Kia Ora, Kalos ilthate, Welcome!
This website is for all New Zealanders and friends of New Zealand living in Greece.
The name Griwis was coined by Griwi Robyn Christou who was living in Greece at the time but is now back in NZ, and we liked it so much we kept it!
As a result of the closure of the New Zealand Embassy in Athens in 1991, and our petition protesting this, we set up The Hellenic New Zealand Association in 1995 and have been active in Greece since then.
For Brenda, Julia, Laxmi and Judith who left us way too early...
Winds about the East hills blowing Sound of glorious,carefree days, Sweep the city spread beneath us, Bid it join their echoing lays;
O brave youth with joy and singing; Set the hills forever ringing, Proud on high your standards raise.
Mind and body gain new courage, From our lamp in radiance bright, Though we fail, yet we will conquer, Rise again and win the fight;
O brave youth with joy and singing Set the hills forever ringing
TAKE AND GIVE TO ALL THE LIGHT!!!!
Glorious carefree days indeed! Remember everyone?
For those who don't know, when WEGC held it's jubilee, we had sent them our good wishes and a note with all the names of the 'Old Girls' living in Greece and the Headmistress, who was none other than our beloved Miss Janice Campbell, in her response advised us that a garden had been created in one section at the back of the school, near the Tennis Courts, and named Mediterranean Garden, in honour of all the Greek girls that had gone to the school...What a wonderful gesture!
Miss Campbell, on behalf of all of us Once Were Easters living in Greece, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
This post was inspired by Maria Verivakis' Mediterranean Kiwi blog post 'Lumen Accipe et Imperti' . Although Maria went to a different college, Wellington Girls', the school motto was the same
Take the Light and pass it on...
To read the Once Were Easters Newsletter Click Here
NOMINATIONS FOR KEA's WORLD CLASS NEW ZEALAND AWARDS ARE OPEN
The World Class New Zealand Awards recognise successful New Zealanders who enhance the reputation of the nation on the world stage by being truly world class.
These awards are one of New Zealand's most important accolades for Kiwis who have made a significant contribution and an opportunity to celebrate New Zealand's international achievements.
This year a new category, 'Friend of New Zealand', has been introduced to recognise non-Kiwis who act as ambassadors promoting and celebrating New Zealand on the world stage.
‘World Class’ individuals are those individuals who:
• facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge or skills from and about New Zealand • foster New Zealand innovation and entrepreneurship • act as a role model on the world stage • promote New Zealand internationally, and • build global connections with New Zealand.
If you know someone who is leading by example in helping to support Kiwi enterprise internationally, please put their name forward.
Award categories are:
• Friend of New Zealand • New Thinking • Biotechnology • Creative Industries • Finance, Investment & Business Services • Information & Communications Technology • Manufacturing • Research, Science, Technology & Academia
You can also nominate a supreme winner who may come from outside of these categories. Successful people who have made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand's economic development are eligible for nomination, whether they live at home or abroad
Nominations Close 15 October 2009
The Awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner in Auckland on 24 March 2010.
New Zealand - Hellenic Bilateral Relations : Visits by NZ and Greek Dignitaries
March 1995 - First Trade Delegation to New Zealand headed by Deputy Minister of National Economy, Mr Ioannis Anthopoulos May 2001 - NZ Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Helen Clark visits Greece to take part in 60th Anniversary Battle of Crete celebrations
June 2002 - President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Kostis Stephanopoulos makes historic first visit by Greek Head of State to NZ (Report )
ONE TEAM ONE SPIRIT- the New Zealand Team at the Athens 2004 Games wins Award
The New Zealand Olympic Committee has won the International Olympic Museum’s Award for Olympic Spirit for the documentary ONE TEAM ONE SPIRIT - the amazing story of the New Zealand Team at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. This is the story of Olympism in action, the story of a team committed to creating an environment that empowered and supported one another, that was enjoyable to be part of and that gave meaning to what it is to be a New Zealander. more...(NZOC)
This column is for those who have recently left us....
Pella Pinatsi Pella, a much valued member of our Hellenic New Zealand Association Committee, and a very special friend, left us prematurely on 27 May 2008, after a short illness. Always cheerful, always willing to share her ideas and thoughts with everyone, Pella will be sorely missed. Our deepest sympathy to her family, both in Greece and in New Zealand.
Bruce (Zisi) shocked us all when he left us suddenly on 26 June 2008 doing something he loved dearly - playing golf in Wellington! A very active member, and former President, of the Greek Community of Wellington, and a very dear friend of the Association, Bruce took on a number of challenges willingly and successfully. Honoured by the NZ Government for his services to the Community, as Chairman of the NZ Committee for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, Bruce led the drive for a petition to the NZ Government and succeeded in getting a vote for the Marbles return passed by the NZ Parliament. (That was no mean achievement. When I mentioned the Return of the Parthenon Marbles to the PM during her Athens' visit in 2001, the response was guarded.) Our very sincere condolences to Bruce's family - we have lost a very good friend.
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