members of the current management, the cultural committee, the volunteers, the sponsors and everyone who has ever contributed from any position in the efforts of our cultural campaign in the Australian society.

I wish and hope that we will progress further on and our contribution in the cultural level will be even greater and of ever higher quality, so that it really touches the thousands of people attending every year the various events, the people that we sincerely thank from our hearts.

Last year we had record numbers of people, over 100,000, head down to the Greek Fest Darling Harbour. This was the first time the Festival had been held here and it was a great success with so much on offer for visitors including great food and tonnes of entertainment. This year we are expecting to see the number of visitors increase yet again as Sydneysiders continue to support the Greek community.

The Greek fever that overcame Sydney in 2004 with the Athens Olympics and the Greek soccer team winning The Euro Cup will surely be re-ignited with the huge range of Greek events that will set Sydney alight throughout March and April.

On behalf of the Cultural Committee, I would like to express my gratitude to the Hellenic Government, the State and Local Governments and our sponsors for their generous support and assistance, the Media, artists and volunteers that assisted in making this Festival an outstanding success.

The Greek Festival of Sydney is proud to present an amazing showcase of events and talent that highlight the rich cultural diversity of the Greek community within Australia.

We look forward to celebrating with you in 2005!!

Throughout our history, the Australian-Greek community has demonstrated a strong commitment to participation in all aspects of Australian life. This Festival is another marvelous opportunity to celebrate Greek culture and the substantial contribution the Australian-Greek community makes to our social and cultural landscape.

I take this opportunity to wish all those attending the Festival and organisers the very best for an enjoyable event and every success in the coming year.

The Greek Festival of Sydney has become a landmark event in our State's cultural calendar.

Relations between Australia and Greece are closer than ever. Who can forget when we followed Greek and Australian fortunes at the Athens Olympics last year.

This year's festival promises to be a cultural celebration of Greek heritage, food, music and dance.

I congratulate the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW for organising this year's Festival and wish all a most enjoyable celebration.

I know the event holds a special place in the hearts of those of Greek heritage in Australia.

The Festival is an important celebration of Greek Australian culture and a tangible demonstration of the deep attachment the Australian people have with Greece.

I wish the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW continued success in the year ahead. Such a milestone would not be possible without the support and dedication of its members.

The Greek Festival of Sydney is an established part of our city's rich cultural life. Each year, Sydneysiders from all backgrounds can participate in a week of festivities celebrating aspects of Greek life through concerts, exhibitions, sporting events, lectures and cuisine. Greeks and non-Greeks alike can learn from each other and strengthen the bonds of friendship and understanding that exist between our two cultures.

I congratulate all those whose dedication and hard work have established the Greek Festival of Sydney as a landmark in Sydney's cultural calendar. I have every confi dence that this year's Festival will be a great success. Congratulations to all involved and best wishes for your 23rd year.

Συμπατριώτισσες και Συμπατριώτες,

Οι  Έλληνες ήταν πάντα ένας λαός ανοικτός σε επιρροές αλλά και πειραματισμούς : o ζήλος για τη διατήρηση στοιχείων του παρελθόντος εναλλάσσεται με τη διάθεση για καινοτομίες και νεωτερισμούς σε όλους τους τομείς της ζωής. Αν ο ελληνικός πολιτισμός παραμένει και διαχρονικός και επίκαιρος, είναι γιατί διαθέτει εσωτερικές δυνάμεις ανανέωσης, ανεξάντλητες πηγές ζωής και πνευματικής άνθησης.

Αυτός ο δυναμισμός που χαρακτηρίζει τον Ελληνικό πολιτισμό καθρεφτίζεται σε εσάς, τους Έλληνες της Αυστραλίας, που με συνέπεια, εδώ και 25 χρόνια, οργανώνετε το Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ του Σίδνεϊ προάγοντας και προβάλλοντας με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο την ελληνική και ελληνοαυστραλιανή δημιουργία μέσα από όλες τις εκφάνσεις της  τέχνης.

Εσείς, οι Έλληνες της Αυστραλίας, αποτελείτε τους αποτελεσματικούς πρεσβευτές της πατρίδας μας. Θέλω να είστε βέβαιοι πως η σκέψη και ο σχεδιασμός της Κυβέρνησης και εμού προσωπικά θα είναι διαρκώς μαζί σας στην κάθε προσπάθειά σας να αναδείξετε το σύγχρονο πρόσωπο της Ελλάδας μέσα από τον πολιτισμό. Ο οποίος μαζί με την Παιδεία αποτελεί την πρώτη προτεραιότητα της κυβέρνησης και προσωπικά του πρωθυπουργού Κώστα Καραμανλή.

Η εξωτερική πολιτική της χώρας μας στοχεύει άλλωστε, στη διαμόρφωση μιας καινούργιας αποτελεσματικής σχέσης μεταξύ εθνικού κέντρου και απόδημου ελληνισμού. Μιας σχέσης που θα λαμβάνει υπόψη τις κοινωνικές και πολιτισμικές ιδιαιτερότητες και ανάγκες των αποδήμων, ιδιαίτερα της νεότερης γενιάς. Και επιπλέον, θα λαμβάνει υπόψη τις νέες προοπτικές του πολιτισμού που δημιουργούνται από αυτές τις γενιές. Αναφέρομαι στην πολιτική όχι ενός κλειστού ελλαδοκεντρικού πολιτισμού, αλλά σ΄εκείνη που αντιλαμβάνεται και αναγνωρίζει τον πολιτισμό ως έκφραση της Οικουμενικότητας του ελληνισμού.    

Θα ήθελα να σας εκφράσω τα θερμά μου συγχαρητήρια για το πατριωτικό έργο και την τεράστια προσφορά σας. Εύχομαι ολόψυχα καλή επιτυχία στην ξεχωριστή πρωτοβουλία σας.

Με πατριωτικούς χαιρετισμούς

Throughout the years it has succeeded in bringing together a great variety of participants and in developing its own distinct character. This it has achieved through its committed efforts to bring together different cultures, traditions and value systems, as well as national and local mentalities. The NSW Greek Community has demonstrated a real passion for organizing such cultural events, and has developed a relationship with its members that is based on respect and trust. As a result, the NSW Greek Community is a protagonist in the Greek-Australian community. The Greek Orthodox Community is an important centre of Hellenism. Its activities play an integral role to the life of the Greek-Australian community, helping it flourish and thrive outside of Greece. As the Alternate Minister of Culture, I am glad that the Australian months of March and April will be brightened by Greek colours. The Sydney Festival develops into a lively, spirited, Greek celebration that reduces distance from the mother country and gives everyone a feeling of being Greek.

The multifaceted character of this celebration- theatre and film, music and dance, lectures and literary contests - guarantees the festival's success. Allow me to express the hope that, initiatives such as this one- that are full of Culture and full of Greece - will always be a part of the lives of Greek people living abroad.

Mε μεγάλη μου χαρά επικοινωνώ με όλους εσάς που θα συμμετάσχετε ή θα παρακολουθήσετε το 25ο Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ του Σύδνεϋ που με τo ευρύ φάσμα των εκδηλώσεων που περιλαμβάνει, φιλοδοξεί να αποτελέσει, για ακόμη μία φορά, ένα από τα πλέον σημαντικά πολιτιστικά δρώμενα της Αυστραλίας.

Η φετινή διοργάνωση, που λαμβάνει χώρα λίγους μήνες μετά την τεράστια επιτυχία των ολυμπιακών και παραολυμπιακών αγώνων της Αθήνας, που αποτέλεσαν το εφαλτήριο της παγκόσμιας εξάπλωσης της πολιτιστικής και καλλιτεχνικής κληρονομιάς μας, είμαι σίγουρος ότι θα έχει την ευρύτερη δυνατή απήχηση στην κοινωνία της Νέας Νοτίου Ουαλίας και θα συμβάλλει στην περαιτέρω προβολή των διαχρονικών αξιών που διέπουν το ελληνικό πνεύμα.

 Σας εύχομαι την μεγαλύτερη δυνατή επιτυχία.