AUGUST 2012 - Hellenic Museum

 Message From The New CEO Dear Friends and Supporters of the Hellenic Museum. My name is John Tatoulis and I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new CEO of the Hellenic Museum. I was both excited and honoured to be invited by the Board to take on the role of CEO and I was particularly pleased to be given the mandate of better positioning the Museum as a vital Hellenic cultural centre that is relevant to all. My professional background in Journalism, Film and Television both in Australia and abroad has provided me with an invaluable entree into every facet of the Arts and Media. As a result I will be able to use the contacts and skills I have developed over the many years I have worked in this area to help deliver the Museum's exciting cultural goals. I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce the Museum's new Communications Manager, Kimon Ioannides. Kimon, who is concurrently studying his Masters in Law (JD), has a strong Arts background, is fluent in both Greek and English and has undertaken studies in Athens in Communications and International Business. Since joining the Museum a little over 2 months ago, I have been working on a strategic three year operational plan that will be officially launched in November this year. The plan includes the implementation of a series of new permanent exhibitions (from antiquities through to cutting edge contemporary art), the mounting of uniquely themed blockbuster exhibitions and the establishment of regular cultural events using diverse mediums and exploring a variety of subjects. Over the coming months I will provide more detailed information regarding major elements within the Museum’s strategic plan. In the meantime, following please find information outlining forthcoming launch events scheduled for November 2012. On behalf of the Hellenic Museum I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and I look forward to delivering outcomes that we can all be proud of. Sincerely, John Tatoulis CEO, Hellenic Museum Newsletter August 2012 On August 1st, the Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship The Hon. 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 we made to government outlining the significance of this milestone and proposing a series of events to mark the occasion. We also outlined that the proposed events would be the ideal springboard from which to launch the Hellenic Museum’s exciting program of cultural initiatives for the next three years. The Government’s decision to come on board reinforces the importance of our endeavours and more significantly, the importance Hellenic Museum CEO John Tatoulis and Minister for Multicultural Affairs and of Hellenism in Australia. th
Citizenship The Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras at the announcement of the 60 Anniversary celebration events to take place in November. Although Greek migration to Photo by Befekir Kebede
Victoria commenced in the 1850s 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 1950s and 1960s. The success of that milestone agreement can be measured by the fact that Victoria has the largest Greek born population in Australia, and in the numerous ways that the Greek community have contributed enormously to Victoria’s achievements as a State. The agreement was a landmark event and the 60th anniversary of its signing is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect. In an effort to mark this event, funding has been directed towards three programs at the Hellenic Museum: 1. “Diaspora”, a major festival celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Greek Assisted Migration. 2. “Through a Child’s Eyes”, an exhibition which examines the lives of those who came to Australia as children during the period of mass assisted migration post 1952. 3. “Ta Paratragouda – A New Beginning”, a special concert performance of the critically acclaimed cycle of songs inspired by the lives of Australia’s Greek migrants. THE EXHIBITION "Through a Child’s Eyes" The Assisted Migration program was introduced to help stimulate the Australian economy by boosting the workforce with healthy Greek adults willing to work hard and forge a new life in a new land. The ships that brought them here carried an even more valuable commodity than a new adult workforce. Thousands of children accompanied their parents on their journey across the seas. In fact, the reason most Greek migrants left their homeland was to create a better life for their children: to provide them with opportunities that they might never have had in Greece. "Through a Child’s Eyes" will be an exhibition focusing on the dreams, aspirations and goals of fifteen representative (education, arts, politics, business, law, medicine, sports and science) Greek-­‐Australians who came to Australia as children on board the Without exception those families that came to Australia as part of Migrant Ships in the 50's and 60's. the Assisted Migration program came seeking a better life and in particular, a better life for their children The "Through a Child’s Eyes" exhibition will be set against the backdrop of a broader exhibition highlighting the phenomena of the mass migration of Greeks as a result of the introduction of the Assisted Passage initiative. THE CONCERT "Ta Paratragouda – A New Beginning” In 1982, Melbourne composer Tassos Ioannides was commissioned to compose a work based on "Greek Migrant Life and Work". In collaboration with lyricist and poet Demetre Kesisoglou, Tassos crafted a beautiful cycle of songs inspired by the physical and emotional journeys and stories of Greek Migrants. The immensely popular and critically acclaimed "Ta Paratragouda" was performed at the Melbourne Concert Hall and at the Ancient Lycabettos Theatre in Athens. The presentation of "Ta Paratragouda" exactly 30 years after its creation will be a unique event as it is an historic musical document of the struggle and dreams of Australia's early Greek Migrants. Importantly, two of Greece's cultural superstars, singers Maria Farantouri and Yiannis Kotsiras will perform the song cycle in Melbourne. Tassos Ioannides
Maria Farantouri
Yiannis Kotsiras
THE FESTIVAL “Diaspora” -­‐ Greek Assisted Migration 60th Anniversary Celebration The Hellenic Museum is in the unique position of having a direct partnership with Melbourne's major Greek press organisations namely the newspapers TA NEA and NEOS KOSMOS, arts and community magazine OPA and Greek radio station 3XY. With the help of these media partners the museum intends to promote a day of cultural festivities including music, food, comedy, theatre, film and art, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Assisted Greek Migration. Melbourne has a diverse array of established Greek community groups, each of them supporters of the Hellenic Museum. It is the Museum’s intention to invite them to actively participate on this celebratory day by occupying specially erected marquees from which they can each tell their own stories. It is important to note that Maria Farantouri and Yiannis Kotsiras are excited to be involved in this celebration and in particular, looking forward to the opportunity of performing alongside our own talented local artists. ___________________________________________________________________________ Further information regarding the aforementioned events will be provided in future newsletters. Please note that closer to the day, we will be seeking volunteer assistance to ensure the smooth running of these events. Your support would be much appreciated. If you have any queries please feel free to contact Kimon Ioannides, Communications Manager at the Hellenic Museum on 86159016 or at, [email protected]