Σάββατο 29 Σεπτεμβρίου 2012

Australian Veterans award outstanding students from Crete


AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY ATHENS

PRESS RELEASE

Australian Veterans award outstanding Cretan students



The Ambassador of Australia Jenny Bloomfield hosted an event at the Australian Residence for the presentation of annual awards by the Returned and Services League of Australia to outstanding students from Crete, to honour the shared sacrifice of the two nations during the Battle of Crete of May 1941.

The awards were presented to the students by Brigadier John Sheldrick OAM (Retd), Chairman of National Trustees of the Returned and Services League of Australia, responsible for the RSL and the 6th Division Australian Hellenic Educational Memorial Trust.  The Chief of the Hellenic Defence Forces, General Michael Kostarakos, presented the Star of Merit and Honour to Brigadier Sheldrick, who accepted it on behalf of the Returned and Services League of Australia.

Congratulating this year's winners, Ambassador Bloomfield said that the RSL annual awards honoured the timeless bonds forged between the two countries and expressed Australians' ongoing gratitude to the people of Crete.

The Ambassador said, "Seventy-one years after the Battle of Crete, its message of solidarity and friendship remains alive today.   During these difficult times, Australia stands by Greece with the same spirit of solidarity which joined our two nations in 1941.  We are certain that Greece will overcome its challenges and emerge even stronger from the crisis".

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister for Administrative Reform Mr Manoussos Voloudakis, Members of the Hellenic Parliament, the former Greek Ambassador to Australia Mr Alexis Christopoulos, the Vice Governors of Chania and Rethymno, His Eminence Bishop Irineos, defence representatives, representatives of veteran associations and members of the Australian-Greek community in Greece.


Athens, 28 September 2012