The Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) participated in the 2018 Greek Festival. During the two-day festival, many thousands of people strolled along Lonsdale Street enjoying Melbourne’s largest street party highlighting Greek culture, food and entertainment in the city’s historic Greek Precinct. Featuring three stages of free entertainment, children’s activities and over sixty food, drink and craft stalls as well as many community stalls. Some of the communities represented included the Pontiaki Estia, the Panepirotic Federation of Australia, the Cretan Brotherhood, the Society of Kalamata, the Pantrifilian Association, the Pam Messinian Association Papaflessas, Alphington Grammar School, Fronditha Care, Pronia, Agapi Care and of course AIMS. The AIMS stall was very well attended with many people stopping and asking questions. The publications which were handed out, including journals and magazines, were well received. The festival was an opportunity for the Institute to promote its aims and objectives and to engage with people about various issues. The AIMS stall received visits from various dignitaries, during the weekend, including Her Excellency the Greek Ambassador Ekaterini Xagorari, the new Consul-General of Greece in Melbourne Dimitrios Michalopoulos, the President of the Greek Community Bill Papasteriadis and other members of the Greek Community Executive, many other community representatives and of course the general...

To Αυστραλιανό Ινστιτούτο Μακεδονικών Σπουδών από της ιδρύσεώς του το 1986, προβάλλει τον πολιτισμό και την ιστορία του μακεδονικού Ελληνισμού και υπερασπίζεται με επιστημονικά επιχειρήματα τα ιστορικά και πολιτιστικά δίκαια της Μακεδονίας. Ως επιστημονικό ίδρυμα, το ΑΙΜΣ, με άρθρα και δημοσιεύσεις του, απέδειξε ότι η Μακεδονία υπήρξε αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι του ελληνικού κόσμου και δεν λειτούργησε ποτέ εθνικά, ως κράτος –έθνος, αλλά φυλετικά μόνον, προβάλλοντας την ελληνική γλώσσα, ιστορία και πολιτισμό των Ελλήνων. Το ΑΙΜΣ πιστεύει και αγωνίζεται, προκειμένου να καταστεί παγκόσμιο βίωμα η ιστορική αλήθεια, όπως αυτή αναδύεται από τα σπλάχνα της Μακεδονικής γης και τα συγγράμματα των αρχαίων, ότι η Μακεδονία υπήρξε γεωγραφικό διαμέρισμα του Ελληνικού χώρου και οι κάτοικοί της, ελληνική φυλή, με κοινή γλώσσα, θρησκεία, έθιμα και παραδόσεις και κοινή πολιτιστική κληρονομιά με τους υπόλοιπους Έλληνες. Το ΑΙΜΣ υποστηρίζει ότι ο όρος «Μακεδονία» και «Μακεδόνες» δεν μπορεί και δεν πρέπει να χρησιμοποιηθεί από κανένα λαό, ή φυλή, για να δηλώσει έθνος και εθνότητα. Ουδείς άλλος λαός ή φυλή, για παράδειγμα, μπορεί να ονομασθεί «Μηδία» ή «Περσία» γιατί το σύγχρονο κράτος τους ονομάζεται «Ιράν». Το ΑΙΜΣ υποστηρίζει την εδαφική ακεραιότητα της γείτονας χώρας και πιστεύει ότι η ύπαρξή της ως κράτους-έθνους επιλύει θετικά για την Ελλάδα και τους Έλληνες το «βαλκανικό ζήτημα», ύστερα από την κατάρρευση της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας. Το ΑΙΜΣ παρακολουθεί και εκτιμά τις προσπάθειες που καταβάλλει η Ελληνική Πολιτεία, προκειμένου να εξευρεθεί μια συμβιβαστική λύση, βιώσιμη και αξιοπρεπής, για τα εθνικά δίκαια και την ιστορία του Μακεδονικού Ελληνισμού, ώστε η γείτονα χώρα να βρει τον δρόμο της μέσα στα Βαλκάνια και στην Ευρώπη και να υπάρξει συγκρητισμός και συνεργασία του κράτους αυτού με την Ελλάδα. Το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο του Αυστραλιανού Ινστιτούτου Μακεδονικών Σπουδών, εν όψει της επικείμενης διαπράγμάτευσης και των επιστασμένων διαβουλεύσεων, ΨΗΦΙΖΕΙ   Αποδεχόμαστε και υπερψηφίζουμε, όπως το πράξαμε ως ΑΙΜΣ, το 1992 στη Λισαβώνα, ως ευχετικά ιδεώδη την εθνικά συνειδησιακή πρόταση να μην υπάρξει άμεση ή έμμεση χρήση του ονόματος της Μακεδονίας ή παράγωγού του από τους γείτονές μας. Καταδικάζουμε συλλήβδην και τις πέντε ποικιλίες της φημολογούμενης ονοματοδοσίας του γειτονικού κράτους, που αποδίδονται στον διαμεσολαβητή Μάθου Νίμιτς, όπως εμφανίζονται σε μορφή δύο λέξεων. Αποκλείουμε και καταδικάζουμε κάθε νέα πρόταση χρήσης σύνθετης ονομασίας με ιστορική ή χρονολογική έννοια («νέα», «σύγχρονη» κλπ). Ως αξεπάραστη κόκκινη γραμμή, θέτουμε σύνθετη ΜΟΝΟΛΕΚΤΙΚΗ γεωγραφική ονομασία, όπου ο όρος «Μακεδονία» να εμφαίνεται προσδιοριστικά σε μία και αδιαίρετη (αδιαχώριστη) λέξη στη σλαβική γλώσσα. Το τελικό προϊόν της διαπραγμάτευσης να ισχύει έναντι όλων και για πάσα χρήση. Το τελικό προϊόν να ισχύσει μόνον και εφόσον η γείτονα χώρα συνταγματικά: (α) αποτάξει κάθε αλυτρωτική, επεκτατική και αποσχιστική βλέψη όχι μόνο στο έδαφος αλλά και στην ιστορία και τον πολιτισμό της Ελλάδας και των Ελλήνων, (β) έμπρακτα απαλείψη, αποκαθηλώσει και καταργήσει κάθε έκφανση αλυτρωτισμού...

  To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its foundation, the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS), in collaboration with the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria and the Pan-Macedonian Association, presented the musical concert “Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism”. The concert took place on Wednesday, October 26 at 8 pm in one of the world’s finest music halls, the Melbourne Recital Centre or “Elizabeth Murdoch Hall”. The hall is renowned for its architectural style and acoustic perfection. The music was written specifically for this concert by the well-known Melbournian composer Christos Ioannidis. Some of Christos’ most popular compositions include the “Free Besieged”, “Massa Confusa”, “Syphonia Polyethnic” and “Southern Landscape”. Alexander the Great’s piece swept a great narrative arc, celebrating Alexander the Great’s life and achievements in promoting the Hellenic ideals within a vast multicultural empire. An important theme of the concert was Alexander’s role in pioneering multiculturalism and nurturing an intermingling of Greek civilization, language and traditions with those of Asia. The music was performed by the Camerata Chamber Orchestra, consisting of 25 musicians (including a flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, timpani, keyboard, 2 Pianos, 7 Violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass), who were managed by one of Australia’s leading conductors and music educators, Douglas Heywood OAM. In 1995 Douglas was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to music education and community music and in 2013 he was named Hobson’s Bay Australia Day Citizen of the Year for “making an outstanding contribution to the artistic and cultural life of the city and services to the community of Hobsons Bay”. The 52-member Camerata Chorus were accompanied by the nationally renowned soprano Lauren Savrasov (Oldham) and multi award-winning baritone Adrian McEniery. The event was supported by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, which provided special shots and a film related to the life and achievements of the great Greek Macedonian commander. This has been a unique opportunity to commemorate a great historical figure in Australia and to celebrate his vision of multiculturalism and harmony, a vision that is more relevant than ever to our own contemporary society. The event program can be found...

Event: Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism Date: Wednesday 26 October 2016 Description: To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) proudly presents the musical concert Alexander the Great: Pioneering Multiculturalism Featuring an original score written by well-known Melburnian composer Christos Ioannidis, the concert celebrates the life and achievements of Alexander the Great. It highlights Alexander’s promotion of Hellenic ideals within a large multicultural empire and the significance of his expedition in influencing Hellenic and Asian civilisation. The concert also celebrates the unique role of Ancient Macedonia as an integrated cultural space within the Classical and Hellenistic world, and its parallels with contemporary multicultural societies. The music will be performed by a 25-piece symphony, managed by internationally renowned conductor Douglas Heywood, who was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in recognition of his service to Music Education and Community Music. The concert features a baritone and soprano supported by 40-piece choir. Venue Location: Elisabeth Murdoch Hall Melbourne Recital Centre, 31 Sturt Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3006 Australia Tickets: $90 – A Reserve / $70 – B Reserve Book...

Dr Anastasios Panagiotelis and Dr Vasilis Sarafidis, the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies. In her recent SBS opinion piece, “The Business of Greece and Macedonia” Perth MP Alannah MacTiernan grossly misrepresents the official stance of Greek governments, both past and present.  By propagating a number of falsehoods she unfairly depicts Greece as a recalcitrant aggressor. By responding to her article we provide a more accurate account of this complex issue. Ms MacTiernan characterises Greece’s diplomatic stance towards its northern neighbour as “trenchant opposition to the very existence of the Republic of Macedonia”.  This is patently false since Greece is the largest investor in FYROM, as Ms MacTiernan herself recognises. For instance in 2007, 17 of the 20 most sizeable investments in FYROM were financed with Greek capital, while roughly 20,000 (about 6% of the workforce) were employed in Greek-owned enterprises. Furthermore, according to statistics published by authorities in FYROM, in 2013 almost 28% of the total foreign direct investment in FYROM came from Greece.  Despite unprecedented economic hardship, Greece continues to invest in FYROM, hardly the act of a nation that opposes the very existence of its neighbour. Ms MacTiernan’s misrepresentation of Greece’s motives moves into truly absurd territory when she raises an old canard “that there were negotiations between the then-Greek Government and Serbian war criminal Slobodan Milosevic to suppress the opportunities for Macedonians to fuel division in the country”.  Although former Greek PM Konstantinos Mitsotakis did claim that Slobodan Milosevic made such overtures towards Greece, the purpose of Mitsotakis’ statement was to declare that his government unequivocally rejected any actions that would destabilise FYROM. The recent history of the naming issue is and remains controversial, however, Ms MacTiernan once again is guilty of a number of falsehoods here.  Greece did not “impose the absurd name The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, nor do Greeks refer to citizens of the country as “FYROMians”. Rather, the name “FYROM” arose from Resolution 817/1993 of the UN Security Council as a mutually agreed but temporary solution to distinguish the former member of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from three major administrative regions in northern Greece, namely “Western Macedonia”, “Central Macedonia”, and “Eastern Macedonia”. The latter three regions are part of the geocode standard developed by European Union and by far constitute the largest part of the geographical area of “Macedonia”. There are 2.5 million people living in the Greek region of Macedonia nowadays, and they proudly identify themselves as both Greeks and Macedonians (Macedonian Hellenes). The intent of the UN resolution was for both parties to negotiate and compromise on a name which respected both sides’ claims to a Macedonian identity.  The ascension of FYROM into NATO and the EU,...