Greek Community of Alexandria

Author: Athanasios Koutoupas

  • Zohr, Atul, North Alexandria fields to start production this year: Petroleum Ministry

    Zohr, Atul, North Alexandria fields to start production this year: Petroleum Ministry

    Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla said that the gas fields of Zohr, Atul, and North Alexandria will start the first phase of production this year.

    El-Molla added in a statement that starting production in these fields will have a positive impact on increasing the production of gas and reducing the gap between production and domestic consumption in Egypt.

    Egypt imports petroleum products worth about $700m per month, at a time when the country is suffering from the scarcity of hard currency.

    Saudi Aramco stopped supplying Egypt with petroleum products since October, despite the agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia stating that the latter will secure Egypt’s requirements for petroleum products for five years.

    Italy’s Eni discovered the Zohr field, the largest natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, in Shorouk offshore concession back in August 2015.

    A memorandum of understanding was signed on the development of the Atul exploration during the Egypt Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh.

    The Atul field was discovered in March 2015 and has proven reserves of 1.5tn cubic feet of gas and 31m barrels of condensates, according to the Ministry of Petroleum.

    El-Molla said during the general assembly of the Belayim Petroleum Company (Petrobel) that the large investments of foreign partners in research, exploration, and production works, especially in the deep Mediterranean waters, confirm the tremendous opportunities available in the Mediterranean region.

    Chairperson of Petrobel, Atef Hassan, said in a statement that the company approved investments worth $834m in the current fiscal year (FY) 2016/2017 to intensify exploration, drilling, and development activities of discovered fields in the Nile Delta and the Gulf of Suez.

    Hassan said that these investments have increased oil and gas production rates of the company’s fields by 30% and they also contribute to conducting new explorations.

    He added that the company adopted investments worth $630m and about $214m under the approved budget for the next FY in order to continue intensifying exploration activities and develop fields.

    (www.dailynewsegypt.com)

  • A new Greek Centre on the Yarra

    A new Greek Centre on the Yarra

    The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) is pleased to announce a plan that will not only contribute to the development of the site at Bulleen, but will financially strengthen the GCM and create new facilities and services for all Greeks in Melbourne. The Plan focuses on the Community’s core activities and services and brings together organizations from across Melbourne in a landmark development called “Greek Centre on the Yarra».

    “The Plan is visionary and testament to the hard work of my fellow Board members, “ said GCM president Bill Papastergiadis of the Proposal. “The Plan resolves the significant difficulties associated with the Bulleen site and will create a space for Greek organisations to call home. The Plan compliments the work of the GCM in its CBD Centre and across its broad program of activity.”

    The Plan is to:
    1. Secure the removal of the onerous overlays on close to 2.6 hectares of the site. This is something that the GCM has been working on for almost two years with specialist consultants.
    2. Sell 1/6th of the site for $11 million to a developer brought forward by consultants who plan to build housing onsite.
    3. Collaborate with Government on the creation of wetlands on the flood prone and hence unusable part of the land. The earthworks and landscaping necessary estimated to cost $2 million dollars will be paid for by the developer and Government. The ongoing maintenance of this land will be the responsibility of Government.
    4. Partner with an appropriate organisation on the development of the GCM retained part of the site, for the construction of an iconic Greek Centre on the Yarra as conceptualised by one of Australia’s leading architects, Billy Kavellaris of KUD architects.

    This new Centre will house: 
    a. Aged Care facilities 
    b. Education facilities allowing the GCM to bring together a number of campuses in the region and save up to $100,000 per annum in rent
    c. Community meeting, gallery and function spaces that will offer a tangible location for community organisations to call home with spaces to meet, celebrate and exhibit their archives and collections.
    d. Retail spaces for a café and or restaurant
    e. On the balance of the GCM land that remains under a flood zone, the plan is to construct sporting fields that are in much demand by local clubs and schools. These are of little impact to the construction of the Centre.
    5. It is important to stress the financial considerations for the GCM associated with this plan. As proposed, the GCM will net approximately $10m from the sale, receive an ongoing profit share from the Aged Care facility once operational, receive rental from the retail outlets and from the sporting field and save close to $100,000 annually from school rentals that will no longer need to be paid. Furthermore, with regard to the construction of the new building, a joint venture with a third party will be sought to fund the construction.

    According to Mr. Papastergiadis the development of the Bulleen site has being a constant request raised with him by many community leaders. “Create a space for us to meet and keep our archives, then we will invest in it’ is constantly said to me” says Papastergiadis. “Not only we are creating a space which is needed by the community, but the project adds so much more to the social and cultural fabric of the community in Victoria. We will work with all of the key stakeholders to ensure that the needs of Greek Australians are appropriately met. This project along with the acclaimed 15 level Greek Centre in the CBD now defines Melbourne as the global Hellenic HQ.”

    “The Board’s proposal is an ideal solution to a perennial dilemma with respect to the development of the old Bulleen Drive-In site that has preoccupied the Greek Community for 30 years,” said the General Secretary of the organisation Costas Markos. “This multifaceted project will provide a cultural and educational infrastructure to accommodate the wealth of creativity within our community. The addition of an aged care facility will assist immensely to the current lack of facilities and services for the elderly within our community. The Board of the GCM strongly believes that the proposal will be adopted unanimously by the GCM members and will also be embraced by other Greek organisations.”

    The GCM’s Vice President Nikolaos Koukouvitakis pointed out “that this is a dream coming true for the community… we have a unique opportunity to develop Bulleen. This is a project for all Greeks and the whole community must support it.”

    Theo Markos, GCM’s Vice President and Education Coordinator, said: “As an active member of the GCM since the early 80s, I am familiar with the site and its problematic history. For the first time in 30 years, the circumstances are such that will allow us to constructively use this piece of land in a way that will benefit the entire community. Voting in favor of the proposal is the only way that will ensure the implementation of the future plans of our organization. “

    (www.greekcommunity.com.au)

  • Greek Ministry of Culture declares 2017 ‘Year of Nikos Kazantzakis’

    Greek Ministry of Culture declares 2017 ‘Year of Nikos Kazantzakis’

    In a bid to remember and commemorate the writer and philosopher that was Nikos Kazantzakis, the Ministry of Culture has declared 2017 as the ‘Year of Nikos Kazantzakis’.

    Sixty years since his death in 1957, the International Society of Greek Writers & Artists has developed a World Literary Competition named Kazantzakia, and submissions are now open.

    Those interested in taking part are required to submit an original selection of unpublished work that can range from poetry, storytelling, lyrics, photography, painting or a report, all of which are required to relate back to Kazantzakis and play a role in the promotion of his memory.

    Submissions will be examined and judged by a five-member evaluation committee that will be comprised of well-known writers with relevant experience.
    Winners will be announced and awarded at an official ceremony at the City of Athens Cultural Centre on March 18, just days before World Poetry Day, thanks to the support of the Municipality of Athens, O.P.A.N.D.A.

    The winner and runner-up of the poetry category will also have their work published in the following issue of Literary Anthology, which will also be dedicated to Kazantzakis.

    COMPETITION DETAILS:
    – Poems should not exceed 30 lines (two minutes required recitation time)
    – Stories should not exceed six pages
    – Submissions accepted in the following languages: Chinese, Spanish, French, English, German
    – Work submitted should not be under review currently for another publication and should remain unpublished throughout the duration of the competition
    – Each project can be sent with an alias name written on the top right of each page of your submission via email to [email protected]
    – Include a separate document with full contact information (name, email address, mailing address, and phone number) and a short biography of maximum 250 words, including previously published works with the manuscript email submission
    – PDF formatting will not be accepted.

    The Kazantzakia 2017 deadline is January 31, 2017. For more information, visit somateiodeel.blogspot.com.au/

    (neoskosmos.com)

  • GCM to assist in promoting Greek medical tourism

    GCM to assist in promoting Greek medical tourism

    Despite the economic crisis, Greece is continuing to make a name for itself in the health and medical fields, and is fast becoming a popular destination for medical tourism. 

    On a recent trip Down Under, renowned Greek Australian fertility specialist and director of Greece’s largest fertility clinic Genesis, Dr Konstantinos Pantos met with members of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) board to discuss potential ways to further the campaign to boost growth in the field. 

    A popular idea proposed was the prospect of organising and hosting a conference in Melbourne as a forum for Greece to exhibit its many achievements to the broader Australian community.

    Amongst those joining Dr Pantos on the day were GCM president Bill Papastergiadis, general secretary Costas Markos, GCM treasurer and president of the Hellenic Medical Society of Australia, Associate Professor Marinis Pirpiris, and board members Michael Karamitos and Chris Sikavitsas.

    Following on from the December 30 meeting, a follow-up Skype meeting took place on Tuesday between Dr Pantos and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Mayor of Amaroussion, Dr George Patoulis who is also leading the campaign, with Director of the Greek Centre Jorge Menidis and Mr Markos.

    They reaffirmed their agreement that stronger medical, academic and trade networks, particularly in medical tourism, between Greece and the wider Diaspora would be a goal that all parties will actively work towards developing and nurturing. 

    “At the GCM we are happy and thrilled to cooperate with Dr Pantos and to organise the meeting in Melbourne later this year to show some of the medical achievements in Greece,” said Professor Pirpiris.

    Dr Pantos was extremely satisfied by the enthusiastic and positive response he received in Melbourne, which came just after the successful conference the doctor held in New York for the further promotion of medical tourism in Greece.

    If all goes to plan, the conference is expected to take place later this year in November.

    (neoskosmos.com)