messages
The 2006 Greek Festival awakens Sydney’s streets, with a positive and vibrant force, showing us not only the beauty of one culture, but of many.
Last year we had a record number of people, (over 200 000) head down to the Greek Fest Darling Harbour.
This year, you are all welcome to join us and help beat the record and make us for the second time in a row Australia’s biggest community festival.
Not only will we have events that are purely Greek experiences, but this year there is a record number of cross cultural events, where we have invited the Vietnamese, Arabic and Cuban communities to participate and run events in the Festival.
On behalf of the cultural committee I would like to thank everyone involved in this year’s Festival.
My deepest gratitude goes to the Hellenic and Australian Governments, Federal, State and Local.
I must also thank the generous sponsors of our Festival for their support and assistance, media, artists, staff and volunteers that assisted in making this festival an outstanding success.
Lastly I am proud to present to you 31 amazing cultural events and I urge you to submerge yourself in this once a year event and increase your cultural depth in conjunction with one of Sydney’s oldest and most vibrant communities.
It gives me great pleasure to provide this message for the 24th Greek Festival of Sydney 2006. The contribution of Greek Australians to the creation and maintenance of the way of life we all enjoy today has been significant. Diversity and respect for difference is an increasingly important attribute and this is actively promoted by Greek Australians sharing their culture and traditions with all Australians.
I take this opportunity to wish all those attending the Festival, and the organizers, the very best for an enjoyable event and every success in the coming year.
On behalf of all members of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party it is my great pleasure to once again convey our very best wishes to the Greek Orthodox Community of Sydney for the success of the Greek Festival of Sydney 2006. I applaud the continued fine work of the Greek Orthodox Community of Sydney and their friends and supporters whose commitment has made this Festival such an important part of the Sydney calendar.
These are difficult times which demand that we encourage and support such wonderful events as the Greek Festival of Sydney that celebrate the diversity of our great country and enjoin people to be inclusive as they share the rich cultural heritage of our Greek community. This festival is significant indicator of the great success of the Greek-Australian community and is an exemplar of the common path taken by people from many cultures that continue to build our vibrant multicultural society. I know the Greek Festival of Sydney 2006 will again be an exciting, joyful and successful event.
My best wishes to you and all those who attend.
Θέλω να ευχηθώ καλή επιτυχία στο φετινό Φεστιβάλ και να σας συγχαρώ για το εξαιρετικά αξιόλογο έργο σας. Πρωτοβουλίες σαν και αυτές αποδεικνύουν ότι ο Πολιτισμός είναι εθνικό κεφάλαιο, μια
δύναμη που ενώνει, που καταφέρνει να ξεπερνά δεδομένα όπως ο χρόνος και ο τόπος.
Εξάλλου, η πολιτιστική κληρονομιά, μαζί με την παιδεία και τη θρησκευτική παράδοση είναι οι άξονες που κρατούν ζωντανή την εθνική συνείδηση στις κοινότητες του απόδημου ελληνισμού. Και είναι πολύ σημαντικό η πνευματική και καλλιτεχνική δημιουργία να
βρίσκει τέτοιους δρόμους έκφρασης. Πρωτοβουλίες σαν και αυτή με κάνουν να συνειδητοποιώ τον πήχη των απαιτήσεων του νέου αξιώματος που μου εμπιστεύτηκε ο Πρωθυπουργός.
Σας συγχαίρω λοιπόν και πάλι και προσβλέπω σε μια στενή και εποικοδομητική συνεργασία.
It is a special honour to offer my warmest best wishes on the occasion of the 24th Greek Festival of Sydney. The modern Australia we enjoy and take for granted simply wouldn’t have been possible without the towering contribution of the Greek community, which represents the very best of multiculturalism. I am proud to support the Greek Festival, which showcases this rich and vibrant community and highlights how wise our predecessors were in opening up Australia to large-scale immigration in the postwar era. I thank the organizers and the Greek Orthodox community for making this event possible, and warmly salute the great Greek-Australian community of NSW.
It is a pleasure to extend my warmest wishes to the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW on the occasion of the 24th Greek Festival of Sydney. 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.
Με μεγάλη χαρά επικοινωνώ και φέτος μαζί σας με αφορμή τη διοργάνωση των εκδηλώσεων του 24ου Ελληνικού Φεστιβάλ του Σύδνεϋ. Ο κύκλος εκδηλώσεων του Φεστιβάλ που αποσκοπεί στην προβολή και ευρύτερη δυνατή διάδοση της ελληνικής πνευματικής δημιουργίας και η μαζική συμμετοχή του κοινού, το έχουν αναγάγει σε ένα από τα κυριότερα πολιτιστικά δρώμενα της πόλης του Σύδνεϋ.
Όλοι εσείς οι συντελεστές του ελληνικού φεστιβάλ που με κάθε διοργάνωση προσθέτετε ένα ακόμα λιθαράκι στο ελληνικό πολιτιστικό υπόβαθρο που αποτελεί πηγή και έμπνευση στην Αυστραλία, είσαστε άξιοι συγχαρητηρίων.
On behalf of the New South Wales government, I convey my best wishes for the Greek Festival of Sydney in 2006. Over the past 24 years, the festival has grown to become one of Australia’s largest
celebrations of Greek-Australian culture. The success of the festival is testimony to the valuable contribution of the Greek community to the cultural life of NSW.
