The three-day program, held from 24 to 26 March, included a wreath laying at the Australian War Memorial, a welcome dinner with Greek and Cypriot representatives, and Greek Independence Day events in Canberra.
Delegates also attended sessions at Parliament House and FECCA House, where they heard from community, academic and public figures and discussed leadership, representation and Greek language advocacy.
The Greek-Australian Society says the initiative was created to strengthen pathways for younger and more gender-balanced leadership.
MEDIA RELEASE
INAUGURAL GAS YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM DELIVERS HISTORIC ADVOCACY FOR GREEK-AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY
Thursday 9 April 2026
The Greek-Australian Society hosted the first national delegation of young Greek-Australians to Canberra in years, with the inaugural and highly successful GAS Young Leaders Program on 24 – 26 March 2026.
The inaugural intake of the Program saw 17 successful applicants from across Australia, with 7 participants from New South Wales, 5 from Victoria, 3 from South Australia, 1 from Queensland and 1 from Tasmania, including university graduates, young professionals and Greek-Australian student leaders.
On Tuesday 24 March, the delegation arrived in Canberra and George Mpliokas, GAS President and Demi Bourdopoulos, NUGAS Victoria Co-President laid a wreath on behalf of all the delegates at the Australian War Memorial, in honour of Greek Independence Day and with respect to all Australian, Anzac and Allied personnel.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Australian Defence Force personnel and dozens of European Ambassadors and Government officials were also in attendance.
Later on Tuesday, the delegation met with His Excellency Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of Greece in Australia, Nikolaos Varellas, Deputy High Commissioner, representing His Excellency Antonis Sammoutis, High Commissioner of Cyprus in Australia, Olivia Kambouris, President of the Hellenic Youth Club, Canberra and John Loukadellis, President of the Greek Community of Canberra at the official GAS Young Leaders Program Welcome Dinner, held at Kivotos @ the Hellenic Club.
On Wednesday 25 March, the delegation started Greek Independence Day celebrations with a service at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Canberra, before a host of sessions held at Parliament House.
The Honourable Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives, formally acknowledged GAS and the Young Leaders Program as guests in the Chamber during Question Time with a well-received «Χρόνια Πολλά».
Following Question Time, delegates moved to session delivered by George Karagiannakis, recently-retired Executive Manager of Government and Industry Affairs at IAG, Dr Patricia Koromvokis, Senior Lecturer in Global Cultures and Languages, Macquarie University and Konstantia Zagrimanis, Convenor, Pharos Alliance NSW.
A number of Members of Parliament also came to welcome the delegates, including Program sponsors Steve Georganas MP and the Honourable Michael McCormack MP, the Honourable Anne Aly MP, Minister for Multiculturalism, the Honourable Senator Dave Sharma, Zhi Soon MP, Angie Bell MP and Ash Ambihaipahar MP.
Following these sessions in Parliament, GAS hosted its first-ever GAS Networking Drinks at the stunning Leyla Bar, Barton, with addresses from Peter Doukas OAM, Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia and Steve Georganas MP, before completing the night supporting the Greek Independence Day Picnic event at the National Carillon hosted by the Hellenic Youth Club, Canberra.
On Thursday 26 March, the delegation engaged in sessions at FECCA House, hosted by Andrew Ng, Chair, ACT Multicultural Council. Bill Maloukis, GAS Vice-President and Convenor, GAS Mentoring Program delivered a session before a final session from Harry Mavrolefteros, Past President and Life Member, NUGAS Australia. In partnership with GAS, delegates agreed to support the Pharos Alliance initiative across Australia, taking on the fight to revitalise Greek language learning and use across the country.
An initiative of GAS, the Young Leaders Program has been designed to address historical gaps in the Greek-Australian community space around pathways and gender balanced leadership, intergenerational knowledge transfer, skills acquisition and community coordination and interconnectivity.
Across the three days, these young Greek-Australians engaged in a number of social, cultural, religious and civic activities designed to inform their decision-making and empower their stewardship as emerging community leaders. Based on the success and pertinence of the Program, GAS now intends to deliver the GAS Young Leaders Program on an annual to biennial basis.
The delivery of the GAS Young Leaders Program would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, supporters, facilitators and community partners. Thank you AHEPA Daughters of Penelope, Principal Program Sponsor, First Education and Ignify Legal, Program Sponsors, Steve Georganas MP and the Honourable Michael McCormack MP, Parliamentary sponsors, the Embassy of Greece in Australia, the High Commission of Cyprus in Australia, Kivotos Restaurant, Mr Roses, Hellenic Youth Club, Canberra, George Karagiannakis, Dr Patricia Koromvokis, Konstantia Zagrimanis, Peter Doukas OAM, Harry Mavrolefteros, Combined Universities Greek Association – CUGA NSW, NUGAS Victoria, GOYA Brisbane and Greek Youth of South Australia – GYSA.
