Australian Ambassador to Greece, Mr. John Griffin, and his partner, Pakapat Thipayaprapai, visited Kythera on 2-5 July 2017 at the invitation of the island's Mayor, Efstratios Charhalakis to attend "1st Australia Week in Kythera" events.
The Ambassador and Mr Thipayaprapai visited the open market of Potamos and the City Hall of Kythera, where they met Mr Charhalakis, the President of the Kytheran Association of Australia, Mr Kepriotis and other officials and Australians of Kytherian descent. The Ambassador and the Mayor exchanged gifts, and discussed issues of common interest including the large Australian community of Kytherian descent.The Ambassador opened a photo exhibition of ‘Kytherians Down Under’, watched the second Friendship Soccer Match between teams from Kythera and Australia at the ‘Panagiotis Magiros’ Soccer Field, and visited a project in northern Kythera being undertaken by a team from the Australian Archaeological Institute of Athens.
The Ambassador and Mr Thipayaprapai visited the open market of Potamos and the City Hall of Kythera, where they met Mr Charhalakis, the President of the Kytheran Association of Australia, Mr Kepriotis and other officials and Australians of Kytherian descent. The Ambassador and the Mayor exchanged gifts, and discussed issues of common interest including the large Australian community of Kytherian descent.The Ambassador opened a photo exhibition of ‘Kytherians Down Under’, watched the second Friendship Soccer Match between teams from Kythera and Australia at the ‘Panagiotis Magiros’ Soccer Field, and visited a project in northern Kythera being undertaken by a team from the Australian Archaeological Institute of Athens.
The Ambassador also attended the launch of a renovation project in the village of Mitata. Hundreds of Australians of Kytherian descent were born here and migrated to Australia years ago. There is no family or house in Mitata that does have relatives in Australia.
The tens of thousands of Australians who trace their ancestral connections to Kythera have contributed positively to Australia’s economy, society, business, culture and politics.
One of their descendants is film director George Miller, whose father was born in Mitata.
Legend has it the goddess Aphrodite was born off Kythera's shores.
This visit was the last official commitment in Greece for Mr. Griffin whose term of office comes to an end in a few days.
Stratos Charchalakis
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