Australian Hellenic Council of Western Australia reactivates with renewed unity and purpose

The Australian Hellenic Council (AHC) of Western Australia has successfully reconvened after a period of inactivity, marking a new chapter of unity, cooperation and community focus for the state’s Greek organisations.

The General Meeting was held on 28 October, Greece’s National OXI DAY, and brought together representatives from across Perth’s vibrant Hellenic community to discuss priorities and actions for 2026.

The meeting was chaired by lawyer, Evangelos Kakulas, who also serves as National President of the Australian Hellenic Council. In attendance were leading figures from several major organisations, including:

• Apostolos Afkos OAM, President of the Hellenic Community of Western Australia and Vice-President of the AHC.
• Savvas Papasavvas, President of the Australian Institute for Macedonian Studies (WA Chapter) and Coordinator of the Community’s Greek language program at Notre Dame University.
• Nikolaos Konstantinou, President of the Cretan Association.
• Sam Albanis, President of the Cypriot Community of Western Australia.
• Kevin Kannis, President of the Castellorizian Association of WA.
• Chris Athanasiou, President of the Florinian Brotherhood.
• Along with representatives from Floreat Athena Football Club, Estia, and the Hellenic-Australian Cultural Association of WA.

Also present were AHC Board members Petros Sardelis and Pantelis Zafeiris, Treasurer Zak Chrysostomou, and Hellenic-Australian Association of Senior Citizens President Theodoros Sarris. The meeting was further supported by chemist and businessman Kostas Berbatis, a long-time advocate of the Council.

Call for renewed engagement

In his opening remarks, Mr Kakulas called on community representatives to reinvigorate their involvement in the Australian Hellenic Council and take a more active role in advocating for Hellenic education, culture and national issues.

“The promotion of Greek language learning and the systematic engagement with our national issues are entering a period of great trial at a pan-Australian level,” he said.

“The values of Greek civilisation – which formed the foundation of Europe – are being tested. We modern Greeks possess knowledge and progress, but we remain far from the education of values our forebears bequeathed to us.”

Together with Mr Afkos, he urged representatives to unite under the Council’s framework and “fulfil their duty as Greeks of the diaspora,” especially in Western Australia – the largest yet most geographically isolated state in the Commonwealth.

Key issues and priorities

The Assembly addressed several key topics, including the preservation of Greek language and culture, the status of Christian populations in Turkey, the Cyprus issue, and the implementation of the Prespa Agreement concerning North Macedonia.

This was the first democratically organised AHC meeting in Australia involving all Greek associations after a long hiatus in national coordination.

A call to all states

Reflecting on the broader challenges facing the diaspora, Mr Kakulas spoke candidly about the need for reform and stronger national communication.

“I sense a general complacency within the community – a state of inertia,” he said.

“No Chair of Hellenic Studies currently leads to a full degree; there is no Federation of Greek Communities ensuring national coordination; and our intercommunity communication has serious gaps. Visits from Greece often lack strategic value, and our consulates remain understaffed, with months-long delays for basic appointments.”

Despite these concerns, Mr Kakulas highlighted several reasons for optimism: “Our day schools continue to thrive and make us proud, as do our aged-care facilities. But as the first generation of Greek migrants ages, we must develop strategies to fill the gap they leave behind.”

He concluded with a nationwide call to action: “I urge our compatriots in every state to follow Perth’s example – convene general assemblies, elect new members of the Australian Hellenic Council, and reunite once again in Canberra for a Pan-Australian General Assembly, so we may continue from where we left off.”