“The new Board of Directors of the Pan-Cretan Council will demand the creation of a Ministry for Greeks Abroad by the Greek Government. It will be about a Ministry stuffed with expatriate technocrats and scientists elected by Greeks abroad» underlined in an interview to “In-On” magazine, the new chairman of the Pan-Cretan Council Mr. Antonis Tsourdalakis.
He also clarified that “The Ministry will organize and exploit the scientific, business and political potential of the Greeks abroad for the benefit of Greece mainly. It will be a one-stop shop that will deal with all the affairs that people who live abroad are now facing within the Greek bureaucracy which suppresses every business and scientific effort on behalf of Greeks abroad to invest in Greece”.
Question: How will the communication of the World Council of Cretans be developed?
Answer: Regarding the issue of communication, we have to deal with our website in order to become a magnet and a channel of communication for most young people when they want to read the news of the World Council of Cretans and the associations that make it up as well as a variety of cultural and historical issues that concern the Cretans abroad all over the world. It is time the World Council of Cretans itself took over its website as there is no need to wait for a University employee to update and renew it.
Moreover, many of the 150 primary Cretan Associations scattered all over the globe probably are not fully aware of the World Council of Cretans. We have to approach these people, listen to their problems, to their anxieties and their suggestions. I will give a recent paradigm of the Cretan Association in Florina where in their President’s Mr. Zervomanolakis call for help, the Federation in Australia helped even symbolically with the amount of $ 5000 thousand dollars so as not to lose their building. If these primary Associations cease to exist, then there will be no reason for us to exist, too. Also, there should be a regular reference of the World Council of Cretans in the various magazines and newspapers published by the Associations.
The foundations of this Organization are always the four pillars of the Cretans all around the globe, the four Federations which must continue to play a vital role in the promotion of the World Council of Cretans’ aims.
Question: How will the World Council of Cretans help in the issue of Greeks’ immigration?
Answer: Another big issue that I believe the World Council of Cretans should play a vital role regards the new wave of outward migration due to the economic crisis in Greece. We see on a daily basis dozens of Greek people leave their homes seeking for a better future for their families. Therefore, the Associations should become information centers providing accurate pieces of information and financial support where needed.
To be honest, the Pan-Cretan Union in Melbourne has assisted dozens of people till now that successfully have immigrated to Australia, while the building of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne has been provided to many Greeks that come here and have nowhere to stay.
Question: Tell us about the suggestions of the World Council of Cretans in order to promote the Cretan products.
Answer: The World Council of Cretans could play a significant role in the promotion of the Cretan products and tourism in the countries that large masses of Hellenism live. In this way, we assist Greece’s economy. More specifically, in the Cretan village in Melbourne we have started buying only Greek products for our Club members; in the fridge now you will find only Greek beers and Greek refreshments, olive oil and olives only from Crete, honey, raki, oregano and other products that are produced in Greece. Think what will happen if 7 million Greeks who live abroad buy only Greek products for their homes; it will surely be an economy boost regarding Greek exports. This issue should be taken into careful consideration. As far as Australia is concerned, the promotion of Greek tourism is lacking and mainly lies on the conscientious efforts of community newspapers and radio, however not systematically and the Greek products are mainly promoted thanks to the private initiative of the Greek businessmen who live there and not to the Greek government as it should.
Question: How will Greek language learning be dealt abroad?
Answer: Greek language learning abroad is another issue that we need to look into if we wish it to continue. Unfortunately, the number of the graduate teachers that come from Greece gradually reduces and learning Greek lies on the Greeks that were born abroad who, however are not fully qualified in the Greek language.
Finally, there is an idea that we all have to promote. Outside the borders of Greece another Greece lives and progresses. A Greece that guards Thermopylae and fights for our country’s rights whenever needed; Cyprus, Macedonian, Turkish claims and others. It is unacceptable that those millions of Greeks are not represented in the Greek Parliament. The Greek people who live abroad should demand the reinforcement of Greek language learning by the Greek State.
Question: Tell us about the role of the ex-presidents of the Organization.
Answer: I regard the experience and the contribution the ex-presidents of the Organization offer very important and I would suggest the creation of a Counseling Committee of the World Council of Cretans which will be consisted of the present presidents of the Federations as well as the ex-presidents of the World Council of Cretans. The role of this committee will be HONORARY Counseling. This is a formula that functions in Australia with great success. World Council of Cretans cannot exist without the participation and the contribution of the Presidents of the Federations.
Curriculum Vitae
Antonis Tsourdalakis the new chairman of the World Council of Cretans is the son of Socrates and Anna Tsourdalakis born in Melbourne in July, 1970.
His activities in the Greek Community
1989 – He founded the Hellenic Students Association at the University of Victoria in which he was the President till 1991 while he also participates in the National Union of Greek-Australian students.
1990 – He founded the Australian Federation of Greek Youth with 34 youth organizations in which he was President till 1993.
1995 – He became member of the Australian Greek Council and the Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus. (Lobby for National Issues).
1996 – Member of the Parade Committee for our National Day in which he was also Assistant Secretary.
His activities regarding the Cretans
1991 – He was the president of the Youth of the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne & Victoria.
1994 – He was elected Secretary General of the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne & Victoria.
1998 – He participates for the first time in the Bureau of the Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand in the post of PR Manager.
1999 – He chairs in the foundation of the Cretan Youth of Australia & New Zealand, in a pan-Australian scale.
2000 – He takes over the full reconstruction of the historical Association Rethymnioton Melbourne «ARKADI» from the post of the president.
2003 – He participates for a second time in the Bureau of the Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand as a Vice-president .
2009 – He takes over the Presidency of the biggest Cretan Association of Oceania of the pan-Cretan Union Melbourne-Australia .
2011- Chairman of the World Council of Cretans.
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