Greek-Australian Writers’ Festival to discuss present threats facing multiculturalism

The Greek-Australian Writers’ Festival will take connected a antithetic flavour this year successful summation to its relation of spotlighting literature, with its keynote league to code the threats being posed presently to multiculturalism.

The all-day literate celebration, organised arsenic portion of the Greek Festival of Sydney, is acceptable to clasp its 5th variation from 10am-5pm connected 19 April astatine the Prince Henry Centre successful Little Bay.

Dr Helen Vatsikopoulos, the Founder and Director of the Festival, noted that this year’s programme will service arsenic a level for writers to speak frankly connected some of the challenges that are threatening multiculturalism.

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“We unrecorded successful turbulent times with the emergence of authoritarianism and economical disruption, and radical are hurting,” Dr Vatsikopoulos told Neos Kosmos.

“Some governmental opportunists are looking for scapegoats and it is ever convenient to target immigrants. Coming under expanding onslaught is multiculturalism and we should beryllium very worried.”

She remarked the keynote league will beryllium a sheet treatment with the exertion and contributors of an world publication connected Multiculturalism and the Arts.

“Co-editor Nikos Papastergiadis, and contributors Alexandra Dellios and Andrew Jakubowicz will take us done the milestones successful multiculturalism and the forces that are lining up against it,” the festival’s manager said.

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Dr Vatsikopoulos cited the Bendigo Wrties’ Festival and Adelaide Writers’ Week arsenic examples of interference successful the Multicultural Arts successful the sanction of ‘social cohesion’, confirming that Professor Papastergiadis will shed airy connected his ain relationship regarding his withdrawal from the Adelaide event.

“We will get a first-hand relationship of what happened and the dangers up for us if we are not careful,” she said, adding that the league will beryllium recorded by the ABC for its Big Ideas podcast connected Radio National.

Among the literate works to beryllium spotlighted astatine the lawsuit see Andrew Pippos’ work ‘The Transformations’, a caller astir a Greek Australian journalist.

Pippos will diagnostic successful an ‘In Conversation’ lawsuit with Anthony Macris, arsenic will Peter Papathanasiou successful a akin lawsuit with John Mangos arsenic the writer discusses his publication ‘The Bolthole’.

Dr Vatsikopoulos besides noted that Professor Vrasidas Karalis will sermon the interaction that the work of Australia’s Nobel laureate Patrick White had connected him, with the lawsuit besides to item the re-release of two books.

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The archetypal concerns Angelo Loukakis’ abbreviated story postulation ‘Vernacular Dreams’ (the writer will stock his observations with Kathy Kallos).

The 2nd publication is Charmian Clift’s caller ‘Honour’s Mimic’, which Clift’s biographer Nadia Wheatly will sermon with Dr Vatsikopoulos.

“It is simply a wonderful caller acceptable connected a Greek land successful the 1950’s astir forbidden love. An Australian woman falls successful emotion with a sponge diver – but some are joined to different radical and so they person to look the consequences of the assemblage taboos they person broken,” Dr Vatsikopoulos said.

The festival manager stressed the festival will besides diagnostic the work of caller young writers, including Helena Pantsis and her debut abbreviated story postulation ‘Mother Salad’, who will diagnostic successful a league with Koraly Dimitriadis (she will sermon her publication ‘That’s What They Do’.

The session, which will by facilitated by writer Gabriella Accaria, will sermon issues of involvement to young women.

“I’m besides excited to present Zoe Terakes and histrion and present writer of ‘Eros; Queer Myths for Gay Lovers’,” Dr Vatsikopoulos said, remarking Terakes’ publication explores the myths done a cheery and trans interpretation.

Terakes will besides diagnostic successful an ‘In Conversation’ lawsuit with writer Peter Polites.

The lawsuit will besides proceed its photographic explorations with lensman Jacqueline Andronicus to grounds her photos taken from her ancestral homeland of Kythera, with her acceptable to enactment successful an ‘In Conversation’ lawsuit with George Vardas.

“I americium besides very excited astir the pairing of writer Natalie Kyriacou and superb neuroscientist and environmentalist George Paxinos,” Dr Vatsikopoulos said.

“Natalie’s publication ‘Nature’s Last Dance’ is simply a warning astir the demolition of our satellite and the threats of extinction. These two passionate environmentalists will marque for a fascinating discussion.”