Greek Independence Day is usually a significant occasion for people of Greek heritage to recall a defining moment in history and to celebrate Greek culture.

I have often prepared for this most important of days on the Greek calendar, full of pride and often introspection. I have thought of the heroes of that revolution and the odds that they faced and I prepared in the knowledge that we celebrate today because of the sacrifice that those heroes made.

The "Greek History and Culture Seminars" are organised and hosted by The Greek Community of Melbourne and provide the opportunity for everyone to experience the long and fascinating history of Greece and Greek culture in its various forms and stages, aspects of which have formed the foundation of Western civilisation.

This year all our seminars are free and open to the general public, and unless otherwise noted presented in English.

Most seminars take place on Thursdays at Greek Centre, Mezzanine Floor, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.

All seminars are scheduled to start at 7:00pm. For details relating to each seminar please see the website calendar close to the day of the event.

Enrol to our seminars for free and be kept up to date with details of each Seminar and all events of the Greek Community.

2020 Greek History and Culture Seminars Program

* Change of Venue to: Ithacan Philanthropic Society,  329 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Opportunity for donations/sponsorships: Donate or sponsor one or more seminars and (optionally) let your name or brand be known as a patron of culture to our members, visitors and followers, as well as the broader artistic and cultural community of Melbourne. Individual, Corporate/Organisations and Naming Rights are available. If you find the seminars of value please consider contributing to help us keep the seminars free and open to the public.

Subscribe to our email newsletter and be kept up to date with the next Seminar and all events of the Greek Community.

In light of recent developments and on-going monitoring of the COVID-19 situation, the Greek Community of Melbourne has decided to suspend its seminar series for the next month and re-evaluate the situation after the Easter Break.

We believe that this is the responsible thing to do, there will be no seminars over the course of the next four-five weeks, however all cancelled events will be rescheduled for some future date.

We appreciate your understanding on this matter.

Are you a Victorian business interested in selling your product or setting up a business in Greece? You’re invited to an information session to hear from experts about opportunities in Greece with a focus on:

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) would like to express its support for Greece and by extension the European Union in their joint position on the forced expulsion of refugees and economic migrants by Turkey towards Greece and Europe.

The GCM remains concerned about the fate of these refugees and economic migrants that Turkey is forcefully expelling from its borders armed with false hopes and in clear contravention of its agreement with the European Union. Greece faces a crisis on its borders not of its own making.

European leaders have promised unequivocal support and now must deliver on that commitment as Greece’s efforts in managing this latest wave is not only a task it undertakes for its own sovereignty, but the sovereignty of the whole of Europe.

Dr Antonios Meimaris will present a lecture entitled A Brief History of Randomness: From divination and gambling to modern Probability Theory & Statistics, at the Greek Centre on Monday 16 March 2020, as a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

On Sunday 15 March 2020 the English version of the book “A Greek Folk Journey: Travel, Culture and Gastronomy” authored by Terina Armenakis will be launched in Melbourne at the Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale St Melbourne , Mezzanine level at 6.30pm.

Mια ενδιαφέρουσα διάλεξη με θέμα «Νύφες με προξενιό: Βιώματα και μαρτυρίες Ελληνίδων στην Αυστραλία (1950-1975)» πρόκειται να δώσει η Δρ Παναγιώτα Νάζου, την Πέμπτη 12 Μαρτίου, στο Ελληνικό Κέντρο, στο πλαίσιο των Σεμιναρίων Ελληνικής Ιστορίας και Πολιτισμού, που προσφέρει η Ελληνική Κοινότητα Μελβούρνης για δέκατη συνεχή χρονιά.

Professor Tim Parkin at the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Melbourne will launch the 2020 Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne, with a lecture entitles “The Briefest of Wonders: the Colossus of Rhodes’ on Thursday 5 March 2020, at the Greek Centre.

The Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne enter their tenth year. The success and appeal of the Seminars in the Greek and Australian communities exceeded all expectations and precedents.

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) hosted a significant Youth forum on Tuesday night that was organised by two passionate young Greek Australians Dean Kotsianis and Vasilios Berbatakis. An intergenerational audience of 100 people including young, inspiring Hellenes from all walks of life came together to discuss the relevance and evolving role of Greek Youth in the community. The key segments discussed were battling Stigmas, ensuring continuity, connecting inter-generationally and creatively enacting change.

In front of an audience of 120, the Greek Community of Melbourne presented its second instalment of Hellenic discourse with Mark Bouris as the main speaker.

Mετά την μεγάλη επιτυχία που σημείωσε η παράσταση «Λίγη Αλήθεια» του τμήματος ενηλίκων του Δημιουργικού Κέντρου Δράματος και Τεχνών της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Μελβούρνης, το περασμένο Σάββατο, διοργανώνεται νέα παράσταση το Σάββατο 22 Φεβρουαρίου.

In 1995 during the economic crisis, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis attempt to re-negotiate the country's relationship with the EU sparked immerse controversy.

The Greek Community of Melbourne is delighted to announce that the next evening of its Dialogues series, features none other than the successful businessman and prominent Greek Australian, Mark Bouris AO.

The Greek Community of Melbourne’s Antipodes Festival will take over the historic Lonsdale St Greek Precinct on Saturday 29 February and Sunday 1 March.

The Greek Community of Melbourne is proud to present Mauthausen and Other Songs of Humanity to be performed at Melbourne Recital Centre on Wednesday 29 April by two of the world’s greatest voices, Maria Farantouri from Greece and the Israeli tenor Assaf Kacholi.

Το Δημιουργικό Κέντρο Δράματος & Τεχνών (Τμήμα Ενηλίκων) της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Μελβούρνης, παρουσιάζει το θεατρικό δρώμενο «Λίγη Αλήθεια» σε σκηνοθεσία της Ελένης Μπουκουβάλα.

Πολύ ικανοποιητικά αποτέλεσματα είχαν φέτος οι μαθητές των σχολείων της Κοινότητας που διαγωνίστηκαν στις εξετάσεις του VCE στο μάθημα των Ελληνικών και των Αρχαίων Ελληνικών, καθώς και οι μαθητές του ημερήσιου Κολλεγίου της Κοινότητας Alphington Grammar.

Our Courses in 2020

Learn Modern Greek by attending our courses offered in 2020 and planned according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages *

Due to coronavirus concerns all our classes in 2020 term 2 will be delivered on line as long as it is necessary; for further information please email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 0431995055.

Commencement dates and other relevant details on our Ancient Greek classes for Adults.

Due to coronavirus concerns all our classes in 2020 term 2 will be delivered on line as long as it is necessary; for further information please email to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or call 0431995055.

Ancient (Classical) Greek for High School students and VCE students in 2020

Catering for students who wish to increase their cultural literacy, investigate the origins of philosophy, science, politics, rhetoric, history and literature, be inspired from the moral insight and virtue of the classical world, read the architects of western civilization in their own words and finally increase their performance at the VCE Classical Greek examinations with a high score scaling.

H Κοινότητά μας με αφορμή την πρόσφατη συμφωνία για την ψήφο των Ελλήνωn πολιτών του εξωτερικού, απέστειλε επιστολή στον Πρόεδρο της Δημοκρατίας κ. Προκόπη Παυλόπουλο, τον πρωθυπουργό κ. Κωνσταντίνο Μητσοτάκη, τον Αρχηγό της Αντιπολίτευσης και Πρόεδρο του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ κ. Αλέξη Τσίπρα, σε όλους τους Προέδρους των Πολιτικών Κομμάτων, στον Υπουργό Εσωτερικών κ. Τ. Θεοδωρικάκο και τον Υφυπουργό Εξωτερικών Αρμόδιο για Θέματα Απόδημων κ. Αντώνη Διαματάρη. Η Κοινότητα στην επιστολή της εκφράζει τις ανησυχίες της για σοβαρές παραλείψεις στη συμφωνία, και προβαίνει σε σειρά προτάσεων που θεωρεί απαραίτητες για να αντιμετωπιστεί σωστά και αποτελεσματικά το θέμα αυτό.

Η Επιτροπή Μνήμης του Πολυτεχνείου, στην οποία συμμετέχει και η Κοινότητά μας, διοργανώνει την Κυριακή, 17 Νοεμβρίου 2019, εκδήλωση για την 46η επέτειο της ηρωικής εξέγερσης των φοιτητών του Μετσόβειου Πολυτεχνείου στην Αθήνα, ενάντια στη χούντα των συνταγματαρχών.

The Delphi Bank 26th Greek Film Festival concluded with the world premiere of  acclaimed Greek- Australian writer and director Alkinos Tsilimidos’ highly anticipated black comedy The Tavern last night (Sunday 20 October).

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) honoured Senator Arthur Sinodinos AO during a sold out fundraising tribute dinner last night, to coincide with the 28th of October Greek National Day at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Η Πανελλήνια Ένωση Εθελοντών Πυροσβεστικού Σώματος ευχαρίστησε με επιστολή της την Ελληνική Κοινότητα Μελβούρνης για την υποστήριξή της.

The Delphi Bank 26th Greek Film Festival concluded with the world premiere of acclaimed Greek- Australian writer and director Alkinos Tsilimidos’ highly anticipated black comedy The Tavern last night (Sunday 20 October). Over 600 people including the cast and crew attended the Closing night celebration at The Astor to see the screening of the funny and at times though-provoking film about the dilemmas faced by a Melbourne Greek restaurant owner during one fateful night. Guests were also treated to a drink upon arrival, a gift bag and movie snacks.

Η Ελληνική Κοινότητα Μελβούρνης συγχαίρει την πολιτειακή κυβέρνηση για το πρόγραμμα «Πνεύμα Δημοκρατίας του Πρωθυπουργού». H κυβέρνηση της Βικτώριας προσφέρει μέσω του προγράμματος «Πνεύμα Δημοκρατίας του Πρωθυπουργού» σε 22 μαθητές και τέσσερις συνοδούς καθηγητές την ευκαιρία να συμμετάσχουν σε ένα δωρεάν εκπαιδευτικό ταξίδι δύο εβδομάδων στην Ελλάδα.

Σε μια κατάμεστη αίθουσα του κινηματογράφου Palace Cinema Como πραγματοποιήθηκε την Κυριακή 20 Οκτωβρίου 2019 το «9ο Μαθητικό Φεστιβάλ Κινηματογράφου», που διοργανώνει το Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ Κινηματογράφου σε συνεργασία με τις δύο Κοινότητες, Μελβούρνης και Σίδνεϊ, με την υποστήριξη του Πολιτειακού Υπουργείου Παιδείας της Βικτώριας, του Γραφείου Εκπαίδευσης του Ελληνικού Προξενείου και του Συλλόγου Εκπαιδευτικών Νέων Ελληνικών Βικτώριας (MGTAV).

O Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αυστραλίας κ.κ. Μακάριοςπρόκειται να επισκεφθεί τον Ιερό Ναό του Αγίου Δημητρίου της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Μελβούρνης, συνοδευόμενος από τους επισκόπους Δέρβης κ. Ιεζεκιήλ και Μηλιτουπόλεως κ. Ιάκωβο, την Παρασκευή 25 Οκτωβρίου, για να συμμετάσχει στις εορταστικές εκδηλώσεις της εκκλησίας.

To βιβλίο της Δρ Ελένης Τσεφαλά για το ελληνικό θέαρο στην Αυστραλία πρόκειται να παρουσιαστεί την Πέμπτη 17 Οκτωβρίου στο Ελληνικό Κέντρο. Η παρουσίαση του βιβλίου με τίτλο «100 χρόνια θέατρο των Ελλήνων στην Αυστραλία (1910-2010) θα γίνει από τον Κωνσταντίνο Καλυμνιό.

Actor and director Stathis Grapsas will share his life changing experience in the theatre, in a special seminar at the Greek Centre, on Thursday 10 October.

We invite you to a unique workshop of creative drama expression, at the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria. The workshop will be facilitated by the artist Steve (Stathis) Grapsas.

Adelaide-based dynamic primary and secondary school Greek teacher and a rock musician, Simone Mary Karanicolas, will present a lecture about how to engage our Youth in Modern Greek Education, on Thursday 3 October, at the Greek Centre.

Professor Dimitris Christopoulos at the Department of Political Science and History of Panteion University, will give a lecture entitled “Who is the Greek citizen? Citizenship status from the creation of the Greek state till today”, at the Greek Centre, on Tuesday 24 September, as a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

Τι κοινό έχουν ένα λυχνάρι, ένα πιθάρι και ένας Παναθηναϊκός αμφορέας; Περιείχαν όλα λάδι. Όμως σε κάθε ένα από αυτά το λάδι είχε άλλη χρήση. Με το λάδι οι γυναίκες μαγείρευαν, το χρησιμοποιούσαν ως καλλυντικό ή το έβαζαν σε λυχνάρια για να φωτίσουν το σπίτι όταν έπεφτε η νύχτα. Ακόμα, οι γιατροί θεράπευαν πληγές και οι αθλητές άλειφαν το σώμα τους. Ήταν βέβαια και το βραβείο για τους νικητές στους αγώνες των Παναθηναίων, της μεγάλης γιορτής προς τιμήν της θεάς Αθηνάς. Άλλωστε εκείνη ήταν που πρόσφερε αυτό το σπουδαίο δώρο στην πόλη.Με το θέμα «Ελιά, το δώρο μιας θεάς..» η Ελληνική Κοινότητα Μελβούρνης συνεχίζει το πολύ επιτυχημένο και ιδιαίτερα αγαπητό στα παιδιά Πρόγραμμα Σχολικών Διακοπών.

Professor Dimitris Christopoulos and Dr Kostis Karpozilos will present a lecture entitled Human Rights in the Age of Inequality: xenophobia, exclusion and the myth of the strong leader, at the Greek Centre on Thursday 26 September. With this lecture will close the 2019 Greek History and Culture Seminars series, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

Stavros Kallergis was a leading figure of 19th-century Greek socialism; editor of the newspaper Socialistis [The Socialist] and organizer of the first May Day celebration in Athens, in 1893.Dr Kostis Karpozilos, a historian and the director of the Contemporary Social History Archives (ASKI), will present a lecture at the Greek Centre, on Wednesday 25 September, as a part of a special series of the Greek History and Culture Seminars.

Cultural historian and literary translator Dr Konstandina Dounis will present this year’s Dimitris Tsaloumas Memorial Lecture at the Greek Centre, on Thursday 19 September 2019, which is a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminar, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne. The lecture is organised in collaboration with the Greek-Australian Cultural League.

The Greek Community of Melbourne honoured the work of Andrew Liveris with The Hellenic Initiative (THI) in the presence of Delphi Bank (Jim Sardis) and other key Australian fund managers and community leaders. The Consul General was also in attendance.

The Delphi Bank 26th Greek Film Festival returns to Palace Cinemas with an injection of Greek culture, history and stories for twelve days, from 9 to 20 October. This year's lineup will include 15 acclaimed and award-winning features, 3 fascinating documentaries and some interesting shorts.

Kostis Karpozilos, a historian and the director of the Contemporary Social History Archives, will present a lecture about the Greek-American workers and radicals, on Monday 23 September, at the Greek Centre, as a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

Dimitris Christopoulos, professor at the Department of Political Science and History of Panteion University in Athens will present a lecture entitled “What’s happening in Thrace: Rights and minorities’, at the Ithacan Philanthropic Society, on Sunday 22 September, as a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

During the final week of September, the Greek History and Culture Public Seminar Series organized by the Greek Community of Melbourne, will be hosting two prominent Greek academics, political scientists and public intellectuals. They will spend a week in Melbourne as part of a two week Australia tour, which will also include visits to Canberra and Sydney.

Lecturer of Greek Language and Philosophy at the University of Melbourne, Emily Hulme Kozey, will present a lecture entitled “The Oracular Tablets from Dodona: Prospects for Further Research in Social History”on Thursday 12 September, at the Greek Centre, as a part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.

Representatives of the Greek Community of Melbourne and parents of Coburg West Primary School students, met with the principal Mark Colagrande and assistant principal Dan Copping, as well as members of school Council, on Monday 26 August 2019, to discuss the future of the Greek program.

Two fascinating lectures which undoubtedly contributed to the building of the Greek Australian narrative, were presented recently at the Greek Centre as a part of the Greek history and Culture Seminars, offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.