Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria

Lecture: Multiculturalism – 'Foundations and Dynamics - Looking back looking ahead.'

Speaker: George Zangalis,

Contributors: Ms Maria Vamvakinou MHR and Mr Steve Georganas MHR

When: Sunday 31st of July, 2.30pm,

Where: Greek Community, 3rd Floor, 168 Lonsdale St Melbourne

George Zangalis is widely recognised as a significant and lifelong thinker, policy strategist, fighter and builder of movements and organisations for migrant workers and ethnic rights - the essence of Multiculturalism. George is a respected Labour Movement leader and activist. He is also a founding member of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) and the Federation of Ethnic Communities of Australia (FECCA). He has been involved with Migrant Workers Committees, Ethnic Media and the teaching of community languages. He is a published author, media contributor, lecturer, past president of the Australian Railways Union, ACTU Migrant Workers Committees and a member of SBS Board and ABC Advisory Committee. Currently he is an Honorary Executive Director for the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council (NEMBC), 3ZZZ secretary and broadcaster and executive member Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition.

The lecture will explore:

- The real history of Australian Multiculturalism, the myths of Terra Nullius and English Monoculturalism - Aborigines spoke many dialects and ethnic schools and news papers existed in the 1840's.One of the leaders of the Eureka stockade was the Italian revolutionary Raffaello Carboni.

- The resistance to White Australia Policy and the ongoing struggles for policy recognition of Australia's demographic ,socio political and cultural diversity, of access and equity and representation in all spheres of human endeavour, work, schools, the community at large, political and socio-cultural institutions and decision making. Grassby, Whitlam and Fraser were not the parents of Multiculturalism but later godfathers. Furthermore the lecture will investigate the role of Greek Australians and other ethnic groups and progressive Anglo –Australians.

- What are the fundamental issues of the day and the vision for the future that reinforce the foundations of Multiculturalism and lock horns with neo assimilation?

Maria Vamvakinou: Maria is the Federal Member for Calwell and has been an activist in the area of Multiculturalism long before entering Parliament. She is currently the chair person of the Inter-parliamentary Committee on Multiculturalism.

Steve Georganas: Steve is the Federal Member for Hindmarsh in Adelaide and leading proponent of multiculturalism and social justice.