Thessaloniki, tracing the past
Somewhat belatedly we have embarked on this electronic experience which will assist us to
find our cultural roots. It will also enable us to bridge the distance between two sister port cities (Thessaloniki and Melbourne) both of which are an integral part of our lives. A course with a sincere aim of greater bonding between the culture of our forefathers and the Australian way of life, tracing back in time when those great people shaped the fate of Melbourne where we live, and Thessaloniki where we originate from.
Thessaloniki
of the literary creators, those who scaled the great city for over two millennia
with their pens, Thessaloniki the city of the artists, the singers, the sculptors not to mention the countless monuments, the infinite seashore walks without losing sight of the “White Tower”.
But Thessaloniki is not simply a city of poets, monuments and artists. It is a city
of overt and covert features; it has everything. Its city life reflections
emerge form a complex array of rare pictures, leading to either a highway or a
narrow street always concealing a pleasant surprise.
Cassander,
King of Macedonia, founded Thessaloniki more than 2300 years ago, with the
strategic aim to open the gate to the sea and a safe harbour that would become
the centre of communication with the greater centres of the Eastern
Mediterranean. Today we wonder at the marvels of all the monuments left behind
and of everyone who passed leaving their mark on this great city.
Here in
Australia, we Melburnians of Thessalonian origin, appreciate this long history,
its uniqueness, its originality, in the cosmopolitan heritage of our great
sister city of the south. Here at the antipodes, we share in the pride and
success of the cultural events marking the eventful years as they surpass all
eyes and all imaginations. Our modern skyscrapers, our busy streets, our trams,
our river, our gardens our people. All flourish and blend together in a
beautiful harmony the world can be jealous about.
But don’t
just take our word for it, come and visit, come and taste our hospitality woven
on the aprons of our bakers, on the flowers of our parks and our waterways. If
you don’t meet a smile around every street corner you will meet a new arrival
who is part and parcel of an exquisite diversity.
