Food, dancing and fun: Celebrating Greek Culture on Res

Here at Res we love to celebrate the broad range of cultures represented in our community, and we also love to bring people together to enjoy food, dancing and fun!

From Holi to Ramadan, Christmas to Chinese New Year, our students come together to share culture, learn about each other's backgrounds and enjoy their time together.

On 25 March, our Burwood residents enjoyed Greek Independence Day celebrations, led by our fantastic Reception Coordinator, Sophie Lambropoulos. Students were treated to a cooking workshop where they made souvlaki and sampled Greek delights, as well as learning about and taking part in a traditional Greek dance.

We caught up with Sophie to hear her reflections on the successful event:

What do events like this mean to you?

Its days like today that I burst at the seams with pride at being Greek, to be commemorating two special events.

Can you tell us about the two different events that you were celebrating?

We were celebrating National Independence Day. For 400 years under the oppression of the Ottoman Empire, Greeks showed their resilience by maintaining their language, religion, and culture, but on the 25th of March 1821 they gave it all under the motto Freedom or Death. It was the Greek determination to be free that won their independence.

This national event also coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church's celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would bear the son of God.

What kind of memories do these celebrations bring back for you?

I fondly remember and recall my family celebrations which were led by my Maternal Grandparents. We would start the day by going to church, attending a school parade, reciting poems, and proudly carrying the Greek flag and this was followed by a feast with lots of eating, dancing, and laughter. My grandparents are no longer with us, and I cherish but miss those moments, however today I had the honour to celebrate with the Residents of the Burwood Campus. Thank you, DRS, for making my day a memorable one.

A big thank you to Sophie for sharing her culture with our students and other colleagues. We look forward to more cultural celebrations together on Res, and are proud to be offering opportunities like this to allow residents to broaden their cultural understanding, while having a lot of fun!