The President of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), Bill Papastergiadis OAM, warmly welcomed Anthony Koutoufides, an independent candidate in Melbourne’s upcoming mayoral race.
Also present at the meeting were the Director of the Greek Centre, Jorge Menidis, and the Greek Centre’s Venue and Event Manager, Antonia Tsamis.
During his visit, Mr. Koutoufides was given a tour of the Greek Centre and received an overview of the GCM’s extensive cultural and educational activities. Mr. Papastergiadis emphasized the importance of preserving and celebrating Greek heritage within the diaspora and highlighted the GCM’s role as a vibrant hub for Greek cultural expression, hosting over 100 events annually.
Mr. Papastergiadis remarked, “It’s great to have Anthony Koutoufides here with us today. Not only is he a Carlton Football Club star, but he’s also someone deeply invested in his community, particularly the city of Melbourne, which is home to our organisation—the Greek Community of Melbourne, one of the largest Greek organisations in the global Greek diaspora. Fittingly, Anthony, with his Greek heritage, is stepping forward as a candidate for Lord Mayor of this wonderful city, often ranked as the world’s most liveable city. We’re excited to discuss his initiatives. We also shared our thoughts on how we can improve the city, particularly in recognising the relevance and importance of the Greek Community in this vibrant, cosmopolitan, multicultural city. Key matters identified included maintaining city street events, supporting precinct programs, and cutting red tape for events and businesses.”
Mr. Koutoufides commented, “It was a privilege to meet with Bill and Jorge today. What they’ve achieved with the Greek Community is unbelievable, especially maintaining the presence on Lonsdale Street, which means so much to us, including my Greek heritage. I look forward to working with them, and together, let’s make Melbourne the world’s most liveable city again. This organisation is producing so many great and important events, and we need to support them as much as possible. I am in awe of the extent of their cultural and educational programming. I was particularly impressed by how the GCM developed its 15-storey cultural centre and how it’s utilised by so many other organisations. The replica of the Parthenon Frieze on the outside of the building is simply stunning. Thank you so much for what you’ve done for the community, and I look forward to our future relationship—once I become Lord Mayor.”
As a token of appreciation, Mr. Koutoufides was presented with a book detailing the history of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, from its foundation up to 1972.
A few words about Anthony Koutoufides
Anthony Koutoufides, also known by his nickname of Kouta, was an Australian rules footballer with the Carlton Football Club. Considered by many as one of the most powerful and athletic players of all time, he played in almost every position and was often called the prototype of the modern footballer.
Of Greek Cypriot and Italian descent, Koutoufides has been an Australian celebrity, making numerous television appearances both during and after his football career. He was a gladiator in the Australian television series Gladiators in character as Kouta, “a Gladiator touched by the gods” and won the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars in 2006.
Photo credits – Astrini Kopeloudi Wallace Camera-footage : Michael Profyris
