"Open Horizons - Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections", an exhibition through which 44 Ancient Greek rare exhibits traveled from Greece, to the other side of the Earth, to Australia, to connect visitors of the , with 4000 years of history of Greek culture.
Some of the exhibits have never traveled outside Greece and their transfer required specialized coordination and excellent cooperation between the Hellenic Archaeological Museum and the Melbourne Museum, with the assistance of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Victorian Museums, said head of the Hellenic Archaeological Museum Anna Karapanagiotou.
«Open Horizons – Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections», «Ανοιχτοί Ορίζοντες – Αρχαία Ελληνικά ταξίδια και επαφές», στο Μουσείο της Μελβούρνης. Source: Museums Victoria / Photographer Tim Carrafa
The central exhibit is a huge bust of the Greek god Zeus, weighing 400 kg. Also impressive is the statue of Antinous, Osiris, but also the Archaic sphinx. All the exhibits make you travel to and from Ancient Greece. Confident that the exhibition will be a huge success, Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews thanked all Greeks for their generosity, but also for their contribution to the formation of Australia and Victoria.
"Ancient Greece arrived in Melbourne - We are all more or less Greeks, regardless of the family tree...You can not talk about history, philosophy or democracy, without referring to the Greeks," said Mr. Andrews.
The exhibition was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Culture and Sports of Greece Lina Mendoni, who also traveled from her homeland to get even more closely connected with the Greek Diaspora in Australia. She referred with the warmest words to the Greek migrants but also to Australia that hosts them:
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews at the Opening of «Open Horizons-Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections". O πρωθυπουργός της Βικτώρια Ν. Άντριους στα εγκαίνια της έκθεσης «Ανοιχτοί Ορίζοντες – Αρχαία Ελληνικά ταξίδια και επαφές», στο Μουσείο της Μελβούρνης. Source: Supplied
"Today Australia is home to one of the largest Greek communities in the world, while Victoria and the city of Melbourne are at the heart of the thriving Greek-Australian community in multicultural and cosmopolitan Australian society. An open society, which welcomed the Greeks and allowed them to make this land a new homeland...This explains, Mr. Premier, why our two nations, although literally separated by oceans, have come so close to the heart, for this genuine and sincere friendship, we are deeply grateful."
Ms. Mendoni spoke in Greek and the translation into English was undertaken by Katerina Douka from the Greek Consulate in Melbourne.
Greek Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni (right) at the official openin of «Open Horizons – Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections». Source: SBS Greek/ Emma Papaemmanouel
The Archbishop of the Orthodox Church of Australia Makarios, during his greeting at the official opening of the exhibition: "Open Horizons. Ancient Greek travels and contacts ", at the Melbourne Museum, he congratulated those who worked for the organization of the exhibition, while, referring to the impressive exhibits, which it hosts, he distinguished that the driving force of the Ancient Greeks, for exploring the open horizons, was search for the truth.
The opening ceremony of the "Open Horizons" exhibition, was guarded by members of the Greek Presidential Guard, who were also on an official visit to Melbourne and gave a shudder of Hellenic national emotion, were present wherever they appeared.
Victorian Premier D. Andrews, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios, Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, Greek Consulate in Melbourne E. Kakavelakis. Source: supplied/GOAA
Greek Presidential Guards - Melbourne Museum April 202 Source: Emma Papaemmanouel
Also present were the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Mr. Emmanouil Kakavelakis, federal and state MPs of the coalition and the opposition, the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria Bill Papastergiadis and many representatives of Greek diaspora organizations.
Open Horizons Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections at Melbourne Museum. Source: Museums Victoria/Photographer Tim Carrafa
Listen to the full report on the opening of the exhibition "Open Horizons - Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections", by playing the podcast located as a speaker, in the center of the top photo. This podcast is in Greek.
