In December 2021, Ambassador Spyrou met with THI Australia’s President, Nicholas Pappas AM and its partner charities in Greece. Moreover, THI Australia is delighted that Ambassador Spyrou and Embassy colleagues volunteered with two of our partner charities, Emfasis Foundation and Boroume in February 2022.

In this Q&A, Ambassador Spyrou shares with us both personal and professional reflections.

1. You arrived in Australia from Greece as a four-year-old. What brought your parents to Australia?

My parents worked for the Greek Government. My father, Dr Miltiades Spyrou, set up the Greek Centre down at 51-55 Pitt Street, in Sydney. You may remember that at the time co-located there were the Greek National Tourism Organisation Office, which my father set up, the Greek Press and Information Office, which my mother, Katy Spyrou, was posted to, as well as the National Bank of Greece and the Greek Consulate in Sydney. We were initially posted to Australia as a family for three years but that term was renewed for a further six times and by the time my parents returned to Greece I was 25 and remained in Australia.

2. What were your first impressions of life in multicultural Australia?

I remember being struck by the richness and complexity of Australia’s social fabric – the cultural diversity of people on the street, the foods and festivals, the music, the colours – but also, impressively, the strength with which everyone in Australia identified as Australian, irrespective of their origins. For the first time I witnessed that nationality did not necessarily follow descent. That a Bondi pizza, or a Haymarket yum cha, or a Kogarah bream on the coals with “ladolemono”, were all quintessential Australian cuisines.

Multiculturalism really is the Australian miracle. I am very proud of the way Australia does not ask you to leave your background at the door before you enter and embraces diversity as the strength that it is. It’s a very mature social attitude and a rare quality in a country – and it’s something that breeds an incredible loyalty and love for Australia amongst the diaspora communities. How many countries would confidently deploy a first generation immigrant to represent them in the country of their birth? This trust and this confidence, I found out over the years, goes to the very heart of what it means to be Australian.

3. Greece recently celebrated two major milestones – the 200th anniversary of the commencement of the Greek War of Independence and the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. Historically, who are your Greek heroes and who are your modern Greek heroes?

So many heroes! One immense ancient Greek hero for me is Miltiades son of Cimon – the Athenian general who led the Greeks to victory in the Battle of Marathon in 490BC. His leadership proved that democracy could be an effective form of government, even in a crisis, and that citizens bound by civic duty could defeat the professional army of an empire. Miltiades saved the world’s first green shoots of democracy from being destroyed. The world could use another Miltiades today.

My first social media post after arriving in Greece was a photo of me standing beside a statue of a modern Greek hero of mine – George Seferis, the Nobel Prize winning poet and diplomat. He was a towering literary figure and colleague. I felt as if I needed to get his blessing before I started my term as Ambassador in Greece.

4. During the lockdown you learnt to play the toumberleki. What are your other hobbies?

The toumberleki allowed me to travel in Greece and explore Greek musical rhythms, without leaving the house, which was great during lockdown. I also read a lot – I love literature – you may have seen my own books of poetry, one of which is a translation of a book by Yannis Ritsos, titled Monochords. But at heart I’m a family guy – and my favourite thing to do is to spend time with family, including my extended family in Greece, whenever the pandemic permits.

5. You have family roots across Greece. Is there a favourite spot in Greece you would recommend to a first-time visitor to Greece?

That’s a very hard question. I’ve never had a bad holiday in Greece. I’m constantly weighing up whether I should go and explore a new place or go back to the many magnificent locations I was already fortunate to see. If I had to advise, I’d say two things. Firstly, don’t rush away from Athens too fast – spend some time there before you move on, to explore the Acropolis, the Pnyx, to walk around Thissio, to eat at the Plaka, to go down to Pireaus. It’s a remarkable city and its once again in the process of reinventing itself, as it does every few years.

And then I’d say pick the place where you want to relax – up in the mountains in Zagori, or in the nature of Thrace, or amongst magnificent architecture of Mani, or in the old town in Rhodes, or on the wild coastlines of Andros, or in the jewel-box feel of Kastellorizo, or enjoy the culture and cuisine of Crete or Naxos or Pylio – and get to know everything about it. And one final piece of advice is, once you find paradise, go back again and again!

6. You recently met with representatives of THI Australia’s partner charities supporting vulnerable communities in Greece. What are your impressions of the value and impact of THI Australia’s commitment and support?

I was honoured to be able to host my friend Nick Pappas and representatives of THI Australia’s partner charities at my residence recently. I can’t remember a time when I was in a room with so many inspirational people. I was really impressed by remarkable and expanding range of partner charities that THI Australia has been supporting in Greece, and the devotion, empathy and commitment with which they pursue their missions. THI Australia’s partner charities produce tangible, measurable results towards the betterment of living conditions for vulnerable groups and the creation of opportunities for the under-privileged, whether they are children, unemployed youth, marginalised seniors, or residents of remote islands with limited access to healthcare services.

THI Australia is doing an excellent job, both in identifying meritorious charities and mobilising support from the Greek-Australian community, which is known worldwide for its affection for Greece and its willingness to provide active support. However, THI Australia’s efforts don’t just impact individual people – they leave an indelible, positive imprint on the relationship between Greece and Australia. THI is a superb asset to the bilateral relationship. I am very proud to be associated with THI Australia and look forward to being a partner on the ground to help further its important work.

7. Australia and Greece have a close bilateral relationship based on historical ties and the rich contribution of Greek Australians to Australian society. What are the major bilateral outcomes thus far?

Despite two years of COVID19, we’ve have achieved a lot over the last couple of years. The visit to Greece by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, was a major milestone – the first by an Australian Foreign Minister in over ten years. It really highlighted the warmth of the relationship. It was moving to be present as the Minister laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honour of the 200^th Anniversary of the Greek Revolution and the 80^th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. The welcome she received in Greece was, magnificent! And it was such a privilege to show her around my hometown!

In 2021 we witnessed the largest ever Australian investment in Greece, when Macquarie Group bought 49% of HEDNO, the Greek Electricity Network Operator, for 2.1 billion euros – the biggest ever privatisation in Greek history and the largest ever Australian investment in Greece.

My goal is to ensure this is only the beginning of a closer economic relationship between Australia and Greece. This will be capped off down the track by an ambitious Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement, which is currently in its 12^th negotiating round. This will be a key area of focus for the Embassy.

We succeeded in locking in the first round of negotiations for a bilateral Double Tax Agreement later this month. Our goal will be to conclude them as quickly as possible so that citizens of both countries can benefit from better tax treatment of their income and assets, and both Australia and Greece will see enhanced investment flows.

We succeeded in having Australian drivers’ licences recognised in Greece – just in time for the Greek summer! We brought one of the world’s most renowned muralists, Australian Guido Van Helten to do murals in Patras and Athens, which are absolutely stunning. They will be a real lasting legacy to our bilateral friendship. We are helping Greek Rugby League establish itself as a sporting federation in Greece, in time for this year’s Rugby League World Cup, for which Greece qualified! And we have extended invitations to the Greek President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to visit Australia.

Most important of all, the Embassy has been able to help hundreds of Australians who were affected by the pandemic, to get back home to their loved ones. I’m proud that the Embassy was open every day it was legally entitled to in Greece throughout the pandemic. Helping Australians in need is at the heart of what we do at the Embassy. That will always be a central focus for us.

THI Australia thanks Ambassador Spyrou for participating in this Q&A in February 2022.