In an atmosphere of warmth and mutual respect, His Grace Bishop Kyriakos of Melbourne welcomed to the Melbourne Diocesan Offices, Ms Georgia Dimopoulou, the newly appointed Head of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) Office in Australia, together with Ms Dimitra Georgantzoglou, Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Melbourne.
At the beginning of the meeting, His Grace Bishop Kyriakos conveyed the greetings, paternal blessing, and well-wishes of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, expressing His Eminence’s great joy at the continual strengthening of ties between the Church, the Hellenic community in Melbourne, and the official representatives of the Hellenic Republic. His Grace emphasised that the Holy Diocese of Melbourne, under the spiritual guidance of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, remains strongly committed to nurturing cooperation that supports both the spiritual formation and cultural identity of the faithful.
The discussion was rich and wide-ranging, touching upon the long-standing spiritual and cultural bond connecting Greece with the Greek Orthodox faithful of Melbourne, the central role of the Church in safeguarding the Greek language, traditions, and Orthodox Christian faith across generations.
His Grace noted that collaboration between the Church, Greek government institutions, and community bodies ensures that the Greek presence in Melbourne remains vibrant, cohesive, and spiritually nourished.
Ms Dimopoulou outlined the GNTO’s vision for expanding Greece’s presence within the Australian region, highlighting new opportunities in cultural and religious tourism, including pilgrimages to monasteries, sacred sites, and regions rich in Orthodox tradition.
Ms Georgantzoglou reaffirmed the Consulate’s dedication to supporting Greek Melburnians, encouraging cultural initiatives, and further strengthening the bridge between Greece and Melbourne – a city often described as Greece’s “second capital” due to its strong Greek Orthodox identity and thriving diaspora.
The meeting concluded with a mutual sense of optimism and shared purpose for exciting upcoming shared projects in 2026. All parties expressed enthusiasm for future joint initiatives that will uplift the faithful, enhance Hellenic presence in Melbourne, and honour the spiritual and cultural legacy of the Greek Orthodox tradition.
His Grace Bishop Kyriakos offered a prayerful hope that God may guide their work with wisdom, unity, and peace, and that the cooperation begun may continue to bear abundant fruit for the glory of Christ and the strengthening of the faithful of the Holy Diocese of Melbourne.