GREEK AUSTRALIAN WRITER'S FESTIVAL

THE ELGAR COMPANION TO THE ARTS AND GLOBAL MULTICULTURALISM is an exploration of multiculturalism and its evolution, examining the key role that artists, activists and migrants play and asks how we can renew the concept for a modern and evolving world to advance social belonging and communal relations at a time when events overseas are tearing at the fabric of multicultural Australia.

The discussion will include two of the book’s editors as well as contributors.

• Professor Nikos Papastergiadis
• Dr Alexandra Dellios
• Emeritus Professor Andrew Jakubowicz
• Professor Fazal Rizvi 

 Facilitated by Dr Helen Vatsikopoulos

TRANSFORMATIONS is a portrait of a vanishing world, and a love story for the ages by Andrew Pippos, the award-winning author of Lucky's. It follows the life and loves of Greek-Australian journalist George Desoulis, a world-weary subeditor working in the fading glow of Australia’s print journalism era. He will be in conversations with author and Emeritus Professor Tony Macris.

EROS is a collection of short stories reimagined from Greek Mythology by Zoe Terakes.  Stories of queer life, lust, revenge, wrath, passion and sex. Of yearning, love and loss. Perspectives will shift. Houses will burn. Lovers will learn their fate.  Zoe will be in conversation with Peter Polites, author of God Forgets about the poor, The Pillars and Down the Hume.

Set against the backdrop of a rapidly unfolding mass extinction event, Nature’s Last Dance takes readers across hunting grounds, through jungles and oceans, inside communities, through courtrooms, and into the heart of battles to survive against all odds. By award winning environmentalist Natalie Kyriacou, in conversation with George Paxinos, environmentalist and neuroscientist, they will discuss the imperative to fight for our planet.

WOMANHOOD – MOTHER SALAD AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO

Mother Salad by Helena Pantsis is a short story collection which unravels the image of the woman in conflict, identity fractured and exploring a world which has seemingly abandoned her, betrayed by the very people she has been taught to trust.

That’s what they Do by Koraly Dimitriadis is her latest poetry collection that focuses on power, silencing, abuse and marginalisation across personal and public spheres.

Koraly and Helena will be in conversation with Gabriella Accaria broadcast journalist and host at fbi radio.

HONOR’S MIMIC by Charmian Clift has been re-released with an afterward by her biographer Nadia Wheatley. Clift and her husband George Johnston were a literary powerhouse couple who lived and drew inspiration from the Greek Islands where they lived in the 50s and 60’s.

It showcasesthe authentic Greek setting of her travel memoirs in a novel that explores the taboo love affair between a middle class Australian woman and a Greek sponge diver who is an outcast even within his own society.

Nadia will be in conversations with Helen Vatsikopoulos

ON PATRICK WHITE’S DILEMMAS:  Vrasidas Karalis, author and Professor of Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies at Sydney University has translated White’s Voss and The Vivisector. White was a powerhouse figure of the Australian literary scene of the 20^th century. Here Karalis explores his discovery of the Nobel Prize winner’s writing as well as the personal effect these have had on him. He is in conversation with author Nadia Wheatley

VERNACULAR DREAMS By Angelo Loukakis is an Australian classic that has been revived and re-release for a new generation. First released in the 1980’s, it contains stories of identity, alienation, hope and nostalgia, longing and belonging. He will be in conversation with Kathy Kallos, oral historian, journalist and secondary teacher.

Peter Papathanasiou

In THE BOLTHOLE Greek-Australian Detective Sergeant George Manolis and Senior Constable Sparrow reunite on a remote Australian island investigating the death of a rich newcomer to the community. Peter Papathanasiou continues to take us to the remotest parts of Australia, unearthing unique characters in this Outback Noir crime genre. He will be in conversation with veteran broadcast journalist John Mangos.

PEBBLES is a short story collection of life experiences, dreams, travels and imagination from Sydney to Ikaria.

By DINA TOURVAS is an artist and author of several bilingual books she will be in conversation with Dr Alfred Vincent researcher and  former lecturer in Modern Greek at Sydney University.

In MYTHICAL KYTHIRA photographer Jacqueline Andronicus captures the landscapes and magical places of her ancestral homeland and fthe places once inhabited by her forbears, including her grandfather who founded Andronicus Coffee in Australia.  She will be in conversation with George Vardas Arts & Culture Editor, Greek City Times and cultural heritage consultant and activist

Time

ROOM A

ROOM B

10.00am

HONOR’S MIMIC by Charmian Clift with Nadia Wheatley and Helen Vatsikopoulos

PEBBLES by Dina Tourvas with Dr Alfred Vincent

11.00am

EROS by Zoe Terakes with Peter Polites

VERNACULAR DREAMS by Angelo Loukakis with Kathy Kallos

12.00am

MULTICULTURALISM and the ARTS - Nikos Papastergiadis, Alexandra Dellios, Faizal Rivzi, Andrew Jakubowicz with Helen Vatsikopoulos

1.00pm

LUNCH

LUNCH

2.00pm

TRANSFORMATIONS by Andrew Pippos with Tony Macris

ON PATRICK WHITE’S DILEMMAS

By Vrasidas Karalis with Nadia Wheatley

3.00pm

NATURE’S LAST DANCE: Tales of Wonder in an age of extinction by Natalie Kyriacou with George Paxinos

WOMANHOOD: Mother salad by Helena Pantsis and That’s What they Do by Koraly Dimitriadis with Gabriella Accaria

4.00pm

MYTHICAL KYTHIRA by Jacqueline Andronicus with George Vardas

THE BOLTHOLE by Peter Papathanasiou with John Mangos